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Germany and the Netherlands were both eliminated from the Round of 32 after losing penalty shootouts against Paraguay and Morocco, leaving the tournament without two of its strongest nations.
Germany were the first to see their dream fade away after a tense battle with Paraguay. Julian Nagelsmann’s side struggled to prove their strength throughout the game.
A nervy penalty shootout loss to Paraguay following a 1-1 draw with the South American team sent the Germans packing as Nagelsmann suffered yet another disappointing, collective World Cup collapse that saw the once terrifying Germans bow out far too early.
The Netherlands also suffered from a heartbreaking exit. Despite taking the lead and scoring the first goal of the clash by taking advantage of the Atlas Lions’ missed opportunities. Issa Diop’s dramatic added-time equalizer shocked the Dutch, forcing a nervy extra-time showdown in which the Netherlands barely even touched the ball as Morocco was dominating.
With neither side able to find a winner after 120 minutes, the match was settled on penalties, where Morocco emerged victorious.
For the Netherlands, the defeat added another chapter to an unwanted record, marking a third consecutive World Cup elimination via penalty shootout after similar exits in 2014 and 2022, both against Argentina.
Germany, meanwhile, left the tournament facing media criticism after another campaign that fell well short of expectations.
With two of the European giants already heading home before the Round of 16 even begins, the 2026 FIFA World Cup has once again proven that history alone guarantees nothing.
