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The Netherlands became yet another major European power to crash out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup when it was eliminated by Morocco in a shootout after a 1-1 draw. The result saw the better team prevail as the Atlas Lions were far more dangerous and aggressive over the full 120 minutes than an atypically defensive Oranje. The Netherlands initially looked as if it was going to prevail against the run of play when Cody Gakpo scored shortly after the second half hydration break. But in stoppage time, Morocco finally found a way through an unlikely source in Issa Diop, a central defender who only joined the squad just before the tournament. Here are my thoughts on the game. 1. Morocco Deserved The Shootout Win Once we got to penalties, it was clear that both sides had nerves. Quinten Timber and Justin Kluivert missed the targets completely on their attempts. Bart Verbruggen, who had been excellent all game, initially made a save on Soufiane Rahimi’s attempt, but after the ball got under him, he accidentally kicked it into his own goal. Ultimately, it’s hard for the Netherlands to complain about the result. The team that had the better of play for almost the entire game advanced. Morocco was the more aggressive team and came to play. The Dutch, meanwhile, were tentative and defensive throughout. Towards the end of the game, it seemed as if the Netherlands players were trying to get to a shootout because it had no chance of finding another goal. The Netherlands should be disappointed with its performance, not the missed shootout attempts. 2. Morocco Controlled The Game In a matchup between two top 10 teams in the FIFA Rankings, the Netherlands started well in the opening minutes, but Morocco quickly grew into the game and controlled most of the first half. Normally an attacking team, the Netherlands had to defend far more than they expected and that immediately took them out of their game plan. Just before the first hydration break, Neil El Aynaoui and Achraf Hakimi forced Netherlands goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen into a pair of reaction-saves. It was until just before first half added time when the Oranje finally tested Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou with a shot on target. The strong start clearly rattled the Netherlands, and it set the tone for the match. Ronald Koeman’s team struggled to get into the game. Specifically, left-winger Cody Gakpo and forward Brian Brobbey were not dangerous for the first 70 minutes. On the other hand, Morocco’s central midfield tandem of Neil El Aynaoui and budding teenage star Ayyoub Bouaddi controlled the pace of the game and ensured the game was played on their terms. At the start of the second half, the Dutch head coach made no changes either with his lineup or his formation. If he had hoped that his team would naturally find its way, that was not the case. In the gap between the start of the second half and the hydration break, Morocco had 79%. Even after the Netherlands took the lead, Morocco eventually reclaimed their dominance. In stoppage time, it was lopsided and it was only because of fantastic saves from Bart Verbruggen and classy emergency defending from Virgil van Dijk and Jan Paul van Hecke that Morocco did not easily win this game in 90 minutes. 3. Koeman’s Tactical Subs Gave Netherlands A Chance While Koeman did not respond to his team’s slow start at halftime, he used the second half hydration break to his full advantage. He made two substitutions in Wout Weghorst and Teun Koopmeiners and opted for a more direct “Route 1” approach. That could not have gone any better as it immediately resulted in the Dutch taking a lead. Koeman will get a lot of blame for the team’s elimination and its performance in the game, but his adjustment here gave his team a chance. Both Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville were ineffective up to that point, but the direct approach along with the substitutes helped them. On a ball from Verbruggen, Weghorst headed the ball to Summerville with his first touch. Once in the box, he then slid it over to Gakpo for the goal. It was a goal that was completely against the run of play up to that point, but it was also the result of a big tactical shift. For better or worse, the hydration break proved to be a key in this game as it gave Koeman time to speak with his players, make changes, and adjust. 4. Moroccan Desperation Paid Off On a night when it looked as if Morocco was going to be punished for failing to put away any of its many chances in a dominating performance, desperation kicked in and the Atlas Lions found a way via an unlikely source. Substitute midfielder Chemsdine Talbi had the ball deep on the left side and central defender Issa Diop made an attacking run up the middle which was risky, but necessary with his team chasing a goal late. It then gave Morocco four targets in the box to go against the four Dutch defenders. Talbi then sent a long ball into the box, and with the Dutch defense spread thin, Diop was able to head home the dramatic equalizer. As the Moroccan national team has only continued to grow as a world power since its run to the semifinal in 2022, one of the keys to its success is utilizing the large Moroccan communities in France, Spain, Netherlands, and Belgium for its players. This goal reflected that. Talbi previously represented Belgium at the youth national teams and Diop, several years ago, played for France. It was only last month when Diop filed his paperwork to switch to Morocco. 