Germany and Netherlands Eliminated from FIFA World Cup 2026 on Penalties

KATHMANDU. The journey of two European powerhouses Germany and Netherlands, considered title contenders in the FIFA World Cup 2026, has ended on the same day in penalty shootouts. In the exciting Round of 32 competitions, Germany was defeated by Paraguay and the Netherlands by Morocco, exiting the tournament.

Germany, despite controlling possession and creating pressure for most of the game against Paraguay, could not convert it into a result. With both teams tied at 1-1 after the regulation 90 minutes and subsequent extra time, the match went into a penalty shootout.

In the penalties, Paraguay's players appeared calm and confident. After one of Germany's players missed a shot, Paraguay secured a 4-3 victory and advanced to the quarterfinals. With this, four-time world champion Germany was forced to return home unexpectedly from the Round of 32.

A few hours later, in another exciting match, the Netherlands also lost to Morocco in a penalty shootout.

After a goalless first half, the Netherlands took the lead in the second half through a goal by Cody Gakpo. With only a few moments left in the game, Morocco scored a late equalizer in injury time, pushing the match into extra time.

In extra time, both teams created some excellent chances, but no goals were scored. The decision then came from a penalty shootout, where Morocco faced the pressure excellently and achieved a historic victory. With this win, Morocco advanced to the Round of 16, while the Netherlands' World Cup journey ended.

The exit of two European football powerhouses on the same day has made the World Cup knockout stage even more exciting. Both Germany and the Netherlands, who performed impressively in the group stage, could not handle the pressure of the knockout stage and had to exit the title race.

Paraguay will now compete against the winner of the match between France and Sweden to enter the quarterfinals. Meanwhile, Morocco will face Canada in the Round of 16, aiming to reach the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time.