Fifty Years Unbeaten from the Spot—Gone: Germany Crash Out to Paraguay in 2026 World Cup Shock

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Football Muse

·30 juin 2026

Fifty Years Unbeaten from the Spot—Gone: Germany Crash Out to Paraguay in 2026 World Cup Shock

Gary Lineker's famous quote about Germany has become football folklore, coined following England's elimination to their old rivals at the 1990 World Cup.

"Football is a simple game. Twenty-two men chase a ball for 90 minutes and at the end, the Germans always win," the forward said.

Vidéos OneFootball

For a long time, it rung true. But not anymore. Germany's shock exit at the2026 World Cup has continued a wretched recent record at the tournament.

Since winning the trophy in 2014, Germany have suffered successive group-stage exits and this stunning shootout loss to an unfancied Paraguay side in Foxborough. Their last knockout stage win at a World Cup was that final success over Argentina 12 years ago.

Germany don't lose on penalties, we've often been told. The Germans had never lost a penalty shootout at the World Cup before Monday's debacle, and no major tournament shootout in 50 years.

Of 18 penalties taken in World Cup shootouts, Germany had missed just one. That effort, saved by France goalkeeper Jean-Luc Ettori, came 44 years ago. Germany won that shootout, and succeeded again against Mexico in 1986, England in 1990, and Argentina in 2006.

That run is over.

Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade both saw their telegraphed spot-kicks saved, but Antonio Sanabria's miss, and Manuel Neuer's save from Fabian Balbuena, offered hope that Germany could salvage the shootout.

However,Jonathan Tah skied his penalty over the bar, becoming the first-ever German to miss the target entirely in a World Cup shootout. It allowed Jose Canale the opportunity to emphatically slam home the winner.

The reformat of the World Cup group stage removed some of the jeopardy the competition needs, but this was a reminder of the unpredictability that knockout football offers.

For Germany, it's time for another period of reflection as a football powerhouse struggles to live up to its reputation.