World Cup 2026: We didn’t even face any world-class team – German captain, Kimmich

Germany’s captain, Joshua Kimmich, has made a candid statement following their elimination from the 2026 World Cup at the hands of Paraguay.

The four-time world champions were defeated 4-3 in a penalty shootout after the match ended in a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes.

Despite controlling possession for the majority of the match, Julian Nagelsmann’s team found it challenging to generate significant scoring opportunities.

They maintained 75% possession but appeared overwhelmed by Paraguay’s well-organized defensive strategy.

Julio Enciso netted a goal for Paraguay against the flow of the game in the 42nd minute, while Kai Havertz equalized in the 54th minute. In extra time, a header from Jonathan Tah following a corner was disallowed due to a foul on the goalkeeper.

The match ultimately proceeded to penalties, where Germany lost 4-3, with Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade, and Jonathan Tah all failing to convert their attempts. This marked the first occasion that Die Mannschaft lost in a penalty shootout in the World Cup, having previously triumphed in four such instances in the tournament’s history.

In the aftermath of their exit, German captain Joshua Kimmich acknowledged that they were deserving of elimination. He stated, as reported by Bayern and Germany on X, “It feels terrible. We didn’t play well against any of our opponents. We struggled badly in all three matches against teams that aren’t world-class. That’s a fact. We deserved to be eliminated.”

Julian Nagelsmann’s side being knocked out by Paraguay is the biggest upset of the 2026 World Cup so far.