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Paraguay Upsets Germany on Penalties, Advances in 2026 World Cup

7/4/2026

24 4 Full Breakdown

Summary

Paraguay Beats Germany

Paraguay beat Germany in a shootout despite 26% possession, advancing in the 2026 World Cup.
Coach Gustavo Alfaro said the team applied lessons from its earlier loss to the United States.
Paraguay drew with European champions Spain in the group stage and later pressed Brazil before sitting deep.
Their sole tournament defeat came in extra time against the reigning champions, leaving them just outside the top-16 ranking.

Summary

Australia Faces Egypt

Australia will face Egypt in the Round of 32 on July 3, 2026 at Dallas Stadium, with Australia ranked No. 28, two places behind Egypt’s No. 26.
Ghana will meet Colombia at Kansas City Stadium, Missouri, on July 3, 2026 for a Round of 16 berth, while Ghana is ranked No. 65 after a 95th-minute win over Panama and a draw with England.
Colombia is ranked No. 11 with 1,729.30 points after topping Group K.

Summary

France Tops Rankings

France rose to No. 1 in the FIFA men’s ranking after its round-of-32 win over Sweden, moving Argentina down to No. 2.
Argentina fell to No. 2 after a 3-2 extra-time victory over Cape Verde on July 3.
Cape Verde, ranked No. 64, became the highest-ranked African nation ever to reach the World Cup knockout stage.
The Netherlands remained the only top-10 side absent from the round of 16 after losing to Morocco on penalties.

History

Historical Context

Croatia’s first World Cup in 1998 saw debutants defeat Germany 3-0 in the quarter-finals, with Davor Šuker scoring six goals to win the Golden Boot and secure third place. That surprise propelled the nation to third in the FIFA ranking by early 1999, establishing a precedent that underdogs can reshape tournament hierarchies.

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Paraguay Beats Germany

Paraguay beat Germany in a shootout despite 26% possession, advancing in the 2026 World Cup.
Coach Gustavo Alfaro said the team applied lessons from its earlier loss to the United States.
Paraguay drew with European champions Spain in the group stage and later pressed Brazil before sitting deep.
Their sole tournament defeat came in extra time against the reigning champions, leaving them just outside the top-16 ranking.

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