5. Gakpo’s Emotional Moment Typically, players try to keep their personal and professional lives separate, but sometimes that is impossible. When Cody Gakpo scored in the 72nd minute, that was one of those moments. Over the weekend, Gakpo announced that he and his partner Noa van der Bij tragically lost their unborn baby, Elijah Raphael Gakpo, during van der Bij’s pregnancy. When the ball hit the back of the net, Gakpo collapsed with emotion and all of his teammates, including those on the bench, came onto the field to support him. It was the most human moment at this World Cup, so far, and it was hard to not admire Gakpo’s ability to focus on the game and deliver was a very important goal at the time.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The first full match day of the knockout stage delivered in a big way. Brazil and Japan played a thrilling game to open the slate, and then chaos ensued. Monday was just the fourth time ever that two shootouts took place on the same day. First, Paraguay pulled off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history. Then, Morocco equalized in stoppage time against the Netherlands before advancing on penalties. Here’s the best of Match Day 19 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup: BEST OF THE DAY Moments Of The Day Brazil started slowly in the first half against Japan and paid for it, going into halftime down 1-0. In the second half, though, the tides turned. Japan slowed down while the Brazilians continued to gain momentum. A Casemiro header drew the game level in the middle of the second half. Martinelli came on in the 65th minute and ultimately found the winner in stoppage time. Bruno Guimaraes found Martinelli in a great position, and the Arsenal attacker beat Zion Suzuki, who put on a show in goal for Japan throughout the game. Martinelli’s goal (95:00) is the latest winner in normal time of the World Cup knockout stages on record (since 1966). We have a top save for the “Save Of The Day,” but there was a deserving bit of brilliance in Brazil’s win over Japan, so we will instead highlight Gill here. Gill made six saves in the 120 minutes of open play, and then he saved two of the three penalty misses from Germany. He opened the shootout by saving Kai Havertz’s penalty, and then he also blocked Nick Woltemade’s effort three shots later. Goal Of The Day A dazzling stretch from Sano had Japanese fans believing that it would be their day in Houston. First, Sano won the ball off Brazilian defender Danilo. From there, he dribbled about 30 yards past midfielder Casemiro. Once he got within 25 yards of goal, he let loose on a shot that beat goalkeeper Alisson. Japan started the game well and deserved the lead, but it eventually ran out of gas against Brazil in the second half. Assist Of The Day Morocco controlled its round-of-32 matchup against the Netherlands. The Dutch had only six shots, and the last one came in the 72nd minute. That said, Morocco was trailing after a late goal from Cody Gakpo and needed a late moment of brilliance. It got that from Talbi. Talbi picked up the ball on the left wing and swung in a brilliant cross for center back Issa Diop, who was forward with Morocco in need of a goal. Diop used the pace already on the cross and sent it into the back of the net. After an extra-time period that only featured one shot from both teams, Morocco advanced to the round of 16 courtesy of a penalty shootout that saw Talbi make his penalty. Save Of The Day Vinícius Júnior would have scored the goal of the tournament on Monday in Houston if it wasn’t for Suzuki. Vini made a brilliant run down the left wing, dribbling past multiple defenders on multiple occasions before getting his shot off. Suzuki got a crucial touch with his left hand that put the shot onto the post before Japan was able to clear it. Unfortunately for Suzuki, Brazil equalized just minutes later through a header from Casemiro that he had no chance of stopping. Brazil vs. Japan Germany vs. Paraguay Netherlands vs. Morocco​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Just days after announcing the tragic news of the death of his unborn son, Netherlands star Cody Gakpo provided maybe the most emotional moment of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in his nation’s round of 32 match against Morocco. Gakpo opened the scoring in Monday’s round of 32 match. In the 72nd minute, the Netherlands forward won a chase to the ball along the edge of the box before somehow getting a shot off as he collided with Moroccan goalkeeper Bono. Just prior to the collision, Gakpo was somehow able to get the shot to travel between a Morocco defender’s and Bono’s legs. Right after Gakpo scored, several of his Netherlands teammates ran over to embrace him during the celebration. Gakpo also appeared to be fighting back tears after he scored. The Netherlands wasn’t able to walk away with the win following Gakpo’s goal, though. Morocco defender Issa Diop scored in stoppage time, forcing the match to go to extra time. Morocco was able to come away with the victory, winning in penalty kicks. Monday marked Gakpo’s first match since he and his partner, Noa van der Bij, announced that their