Four-time winners Germany have been knocked out of the 2026 World Cup by Paraguay in a round of 32 tie that ended in a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat – but the story of the night was a VAR controversy so egregious it prompted Alan Shearer, on commentary duty for the BBC, to label the decision “pathetic”.
The match finished 1-1 after extra time. Germany thought they had won it in the first half of extra time when Bayern Munich defender Jonathan Tah powered a header into the net from a corner. But one second before the ball arrived, Germany defender Waldemar Anton brushed against Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill, who fell to the floor. Referee Jalal Jayed was sent to the monitor by VAR and, after review, ruled a foul on the keeper, disallowing the goal.
“Germany out of 2026 World Cup after VAR disallows Tah goal; Shearer calls decision 'pathetic'.”
Shearer was incandescent. “The keeper knows he’s had a slight touch and falls to the ground far too easy,” he said. “Yes there’s contact but this is a contact sport … The keeper knows he’s had the touch and the keeper buys it. Not for me. I don’t agree with that.”
Former referee Darren Cann, working as a referee analyst for the BBC, also felt the decision was soft. “This is soft in my opinion, but judging by what we’ve seen in the tournament so far, it wouldn’t surprise me if they do rule it out,” he said. “There’s a small block on the keeper. For me it’s not enough.”
Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann was booked for his protests. The disallowed goal weighed heavily as the game drifted to penalties, where Kai Havertz missed and Paraguay converted all four of their spot-kicks to seal a 4-3 shootout victory.
The result means Germany still have not reached the World Cup round of 16 since 2014. One Guardian reader, Mary Waltz, summed up the feeling among England fans: “Germany losing by penalties is the ultimate of Schadenfreude.”
Paraguay now advance to the last 32 – a round that one fan, Jacob from Australia, called “a travesty” as a round-of-32 game. The South Americans will await their next opponent.