Germany Battles Paraguay for World Cup Knockout Stage Spot

On Monday, Germany and Paraguay will compete for a spot in the Round of 16 during the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32.

Germany approaches this knockout match with significant confidence after a successful group-stage performance. The four-time world champions qualified following a thrilling 2-1 comeback win over Ivory Coast and an earlier dominant victory against Curaçao in their first match.

Die Mannschaft netted a total of nine goals in their two initial wins, securing advancement to the knockout rounds ahead of their final group match. This performance is a notable improvement after facing early exits in the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups.

On the other hand, Paraguay earned their place as one of the best third-placed teams in the competition, joining Sweden, Ecuador, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Senegal in the Round of 32, even without finishing among the top two in their group.

With Germany looking to build on their recent success and Paraguay hoping to create an upset, the upcoming knockout match is set to be an intriguing encounter in the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Germany player celebrate after scoring (Photo Credit: Germany via X)

Team News

Germany will be without Nico Schlotterbeck, who sustained a serious ankle injury during the match against Ivory Coast on June 20. Therefore, Antonio Rudiger will again partner with Jonathan Tah in the center of the defense.

For Paraguay, Diego Gomez will be unavailable due to suspension after receiving a second yellow card in the tournament against Australia in their last match.