Nagelsmann gone after Paraguay shock, France await in last 16

Nagelsmann out after your team sent Germany packing

Julian Nagelsmann has left his post as Germany head coach following their World Cup exit at your team's hands (1). The four-time champions fell to Paraguay on penalties in the Round of 32, and that result has now cost the manager his job. German outlet n-tv reports Nagelsmann and his staff will receive a hefty severance package from the DFB (1). Your team did not just win a shootout, they ended an era.

Egypt heartbreak: Paraguay out on penalties

Paraguay 1–1 Egypt, and then it ended the cruelest way. Egypt advanced on penalties in the Round of 32, knocking your team out of the 2026 World Cup (7). The same stage that delivered euphoria against Germany brought the opposite this time.

France await on Saturday in the last 16

A massive test. Paraguay face France in the World Cup Round of 16 on Saturday, and the French press are not taking your team lightly (2) (4) (10). RMC Sport asked whether France should be wary of Paraguay, noting the resilience that toppled Germany (2). The match kicks off with Paraguay carrying the momentum of one of the tournament's biggest shocks.

Deschamps on your team: "We will be ready"

Didier Deschamps is not looking past Paraguay. "We will be ready," the France manager said, acknowledging the physical challenge your team presents (3). Speaking ahead of the match, Deschamps also praised the spirit in his own camp: "They're enjoying themselves, me it's been 14 years" (9). The message is clear, France respect what Paraguay have done.

Tchouaméni out for France

Aurélien Tchouaméni has been ruled out of Saturday's match with a thigh injury (6) (8). The France midfielder picked up the issue in their final training session. Manu Koné is expected to step in (6) (8). That is a significant absence in the French midfield.

The Strasbourg connection: Chilavert to Enciso

Paraguay and France share an unusual thread. José Luis Chilavert played for Strasbourg in the early 2000s, and now Julio Enciso carries the Paraguayan flag in Ligue 1 (5). France 3's Alsace bureau highlighted the link ahead of Saturday's match: two generations, one club, a neat piece of football history between these sides (5).

Fan reactions

Paraguay fans are savoring the underdog role. The only third-place team to reach the knockout stage, and Reddit has taken notice, one post celebrating that fact gained strong traction. Gustavo Alfaro's metaphor about France being a thunderstorm also resonated: "You have to figure out how to dodge those lightning bolts." Full thread on r/soccer.