Fifa World Cup 2026: Germany and the Netherlands are eliminated after losing on penalties to Paraguay and Morocco respectively
Germany boss Julian Naglesmann is under pressure after their early exit while former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp played down talk he could take over
Paraguayans have been granted a national holiday to commemorate their win
Ronaldo Koeman joins a list of managers who have played for and managed their country in a penalty shoot-out defeat at a major international tournament
Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil came from behind to knock Japan out and reach the last 16
Watch highlights of all games here and relive the matches with our 3D experience
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I think it's a common misconception that if a team don't score enough goals they are missing a poacher. Poachers don't break teams down, creative midfielders do. Germany didn't create any clear cut chances to begin with. And we've seen England get shut down by Ghana despite having Kane.
Robert, Middlesbrough
Dale Johnson
Football issues correspondent
Fifa has ditched plans to change the coin tosses before a penalty shootout at the World Cup.
Fifa had proposed a new process:
1) Captain toss: Winner decides on end OR first kick 2) Losing captain then automatically gets the choice of the other
Fifa feels this is fairer as it means one team cannot get the benefit of both.
BBC Sport understands that the Ifab was initially receptive to applying a trial, which would have allowed Fifa to use the new process in the knockout rounds at the 2026 World Cup.
This may well be revisited at a later date but there will be no mid-tournament change now.
It now remains:
1) Neutral toss using a bespoke coin with Coca-Cola on one side and the World Cup on the other. The referee assigns one side of the coin to each end of the pitch
2) Captain toss: Makes call and chooses 1st or 2nd kick
Actor and footballer Cristo Fernandez demonstrates the World Cup coin before the opening match of the last 32 between South Africa and Canada
BBC Sport understands that the Ifab was initially receptive to applying a trial, which would have allowed Fifa to use the new process in the knockout rounds at the 2026 World Cup.
But Fifa withdrew the proposal to the Ifab at the end of last week.
While we are on the subject of spot-kicks and penalty shootouts...
Netherlands 1-1 Morocco (Morocco won 3-2 on pens)
Ronald Koeman has joined a small club of people who have lost a penalty shootout as a player and manager of their country after the Netherlands lost to Morocco. Here are the other names to have done so:
Fernando Hierro
Jose Antonio Camacho
Luis Enrique
Roberto Donadoni
Gareth Southgate
Frank Rijkaard
Image source, Getty ImagesGermany and the Netherlands share four names in that list who will sadly now be unable to challenge Lionel Messi and co for the Golden Boot.
Cody Gakpo produced one of the most emotional moments of the World Cup so far when he put the Netherlands ahead with 20 minutes of normal time to play against Morocco.
But the African nation fought back to add to Dutch manager Ronald Koeman's catalogue of penalty shootout woe...
Gakpo scores 'emotional' goal after loss of unborn son
6 - Lionel Messi (Argentina)
4 - Kylian Mbappe (France), Ousmane Dembele (France), Vinicius Jnr (Brazil), Erling Haaland (Norway)
3 - Deniz Undav (Germany), Johan Manzambi (Switzerland), Ismaila Sarr (Senegal), Cody Gakpo (Netherlands), Brian Brobbey (Netherlands), Matheus Cunha (Brazil), Harry Kane (England), Elijah Just (New Zealand), Yoane Wissa (DR Congo), Jonathan David (Canada), Ismael Saibari (Morocco), Kai Havertz (Germany)
*Players in bold whose country has not been eliminated from the World Cup
Messi scores again and gets another record
Glad you reminded me Paul, Golden Boot race standings coming up.
If only there were some decent finishers at this World Cup...
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All that possession and no goals. Teams need poachers like Lineker and Van Nistelrooy. Modern football seems to have no place for them. A bloke who can put the ball in the back of the net is gold dust.
Paul, Faringdon
If you don't have time to watch the full highlights, then at least check out the penalty shootouts.
It was a first for Germany, after winning on the four previous occasions they were taken to penalties at the World Cup.
Sadly for the Dutch and manager Ronald Koeman, their penalty shootout defeat was an all-too familiar feeling...
Relive thrilling penalty shootout between Germany and Paraguay
The Netherlands are own worst enemy in shoot out
For anyone who is just joining us, we have been discussing the World Cup's overnight results, which saw Morocco, Paraguay and Brazil book their places in the last 16.
