Germany's World Cup last-16 clash with Paraguay: Santa Cruz urges physical approach and hopes for heat

The knockout context

Germany enter the match as clear favourites, but head coach Julian Nagelsmann is acutely aware of the stakes. The four-time world champions face elimination against Paraguay in the last 16, and Nagelsmann did not mince words about the consequences of failure.

If we lose against Paraguay, everything is shit.

The game kicks off at 22:30 CEST at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. With the weight of expectation on a German side still seeking its best rhythm, the pressure will rise the longer the score stays level.

Santa Cruz's blueprint

Roque Santa Cruz, Paraguay's record scorer who won the Champions League with Bayern Munich in 2001, believes his country can pull off an upset. The 44-year-old, now playing for Club Nacional in Asunción, identified a specific weakness in the German setup.

You have to make the game physically intensive and force Germany to work a lot. And I hope for high temperatures. That would suit us.

He argued that Paraguay should try to drag Germany into a frantic back-and-forth contest. The more physical the encounter, the better for the South Americans, he said, adding that "the problems for Germany have mostly come after quick counter-attacks played with high pace and precision."

Historical parallels

Santa Cruz evoked the 2002 World Cup last-16 meeting, when Germany edged Paraguay 1-0 with a late goal. "That game still gives many people in Paraguay hope," he said. He also recalled a 3-3 friendly in 2013 as evidence that contests between the nations are nearly always tight. However, he conceded that Paraguay have not yet hit the level they showed in South American qualifying and that many fans find the team's attacking play too cautious.

Now would be the right moment, because Germany demand absolutely everything from you.