Kimmich Reflects on Germany's World Cup Elimination

German captain Joshua Kimmich made a candid statement following Germany's elimination from the 2026 World Cup after a 4-3 defeat in a penalty shootout against Paraguay. The match ended in a 1-1 draw after 120 minutes.

Despite controlling 75% possession and creating significant scoring opportunities, Julian Nagelsmann's team struggled against Paraguay's organized defensive strategy. Julio Enciso scored for Paraguay in the 42nd minute, while Kai Havertz equalized in the 54th minute with a header from a corner, which was later disallowed due to a foul on the goalkeeper.

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

Kimmich acknowledged that Germany deserved to be eliminated, stating they did not perform against teams that are not world-class.