Germany crash out on penalties as Hummels tears into Goretzka

Germany out on penalties to Paraguay

Your World Cup is over. Germany lost to Paraguay in the round of 32, knocked out on penalties in Foxborough (1) (2) (4). The defending champions from 2014 are gone before the tournament even reached the knockout stage proper. It is the earliest German exit in generations.

Hummels: Goretzka had no courage

Mats Hummels did not hold back. He called out Leon Goretzka after the shootout for refusing to step up. "Der hat noch nie einen Elfmeter geschossen in seiner Karriere. Dass er den schießen muss, weil eben alle anderen nicht mehr wollen, ist leider auch irgendwo bezeichnend," Hummels said (1). Joshua Kimmich, Nathaniel Brown, and Jonathan Tah were also named in the fallout. The image is damning: a senior player unwilling to take responsibility in the biggest moment.

Nagelsmann decision postponed, Neuer says goodbye

The DFB is not rushing. A decision on Julian Nagelsmann's future has been postponed (2). Meanwhile, Manuel Neuer confirmed his international retirement in the aftermath of the defeat (2). The goalkeeper walks away with a World Cup winners' medal from 2014 and more caps than any German keeper in history.

France dismantle Sweden, face Paraguay next

France beat Sweden 3–0 in the round of 16, with Kylian Mbappé and Barcola on the scoresheet (5) (6). That sets up a quarter-final between France and Paraguay, the team that just knocked you out. France will be heavy favorites.

The Bayern problem

FourFourTwo published an analysis tracing Germany's decline to Bayern Munich's domestic stranglehold (3). The argument: Bayern's dominance has eroded competition in the Bundesliga, and the national team is paying the price. Mario Götze, Julian Draxler, Timo Werner, Joshua Kimmich, and Leroy Sané are all cited as players whose development was shaped by a league with one superpower.

Fan reactions

The mood is grim. The Athletic's inquest piece is circulating widely, with the blunt verdict that not even Jürgen Klopp has an answer for what comes next. One thread juxtaposed the loss with Germany's iconic 2006 penalty shootout win over Argentina, a reminder of how far the program has fallen. Meanwhile, cameras caught the squad returning to their base camp in Winston-Salem, heads down, tournament over. Read the full inquest on r/soccer.