Nagelsmann faces Paraguay in World Cup round of 16 with job and reputation on the line

Knockout football returns for Germany

For the first time since winning the 2014 World Cup, Germany plays a knockout match at the tournament. The round of 16 tie against Paraguay is also the first such test in Julian Nagelsmann’s coaching career. The 38‑year‑old Bundestrainer knows what is at stake.

In football it's all about winning. If you win, everything's perfect. If you lose, everything's shit. So we have to win.

The match kicks off at 22:30 CEST at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, televised by ZDF and MagentaTV.

A group stage that raised more questions

Germany topped its group with six points but the campaign was uneven. A comfortable win and a late goal were followed by a 1–2 defeat against Ecuador, a result that opened old wounds. Nagelsmann clashed with pundit Johannes B. Kerner over whether the team had eased off after sealing top spot, while Joshua Kimmich and Deniz Undav seemed to hint at a drop in intensity.

I don't feel that I have any burden of proof as national coach. That's not the case.

The tactical debates

Nagelsmann is under fire to move captain Joshua Kimmich from right‑back into central midfield. World Cup winners Lothar Matthäus and Philipp Lahm have publicly demanded the switch, as has former international Stefan Reuter. Another open question is whether Undav, who has scored three times off the bench, deserves a starting place. Left‑back Nathaniel Brown is expected to return after David Raum’s poor showing against Ecuador. Nagelsmann refused to reveal his lineup, saying only that he wants to keep Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro guessing.

Paraguay, an uncomfortable opponent

Ranked 37th in the world, Paraguay is known for compact defending and rapid counter‑attacks. Alfaro’s team is physical and values second balls, qualities that Nagelsmann has warned will make them an awkward hurdle. The squad travelled to Boston on Sunday, delayed briefly when a staff member forgot a passport at the team hotel in Winston‑Salem, North Carolina.

The weight of history

After group‑stage exits in 2018 and 2022, the federation cannot afford another early exit. DFB managing director Andreas Rettig said, “Wir wissen, dass wir nun das Messer am Hals haben in den K.-o.-Spielen” – “We know the knife is at our throat now in the knockout matches.” For Nagelsmann, in his 37th match in charge, the pressure echoes the fate of his predecessors Joachim Löw and Hansi Flick, neither of whom survived a World Cup disappointment.