- Jul 5
France edge Paraguay 1-0 in bruising World Cup clash; referee Tantashev under fire for no cards
Kylian Mbappe's 70th-minute penalty gave France a 1-0 win over Paraguay in the World Cup last 16, but the match was overshadowed by Paraguay's aggressive play and Uzbek referee Ilgiz Tantashev's failure to issue a single yellow card to the South Americans.
- Jun 30
Germany crashes out of World Cup on penalties for the first time, Paraguay advances to round of 16
Paraguay eliminated Germany 4-3 on penalties in the round of 32 of the 2026 World Cup in Foxborough, inflicting the four-time champion's first-ever shootout defeat at a World Cup. The South Americans rallied after a 1-1 draw through extra time, sparking scathing criticism of the German team and coach Julian Nagelsmann.
- Jun 30
Germany crash out of World Cup round of 16 after penalty shootout loss to Paraguay
Germany suffered a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay, ending their 2026 World Cup campaign at the first knockout stage. It was the third consecutive tournament in which the four-time champions failed to reach the quarter‑finals.
