Germany is set to face Paraguay in a World Cup 2026 last 32 match at Foxborough’s Boston Stadium. This encounter is anticipated to be one of the more compelling round-of-32 fixtures in the tournament. The winner of this match will advance to the last 16, where they will play against either France or Sweden.
This match marks a return to the knockout stages for Germany after a 12-year absence from this phase of the World Cup. Their last knockout game was the 2014 final, where Mario Gotze scored the winning goal against Argentina. This long hiatus from the knockout rounds suggests that the historical certainties surrounding Germany‘s performance in the World Cup may no longer be as firm.
Paraguay, on the other hand, has also waited a significant period to return to this stage of the competition. They were quarter-finalists in 2010, where they gave eventual winners Spain a considerable scare before ultimately losing 1-0. In that match, Oscar Cardozo had a second-half penalty saved when the score was level at 0-0.
Team Form and History
Germany, under Julian Nagelsmann, had a strong start to their Group E campaign with consecutive wins against Curacao and Ivory Coast. However, their momentum was disrupted by a surprising defeat to Ecuador. Despite this, they are considered strong favourites for the upcoming match, largely due to their squad depth and the form of players like Deniz Undav.
Undav, a forward from Stuttgart, has been a key player, scoring three goals in this World Cup. He is expected to start up front for the first time in this tournament, with Jamal Musiala making way, which may see Kai Havertz playing as a No. 10. Undav‘s goal-scoring efficiency, averaging a goal every 50 minutes and 47 seconds from the bench, has been a notable feature.
Paraguay secured their spot in the knockout stages by taking a solitary point in their Group D schedule against Australia, benefiting from the tournament’s new third-place qualification system. Miguel Almiron is set to return to the Paraguay side after serving a suspension, and Gabriel Avalos will start up front.
Historically, Paraguay has reached the knockout rounds in three of their last four World Cup appearances, though they have exited at the round-of-16 each time. They have a history of troubling strong teams; for instance, France, the eventual winners in 1998, needed the tournament’s first Golden Goal to defeat them. In 2002, Germany required a late winner from Oliver Neuville to overcome Paraguay.
Previous Encounters and Expectations
The previous competitive meeting between Germany and Paraguay was in the 2002 edition of the World Cup, a tournament where Germany reached the final. Some observers recall that match as one of the least impressive of that tournament. However, there is an expectation that this current fixture could be more engaging, partly due to Germany‘s stronger attacking options this time around.
Despite Paraguay‘s ability to challenge strong teams, they have not scored a goal in five World Cup knockout games. This statistic highlights a potential area of concern for their offensive output. However, their past performances, such as giving Spain a significant scare in 2010 after beating Japan on penalties, demonstrate their capacity for resilience.
The match is set against a backdrop of recent events, including a tragic incident where six people were killed at a youth welfare facility in Stade, Germany. This somber news adds a layer of reflection to the day’s events.
The odds continue to favour Germany to progress, with many anticipating their squad’s quality to overpower Paraguay for a second time in their World Cup history. The match will determine which team advances to face either France or Sweden in the next stage of the World Cup 2026.
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Source: theguardian.com
Arjun Sharma
Sports Reporter