The Netherlands, Germany and Japan, meanwhile, are packing their bags to go home.
Both the Dutch and the Germans lost on a penalty shootout, against Morocco and Paraguay, respectively.
Japan led against Brazil, only to be pegged back by a second-half fightback that culminated in a winner from Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli in the sixth minute of stoppage time.
Netherlands crumble in penalty shootout as Morocco reach last 16
Paraguay stun Germany on penalties to reach last 16
Martinelli scores a stoppage-time winner to send Brazil through to last 16
Germany 1-1 Paraguay (Paraguay won 4-3 on pens)
It might not be the right time for Jurgen Klopp to think about the Germany job, but he had plenty to say on other subjects in his temporary role as TV pundit.
And he could not resist to take a dig at Premier League champions Arsenal in the process.
The former Liverpool manager, while working for German television during the World Cup, likened Tah's disallowed goal to many which the Gunners had scored throughout the season.
"If the goal is illegal, then Arsenal won't be English champions...they've scored 60% of their goals that way," Klopp told MagentaTV.
"We [Germany] win the game when the ball goes in. So, of course, this is brutal."
As the game restarted, former Premier League assistant referee Darren Cann shared his views on the decision.
"This is soft, in my opinion," Cann said on BBC One.
"But judging by what we've seen in the tournament so far, it wouldn't surprise me if they do rule it out.
"We've seen two or three goals ruled out for very small offences. This is hardly anything.
"It's a small block on the goalkeeper, but for me, it's not enough. I suspect they will be ruling this out. We feel this should not be disallowed."
Ex-Scotland winger Pat Nevin, in Boston for BBC Radio 5 Live, also believed the apparent foul was not clear enough to rule the goal out.
He said: "It is mayhem around there. There is a block - has it affected the goalkeeper? It looks like it.
"It is a subjective call. That is not clear."
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
Image source, Getty Images
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Greetings from Berlin. The mood is very sombre, angry & disbelief. Disbelief of exiting so early against a team Germany were expected to beat. Don’t get me wrong, no-one was expecting Germany to lift the World Cup, but this has stunned a nation. Never has schadenfreude been so relevant 😀
Jon, Berlin
Germany 1-1 Paraguay (Paraguay won 4-3 on pens)
Jurgen Klopp has said it is “not the right moment” to talk about becoming head coach of Germany following their World Cup exit.
Defeat has seen pressure mount on Julian Nagelsmann, but former Liverpool manager Klopp – now Red Bull’s head of global soccer – played down talk of him taking up the national-team reins.
Asked as a pundit on MagentaTV what would have to happen to consider the job, Klopp said in quotes reported on Bild: “I haven’t thought about that yet.
“I’ve often been in that situation myself as a coach, where a big dream has been shattered.
“I understand that when people talk about the national coach, my name is mentioned. But it’s not the right moment to talk about it, especially not with me.
“I have a job that I really enjoy. And as far as I know, it’s not a part-time job. The fact is, Germany was eliminated today, and this is not the moment for me to think about Jurgen Klopp’s future.”
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I have not seen the game, but it’s the players who missed the penalties, not the coach, so he should not be blamed.
Graeme, Chigwell
Germany 1-1 Paraguay (Paraguay won 4-3 on pens)
Speaking on the BBC Football Daily podcast, German journalist Raphael Honigstein said:
"I think Nagelsmann got the benefit of the doubt when Germany got knocked out of the Euros to Spain.
"Spain went on the win the tournament and it made it more respectable, the team played well, players did enough to reconcile the fans and there was a sense of momentum and optimism.
"All of that was lost in the Nations League. Qualifying for the World Cup was also uneven.
"Nagelsmann was never able to create the positivity he created during the Euros. He has made some strange decisions, and he communicated them in a strange way.
"He had to apologise to Deniz Undav for talking him down publicly and then he found himself rowing back on some decisions, like bringing back Manuel Neuer.
"There has been a lack of clarity and maturity. I think you need a sense of seniority and calmness in this job. Nagelsmann at times showed his age and inexperience."