unborn son passed away on Saturday. Van der Bij posted a photo on social media of the pair holding hands over a blanket and small knitted hat, with the announcement that the baby had passed away. “Thank you for your love and support. Elijay Raphael Gakpo. Forever loved. Forever our son,” Van der Bij wrote. The baby was expected to be born in October, and it would’ve been Gakpo and Van der Bij’s second child together. “We went to church to light a candle. Afterward, we walked to the church playground with our son Samuel,” Van der Bij wrote. “There was only one other child there. His name was Elijah. There could not have been a more beautiful sign from God. He reminded us that our little boy is never far away.” In his own post, Gakpo wrote, “This is an incredibly difficult time for our family. We kindly ask for our privacy and space. Thank you for your understanding.” Gakpo, 27, scored two goals in the group stage for the Netherlands, with both scores coming in its win over Sweden. It was also his sixth career World Cup goal, putting him one shy of Johnny Rep’s record for the most World Cup goals scored by a Netherlands player ever. The goal was also Gakpo’s 24th goal in 54 caps for the Netherlands. The Associated Press contributed to this report.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

If you want to see some of the best players in the world, then park yourself in front of Tuesday’s slate of round of 32 games at the 2026 World Cup. It’s time for some destination viewing. Ivory Coast and Norway open the day in Dallas with Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland facing a difficult test against an impressive team that is one of Africa’s best. The second game of the day takes us to New York New Jersey Stadium, where Sweden will need a shocking upset to advance past a powerful French team — headlined by Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Michael Olise — that has expectations of playing in the final at the same stadium on July 19. Finally, Mexico will be looking to continue its perfect group stage campaign int the knockouts when it hosts Ecuador in Mexico City. Defense will tell the story in this game as Mexico has yet to concede at this tournament. Here is all you need to know for Tuesday at the World Cup: When: Tuesday, June 30, 1 p.m. ET Where: Dallas TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One While Norway is the favorite in Tuesday’s round of 32 matchup at Dallas Stadium, Ivory Coast will be difficult to beat and enters this game in strong form. Norway finished its group stage with wins over Iraq and Senegal before losing to France with a heavily rotated starting lineup that did not include Martin Ødegaard, Antonio Nusa and Erling Haaland. Those players will all return for this game, and with them, Norway boasts one of the strongest attacks in the tournament. Haaland has scored braces in his first two matches and has lived up to expectation. Ivory Coast had lofty expectations heading into this tournament after defeating France in Nantes earlier this month. Since then, Les Elephants have only lived up to the hype. Emerse Faé’s team conceded just two goals in the group stage, despite facing Germany and Ecuador. Physically, the Ivory Coast is one of the best teams remaining in the World Cup, but it also has a lot of skill. Its front line consists of wingers Amad Diallo of Manchester United and Yan Diomande of RB Leipzig — who is heavily linked with a move to Paris Saint-Germain — along with Villarreal’s Nicolas Pépé in the middle. While Norway, through Haaland, can score goals in droves, this game could be decided by its defense. Norway needs to improve in that area, as it has conceded at least one goal in each of the group stage games and has not kept a clean sheet in five matches. If Norway’s defense can raise its level, there is an outstanding chance it heads to the round of 16. Player to Watch Understandably, Haaland receives the most attention whenever talking about the Norwegian national team. But RB Leipzig winger Antonio Nusa is one of Norway’s most important players because he is one of the main scoring creators for Haaland. Nusa is going to be key in this game in making runs up the left side to get on the end of passes, typically from Martin Ødegaard or Sander Berge. If Nusa is effective with his crosses or passes, Haaland will be close to unstoppable. When: Tuesday, June 30, 5 p.m. ET Where: New York New Jersey TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One At the start of the round of 32, France looks almost unstoppable, and it will require something truly special from Sweden to pull off an upset when the teams meet on Tuesday at New York New Jersey Stadium. Les Bleus entered the World Cup as one of the favorites, and Didier Deschamps’ squad has done nothing to suggest that isn’t deserved. France scored at least three goals in each of its three group stage games. The star power of this French team is phenomenal. Kylian Mbappé has scored four goals and added an assist. Reigning Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembélé also has four goals and an assist. Michael Olise has been one of the tournament’s best midfielders in the group stage, and he has added three assists. Meanwhile, Sweden has some very good players but has done nothing to suggest it can come close to stopping the French squad. Graham Potter’s team has been very