Paraguay coach hails ‘amazing’ World Cup win against Germany | World Cup 2026 news

Paraguay produced the biggest World Cup tournament as Germany lost 4-3 on penalties in the last 32.

Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro praised his players for their “extraordinary” performance afterwards. beat Germany on penalties to secure a place in the World Cup Last 16 on Monday.

Julio Enciso gave Paraguay an early lead in Foxborough, but Kai Havertz equalised, and it looked like four internationals Germany would finally get extra time.

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However, Jonathan Tah pulled off a goal, and Paraguay won 4-3 in a dramatic shootout after a 1-1 draw as goalkeeper Orlando Gill made two crucial saves.

“I went through it hard, like everybody,” Alfaro said.

“It was a tough game from start to finish because we knew we were going up against one of the most competitive rivals, who in the past have been favourites.”

Alfaro said his team played well in the match, preventing Germany from forcing their form.

“The players understood very well what the game required and tried to prevent Germany from finding space and playing,” he said.

He acknowledged the extent of the competition, pointing to what happened on a hot day in Massachusetts.

“It’s true that we didn’t have some things, but the demands of the game were very high. The heat was high, and the constant effort to recover and close space often left us with little energy to attack,” Alfaro added.

Germany had never lost a World Cup shootout, but Paraguay held on, even when Antonio Sanabria and Fabian Balbuena missed potential winners.

Despite this, Alfaro felt that he was part of the Paraguayan identity.

“It seems like we don’t struggle, it doesn’t count. The shooting was impressive, going to the sixth penalty,” he said, before handing the victory to the supporters.

“This qualification is for all Paraguayans who believe in us.”

Paraguay won the World Cup for only the second time. Their reward is a day that could feature France’s favorite players, if Didier Deschamps’ side get past Sweden on Tuesday.

Enciso, who plays for Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, acknowledged the challenges ahead, but said he was confident Paraguay would continue their unexpected run.

“They are a very good team, with very good players. There is no need to name them – they are stars. They will win everything, and we will prepare to face them,” said Enciso, who was injured in the second half.

“We also have our strengths, and with our style of play, we will try to make things difficult for any opponent.”

A win in the next round would allow Paraguay to match their best World Cup result. They reached the quarterfinals in 2010 before conceding a late goal against eventual champions Spain.

Enciso said that Paraguay’s victory in Germany is the fearless attitude of the team.

“We respected them a lot because we know their players, they have very good players, but we are not afraid of anyone,” he said.