Image source, Getty ImagesGermany 1-1 Paraguay (Paraguay won 4-3 on penalties)
BBC 5 Live Breakfast
German football reporter and commentator Christina Rann talking about Germany's exit from the World Cup and what is means for their head coach Julian Nagelsmann: "This is where the difficult conversations start to begin. Nagelsmann has to analyse his own decisions, that's part of being the national coach, but responsibility doesn't stop with the coach. Players have been part of the several disappointing tournaments. They also have to ask themselves difficult questions and responsibility has to be shared.
"Germany had one of the oldest average starting line ups and, at the same time, we do have talented younger generation waiting. The challenge is finding the balance between the experience and fresh energy players.
"We took [Manuel] Neuer back as goalie for that aura, and he missed that also. We missed the aura, the confidence so this is why we need the honesty of how we can rebuild that. Also, we need to have a fresh start right now, they still create chances and control games - but football is about decisive moments and Germany lost too many of those.
"So, I think the next step is not panic but building the next generation with those clear ideals and of course shared responsibility."
Germany 1-1 Paraguay (Paraguay won 4-3 on pens)
Immediately after the game, Julien Nagelsmann was repeatedly asked about his future and said he was "not someone who runs away" but admitted he would not be popular among the German supporters.
"If we're going to do a survey today in Germany, people are not going to speak about me positively obviously," he added. "I did feel the support in the stadium. I don't think everyone in Germany will agree with me staying on and continuing as manager of the team.
"I'd like to praise all the German fans who came to the stadium. I expected a totally different reaction from them but it was amazing and impressive the way they supported us, even after the defeat.
"I'm not going to step back only because we are eliminated. If the DFB [German football association] want me to continue, I am going to continue. I know how the industry works and a lot of people now want me to leave. I want to continue if the German FA wants me to."
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Penalties need to go. Awful way to decide a contest, and it encourages teams to play like Paraguay. Bring back golden goal and remove a player from each team every 5 mins until it’s settled. Unrivalled drama will prevail.
Alex, Reading
Germany 1-1 Paraguay (Paraguay won 4-3 on pens)
Julien Nagelsmann, a Bundesliga winner in charge of Bayern Munich in 2022, took over the national team in 2023, but they only reached the quarter-finals of the 2024 Euros they hosted.
Their World Cup campaign in North America started well, thrashing newcomers Curacao 7-1 and then coming from behind to defeat Ivory Coast 2-1.
They lost 2-1 to Ecuador in their final group game - although they had already guaranteed top spot - but the manner of this loss to Paraguay leaves Nagelsmann fighting for his job, with plenty of calls already on social media for ex-Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to replace him.
"If you consider the whole tournament, the way we played, it is a deserved loss," former Germany defender Arne Friedrich said on BBC Radio 5 Live.
"Nagelsmann has to face the consequences. It is very disappointing, but that is sport. I would definitely say the journey continues without Nagelsmann."
Former Germany midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger, speaking on BBC One, added: "It's hard to explain how Germany got into this tournament with so many problems. It's unacceptable.
"It doesn't look good for Nagelsmann. In the last few months, he hasn't dealt with situations well. With the expanded World Cup format, to go out so early would be tough to take for any big nation."
Should he stay or should he go?
Image source, Getty Images| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 9 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | -4 | 1 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 10 | -8 | 1 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 1 | 6 | 7 |
| |
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 3 | 7 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 3 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 8 | -6 | 0 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 6 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 5 | -2 | 3 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 6 |
| |
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 9 | -8 | 1 |
|
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 7 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 12 | -10 | 0 |
|
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 5 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 10 | -6 | 1 |
|
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 7 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 2 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 2 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 10 | 2 | 8 | 9 |
| |
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 7 | 1 | 6 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 3 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 12 | -11 | 0 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 1 | 7 | 9 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 0 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | -5 | 0 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 5 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 11 | -9 | 0 |
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| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | 4 | 7 |
| |
| 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 6 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 0 |
|
| Team | Played | Won | Drawn | Lost | Goals For | Goals Against | Goal Difference | Points | Form, Last 6 games, Oldest first |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 6 | -1 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | -2 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | -2 | 4 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 8 | 6 | 2 | 3 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3 | -1 | 3 |
| |
| 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 3 |
| |
| 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | -1 | 2 |
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