inconsistent while conceding seven goals in the group stage. Against a good Netherlands team, Sweden allowed five goals in a 5-1 loss. France’s defense must be careful, as Sweden has two elite forwards in Arsenal’s Viktor Gyökeres and Liverpool’s Alexander Isak, who can score against the best of teams. It is not impossible, but Sweden is going to need a lot of things to go right and a lot of luck to eliminate this French team. Player to Watch As the reigning Ballon d’Or winner, Ousmane Dembélé is a special player, but he didn’t score his first World Cup goal until this tournament. With that goal in the second game against Iraq, the floodgates opened, as Dembélé then scored a hat trick in the win over Norway in the group stage finale. Against a leaky Swedish defense, Dembélé could have a field day in this game. When: Tuesday, June 30, 9 p.m. ET Where: Mexico City TV: FOX Stream: Watch three days free on FOX One In its long and storied history, the Mexican national team has won just one knockout game at the World Cup. That was a 2-0 win over Bulgaria in the round of 16 in 1986 when it hosted the tournament. On Tuesday, exactly 40 years and 15 days since that win over Bulgaria, Mexico will have the chance to win its second knockout game when it takes on Ecuador at the same venue. Enthusiasm for the national team is very high right now after El Tri won Group A with a perfect nine points with wins over South Africa, South Korea and Czechia. In those games, Javier Aguirre’s team has not conceded a goal and has outscored its opponents 6-0. Mexico boasts an attack that does not rely on a single player to do the heavy lifting. In total, five different players scored the team’s six goals in the group stage, with Mateo Chávez, Álvaro Fidalgo, Raul Jiménez, Luis Romo and Julián Quiñones (twice) all finding the back of the net. Ecuador qualified for the knockout stages in surprising fashion as it needed a win over Germany in the group stage finale to advance. When Germany opened the scoring in the second minute, it did not seem possible. But Sebastián Beccacece’s team rallied for a comeback win behind goals from Nilson Angulo in the ninth minute and Gonzalo Plata in the 77th minute for the victory. Ecuador boasts one of the best defenses in the world. In the single-table CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying tournament, Ecuador was historically good, allowing just five goals and keeping 13 clean sheets. The team’s backline is led by Paris Saint-Germain’s Willian Pacho, Arsenal’s Piero Hincapié, and Club Brugge’s Joel Ordonez. In front of them is Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo, who is one of the best defensive midfielders in the world. The problem for Ecuador, however, is on the offensive side, as it was shutout in its first two games. First a 1-0 loss to the Ivory Coast and then a shocking 0-0 draw with Curaçao. This game boasts two defenses that are tough to break down. Mexico has the advantage of playing at home and with several scoring options. But if Ecuador’s defense plays as well as it can, it might just win. But no one should be surprised if this game is decided on penalties. Player to Watch The Colombian-born attacker became a naturalized Mexican citizen in 2023 and has since become a very important player for El Tri. He was the Man of the Match in the opening win over South Africa and scored again in the win over Czechia. Now, he will be tasked with trying to find goals against a very good Ecuadorian defense. He has been in good form for most of the past year, and he recently finished as the top scorer in the Saudi Pro League for 2025-26 with 33 goals for Al Qadsiah FC.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

U.S. World Cup Team Training Base (IRVINE, Calif.) — There are two ways to look at the USA’s first knockout game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. On the one hand, it’s a match fraught with danger. Losing in the round of 32 against tiny Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium would mark possibly the lowest moment in the century-plus-long history of the U.S. program. The Stars and Stripes have reached at least the round of 16 at three of the last four World Cups they’ve qualified for, but failing to do so at home, with arguably the most talented U.S. team ever, after comfortably winning their group, would be an epic disaster — worse than the 2017 defeat in Trinidad and Tobago that kept them out of the following year’s main event. The other, healthier perspective is more glass-half-full. That’s the way the American players are approaching the most important contest they have ever played for the national team before they leave Great Park, their base since arriving on the West Coast more than three weeks ago. “I think everybody knows what this game is,” midfielder Gio Reyna said before the U.S. delegation took an hour-long charter flight from Orange County to San Jose on Monday afternoon. “World Cups only come around every four years and, especially on home soil, this opportunity will really never come back.” Those colossal stakes are the reason many U.S. supporters are nervous. Although the World Cup co-hosts are the prohibitive favorite to beat the Bosnians and cruise into the last 16 — where they’ll face either Belgium or Senegal on July 6 in Seattle — anything can happen in a single match. An early goal against. An own goal. A red card. A career game from Golden Lillies keeper Nikola Vasilj. This is do-or-die, agony or ecstasy. There is no margin for error. Four years ago in Qatar, the U.S. rode into the knockout stage on the high of beating Iran to complete an undefeated group stage. Ninety minutes later, a 3-1 loss to the Netherlands dropped the team back on Earth, their World Cup over before they had time to process what had just occurred. Given that history, a few extra butterflies would be understandable — even for a 38-year-old veteran like captain Tim Ream. Ream logged every minute of the USA’s four matches at the last World Cup. “Would it be weird if I told you I don’t really feel too much pressure at this moment,” Ream said on Monday, prior to the Americans’ final training session. “It feels very different this time around than 2022,” Ream added. One reason is experience. Last time, just one of the 26 players selected to then-coach Gregg Berhalter’s roster had been to a World Cup before. Exactly half of them returned for this one under current boss Mauricio Pochettino. And while the performance in Qatar had to be considered a success considering the failure to make it in 2018 — especially for the youngest average starting lineup in the entire competition — the American players felt they could and should have done better. They are desperate not to leave anything on the table now that the business end of the World Cup is here. Ironically enough, that means not treating their next outing differently than the three that came before it this month. “In terms of pressure, there’s nothing added. Nothing extra,” Ream said.  “That’s the way we’ve approached every single game.” As fellow defender Auston Trusty said after last week’s meaningless 3-2 loss to already-eliminated Türkiye, “The risk is high every single game. That’s the mindset.” Still, the reality is that this next test means more. “This game is important for the country, but it’s also important for us as this team,” Reyna said. “This group deserves something special. … We hope to inspire generations to come.”​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Germany won’t be advancing to the round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, and some might think the Germans have a legitimate gripe about how their loss to Paraguay in the round of 32 unfolded. In the final minutes of the first half of extra time, Germany defender Jonathan Tah scored on a header off a corner kick that would’ve given his side a 2-1 lead. However, it was determined that Germany defender Waldemar Anton fouled Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill after a VAR review, disallowing the goal. Germany went on to lose in penalty kicks in arguably one of the biggest upsets in men’s World Cup history. Before Germany’s loss, though, at least one former goalkeeper sided with the Germans over what happened. “I don’t think it’s a foul,” former Denmark and Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel said on FOX’s “World Cup Live” in between the extra time periods. “I actually don’t think Anton did anything. He’s just there. The goalkeeper runs straight into him, and I think they got that wrong.” Not everyone on the panel agreed with Schmeichel. Former Nigeria midfielder John Obi Mikel argued that the attacker’s positioning justified the referee’s whistle, noting that the player was blocking the keeper without looking at the play. “I think it’s a foul,” Mikel said. “For me, when he impeded the goalkeeper, you can see the goalkeeper has his eyes on the ball. He has his eyes on the ball all the way through and the player’s just standing there. He’s not thinking about the ball. He’s not looking at the ball. And that’s exactly what happened. To me, it looks a bit soft. But I think the referee has made the right decision.” Former USA forward Clint Dempsey broke the tie on the panel, choosing to back Schmeichel’s perspective. “When you’ve got a goalkeeper who is a part of the goalkeeper union who says it’s not a foul, then it’s not a foul,” Dempsey said. The disallowed goal ultimately kept the game level, and Germany never had as good of a chance to take the lead as it did at that moment. It wound up losing in penalty kicks, 4-3, with Tah missing a penalty kick in the final round before Paraguay’s José Canale scored, continuing a rough streak for Germany in recent World Cups.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The 2026 FIFA World Cup turned in its first stunning knockout stage result as Paraguay defeated four-time champions Germany in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw over 120 minutes. For the first time ever, Germany has been eliminated at the World Cup in a penalty shootout. For the second time ever, Paraguay has won a World Cup knockout game. The biggest story in this game, of course, was just how well Paraguay defended over 120 minutes. With excellent commitment and communication, Paraguay’s defense was near impenetrable. On the one occasion Germany found the back of the net, Paraguay did not get down and let the dam burst. It kept up its game plan and got into the shootout. For Paraguay, it will likely need an even stronger defensive effort as France might be its next opponent (if Les Bleus get past Sweden). For Germany, it is soul-searching after a third straight World Cup disappointment. Here are five takeaways from the match: 1. Gill The Hero In A Massive Upset Orlando Gill, 26, will go down as the biggest player in Paraguay’s historic win over Germany. Gill has never played for a club outside of Paraguay, and this was only his 10th cap for the national team. He made six saves and then two in the shootout to stun Germany. Whenever Germany tested him, he had the answer. The shootout was full of drama as Gill made two big saves to give Paraguay two chances in the fourth and fifth rounds to win it. When Paraguay failed in those two attempts, it was given a third shot at a winner when Jonathan Tah shot way over the bar. José Canale then converted to send Paraguay off to the round of 16. 2. Paraguay’s Defensive Shape Coming into this game, everyone knew Paraguay was going to sit back and defend. Since Gio Reyna scored a goal in the final minutes of its 4-1 loss to the United States, Paraguay’s defense has been outstanding. First, there was the 1-0 win over Türkiye, where Paraguay had to play the entire second half down a man. Then there was the 0-0 draw with Australia, where Gustavo Alfaro’s team made no defensive mistakes and did enough to advance out of group play despite the poor start. This was a completely different test to go against four-time champions Germany. From the start, Alfaro had his team in a tight and compact 4-4-2 formation that sat deep, with 11 players typically behind the ball. Germany had very little space to work up the middle. This was not simply about bunkering or parking the bus. In the first half, Paraguay showed a lot of intelligence in how well it defended. Depending on where Germany was, certain players would step up to defend while others kept shape. Then the players would switch and get back into shape. There was little space between the midfield line and the backline, and this gave Germany no room to attack through the middle. Paraguay frequently allowed Germany to have the ball in the wide areas and took a gamble that Germany would not be able to quickly switch the point of attack with long passes or be able to dribble through a maze of Paraguayan defenders. For most of the game, it worked. Paraguay knew this was going to make things difficult offensively because whenever La Albirroja began a possession, its players were all deep and close together. The initial passes were often not there, and that resulted in many possessions that were quickly lost. But that was a tradeoff Paraguay was willing to make to defend well through its shape, which it only reluctantly broke. The only mistake Paraguay made defensively was when Germany equalized in the 54th minute. On the play, Florian Wirtz sent a ball into the box, and it found the head of Kai Havertz, who flicked it on into the goal. It was a rare mistake from Paraguay, whose defenders were slow to switch off when the ball was delivered. Aside from that, it was 120 minutes of near-perfect defense. 3. Paraguay’s Goal Exposed Germany In the first half, Paraguay’s game plan was working to perfection. Germany was frustrated offensively, and Paraguay was able to pounce on one of its very few opportunities. It began with Damián Bobadilla winning the ball deep in the attacking half. He then played the ball to Miguel Amiron on the right side. Almiron then advanced the ball to his Atlanta United club teammate Matías Galarza, who skillfully cut in from the right wing. Galarza then found a streaking Julio Enciso, who headed past a helpless Manuel Neuer. Germany showed its vulnerability on this play as it was not careful with the ball in the middle of the field and was slow to shift into a defensive formation, which allowed Enciso to move into the middle. Alfaro deserves a lot of credit for his decisions. Bobadilla’s tournament began terribly as he committed an own goal in the loss to the United States. But then, he played the second half as Paraguay fought for a win while down a man. In this game, Bobadilla returned to the starting lineup and was excellent defensively and his defensive effort created the goal. Meanwhile, Galarza continued to be Paraguay’s best player on both sides of the ball. His defensive work rate was excellent and, once again, he came up with a big play. First, it was the goal against Turkiye; this time it was an assist against Germany. 4. VAR Decision Will Loom By now, everyone has their opinion of VAR. But the 105th-minute decision will be talked about for a long time. Jonathan Tah headed home a corner delivered by Nathaniel Brown, but VAR ultimately determined that Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill was blocked by Waldemar Anton. There was contact on Gill, but it did not seem anything beyond what normally happens on crowded set-piece deliveries into the box. For German players, officials, and fans, this VAR decision will be talked about for a long, long time. 5. Soul-Searching For Germany Losses happen. Upsets happen. Every team will lose, and every good team will eventually be beaten. For Germany, however, the pattern has been established that this team is not one of the elite teams in the world. Following its 2014 World Cup triumph, Germany did not get out of the group stages in 2018 and 2022. Is elimination in the round of 32 any better? The recent Euros have only been marginally better, with the team suffering elimination in the round of 16 in 2021 and the quarterfinals in 2024. At no point since 2014 has Germany been close to winning a major tournament. This loss is going to continue the ongoing soul-searching in the federation. There will be the usual discussion points whether Julian Nagelsmann is the right coach. But there will be broader questions on important topics such as player development within the federation and within the country’s top league, the Bundesliga. This is a painful loss for Germany and one that could force change within its federation.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

Paraguay pulled off one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history on Monday, knocking out Germany in a penalty shootout. The result didn’t come without controversy. Germany had a goal from Jonathan Tah ruled out in extra time after a foul was called during the preceding corner kick. There were five yellow cards handed out during extra time in what was a tense and physical game. So, where does Paraguay’s upset rank? Let’s dive into the five biggest upsets in the World Cup knockout stage according to differences in the latest FIFA rankings before the tournament. Entering the 1994 World Cup in the United States, Germany was the reigning champion and the No. 1-ranked team in the FIFA World Rankings. It had also made it to the Euro 1992 final, which it lost to Denmark. Bulgaria was ranked 29th in FIFA’s rankings, and it had probably the best player in the country’s history in Hristo Stoichkov, who at the time was starring for Barcelona. The Bulgarians lost their first group-stage game before winning back-to-back matches against Greece and Argentina. In this quarterfinal matchup, Germany took the lead through legendary midfielder Lothar Matthäus, who scored a penalty in the 47th minute. Bulgaria came back with a vengeance, though, getting goals from Stoichkov and Yordan Letchkov in the 75th and 78th minutes for the win. Paraguay looked hopeless in its 2026 World Cup opener against the United States, losing 4-1 in convincing fashion. The South American side rebounded, though, with an upset win over Türkiye and then a draw against Australia that got it through to the knockout stage as one of the top eight third-place teams. In the round of 32, Paraguay scored its best chance of the game but otherwise was thoroughly on the back foot against Germany. Paraguay completed 161 passes compared to 719 for Germany. Paraguay was in control of the shootout before its fourth and fifth takers missed. Then, it was Tah who missed for Germany before Jose Canalé sealed the win. Next up for Paraguay: the winner of France vs. Sweden. South Korea, which was coached by Dutchman Guus Hiddink during the 2002 World Cup, won Group D and advanced alongside the United States. The Koreans beat Portugal in group play, and the upsets kept going from there. Against Italy, South Korea trailed after Italian striker Christian Vieri scored in the first half. Seol Ki-hyeon scored in the 88th minute to equalize before Ahn Jung-hwan scored in the 118th minute. Back then, extra time had golden-goal rules, which meant the game ended with that goal. Then, in the quarterfinals, the matchup against Spain ended 0-0 before winger Joaquin missed as the fourth Spanish taker. Korea converted on all five of its attempts to move on. In total, Korea bested three of the top eight teams in the tournament – Portugal was fifth, Italy sixth and Spain eighth. It was a magical run that ended in a semifinal defeat against Germany. Russia shocked the world when it knocked out a European giant when it hosted the World Cup in 2018. The Russians progressed through the group stage with two wins and a loss, which came against Uruguay. Spain, meanwhile, sputtered with a win and two draws. The round-of-16 matchup ended 1-1 after an own goal from Russian defender Sergei Ignashevich gave Spain the lead. Striker Artem Dzyuba tied the game in the 41st minute with a penalty. In the end, goalkeeper Igor Akinfeev was the hero, saving penalties from Koke and Iago Aspas to seal a quarterfinal spot. In that round, Russia went to another penalty shootout but fell short against Croatia, which went on to the final after beating England in the semifinals.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

On Monday afternoon in Houston, Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil fought hard for a dramatic, stoppage-time victory against a defiant Japanese side. It was a match where the CONMEBOL side had to dig deep and now, the Seleçao’s quest for a sixth World Cup trophy and its first in more than two decades, continues. For Japan, despite the loss, it can feel extremely proud of its World Cup as it faced some big teams in the tournament and never felt inferior. Today, it was a gutsy performance that sadly wasn’t enough. The 19-year-old Endrick stepped up at the start of the second half to try to generate a spark, and it worked, as Casemiro equalized. In the end, Brazil dominated the second half, and Ancelotti’s tinkering proved correct as Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli found the winner in stoppage time. Here are my takeaways: 1. Brazil Turned It Around In The Second Half Whatever Ancelotti said in the dressing room at halftime, it worked. Brazil started to play more of its game and utilized the final third at a quicker pace. Also, Vinícius Jr grew more into the afternoon and almost scored a work of art in the second half. Rayan also improved. If Brazil is to win this World Cup, it has to believe more in its own football. It has to let go and trust more in the Joga Bonito (“play beautifully”) mentality. Also, there’s a reason why the Italian manager came to manage this team, and it was because of in-game management, such as today: 2. Ancelotti’s Decisions Worked To Perfection Ancelotti made some big decisions, and they worked to perfection. He decided to ride with Casemiro despite a poor first half (more on that in a moment) and brought in Endrick, who definitely created a spark. Bruno Guimaraes also stuck with it despite not having a good first half, and it was his assist that set up the winner for Gabriel Martinelli, who also came on as a substitute. All in all, tremendous work from the Italian. 3. Japan Fought Until The End Hajime Moriyasu’s team was excellent in the first half and won almost every single battle against Ancelotti’s side. It placed five men on the defensive line and focused on neutralizing any kind of interplay between Brazil, especially with Bruno Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta, who did nothing in the first 45 minutes. The latter sadly came off injured at the break due to a left ankle injury. As a result of the strength of Japan, Brazil ended that half with a laundry list of things to rectify because it knew that it was playing a flat game, devoid of ideas. Samurai Blue, not in its classic blue kit and looking more like Germany, took the lead thanks to a fantastic interception and goal from Kaishu Sano, who plays his club football in the Bundesliga for Mainz. It was a classic counterattacking finish from Japan, and Brazil had to truly make its chances count or at least change multiple things. But after scoring, the Asian side was more than content to protect, and the first half absolutely belonged to Japan. Be proud, Samurai Blue. You keep rising. 4. Casemiro Struggled. Then He Scored. One of the most important requirements when playing Japan is that your midfield needs to be protected. And Casemiro, the legendary Brazilian stalwart center-mid, sadly showed his age against this dynamic Japan. His distribution and ability to cover in front of his defenders was suspect, and when you face an energetic, willing Japanese midfield, then you will be exposed. Unfortunately, the first half was poor from him. Things intensified for Brazil as it grew in possession and efforts, as Casemiro was close to equalizing had it not been for a dramatic clearance off the line. But the former Man United man, who had a great scoring season last campaign, equalized in the 56th minute thanks to an assist from Arsenal’s Gabriel, and made it 1-1. It was just another reason why you can never count him out.​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports

The round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup isn’t complete yet, but we’re starting to get a look at what the round of 16 will look like. As the biggest World Cup ever continues, the round of 32 will be completed on Friday, July 3, and the round of 16 will commence on Saturday, July 4. So, with tickets being punched into the next round, here is what the round of 16 looks like: Saturday, July 4 Houston Stadium (1 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) The first matchup of the round of 16 is set. Morocco defeated the Netherlands in penalty kicks on Monday night, advancing to the round of 16 for the second time in as many World Cups. It’s also the third World Cup that Morocco has reached the round of 16. Canada became the first team to punch its ticket into the round of 16 with its dramatic victory over South Africa on Sunday. It marked Canada’s first knockout stage win as it’ll play in the round of 16 for the first time ever. Morocco was ranked seventh in the most recent World Cup rankings, while Canada was ranked 30th. Philadelphia Stadium (5 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Paraguay upset Germany in the round of 32, defeating Germany in penalty kicks. It’s the first time since 2010 that Paraguay has advanced to the round of 16 at the World Cup. Paraguay didn’t qualify in each of the last three World Cups, either. Sunday, July 5 New York New Jersey Stadium (4 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Brazil became the second team to punch its ticket into the round of 16 with its comeback win over Japan on Monday. In the final minutes of stoppage time, Gabriel Martinelli scored the game-winning goal to give his side a 2-1 victory. It marks the 11th straight World Cup that Brazil has reached the round of 16. Norway took down Ivory Coast 2-1 off the heels of a late Erling Haaland goal to set up an epic showdown between Norway’s talented goalscorer and the dynamic presence that is Vinícius Júnior. Mexico City Stadium (8 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Mexico won its first knockout stage match since 1986, 2-0, over Ecuador to book a spot in the round of 16 where it will face the winner of England vs. DR Congo. Monday, July 6 Portugal/Croatia vs. Spain/Austria Dallas Stadium (3 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) USA/Bosnia & Herzegovina vs. Belgium/Senegal Seattle Stadium (8 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One) Tuesday, July 7 Argentina/Cape Verde vs. Australia/Egypt Atlanta Stadium (Noon ET, FOX, FOX One) Switzerland/Algeria vs. Colombia/Ghana Vancouver Stadium (4 p.m. ET, FOX, FOX One)​Latest Sports News from FOX Sports