18 out of 18 made, shattered on the VAR screen

The Germans had already raised their beer mugs. In the 102nd minute, Tah headed the ball into the net, and half of the 63,945 people at Gillette Stadium began to roar.

The VAR screen lit up.

Moroccan referee Jaeed ran to the sideline, his gesture clear: goal disallowed. Waldemar Anton had fouled Paraguayan goalkeeper Gil during a corner kick attack.

Pierluigi Collina subsequently released a statement on FIFA's official website. The chairman of the FIFA Referees' Committee made his position clear: referees have been instructed to penalize attacking players who interfere with the goalkeeper. The 66-year-old Italian had already laid down the rules—publicly supporting VAR review of corner kick errors in December 2025, and pushing IFAB to approve VAR review of attacking fouls during dead-ball situations in May 2026, covering all set pieces. The basis for disallowing Tah's goal was the clause he personally helped implement.

Alan Shearer, sitting in the BBC commentary booth, let loose: "You have to understand this is a contact sport. The goalkeeper fooled the referee and VAR. The way he went down is pathetic."

Collina wants order; Shearer wants common sense. Over these 120 minutes in Boston, common sense didn't win. Enciso scored a header in the 42nd minute; Havertz equalized in the 54th minute by deflecting a Wirtz corner at the near post. The Germans held 75.6% possession, took 21 shots to Paraguay's 7, and had an xG of 1.49 to 0.42. They turned possession into a rosary, but the scoreboard didn't care.

Nagelsmann received a yellow card for protesting from the sideline. After the match, he was blunt: "This isn't just a scandal—it's a complete scandal. That was never a foul." ESPN's Andy Davies followed up with a signed column, driving the knife deeper: "This was not an Anton foul that blocked a goal; the goal should have stood. This was a bad VAR intervention and an equally bad on-field decision." Former Premier League referee Mark Halsey also came forward, stating plainly that Germany had been robbed.

Penalty shootout. The Germans stepped up to the spot, fueled by the rage of having victory stolen.

This team had an almost freakish luck in World Cup penalty shootouts: beating France in 1982, Mexico in 1986, England in 1990, and Argentina in 2006. Since Stielike missed in 1982, they had converted 15 consecutive penalties. For 44 years at the World Cup, they had never lost a penalty shootout.

Havertz stepped up first. Gil saved it.

The first crack in the iron law came as a dull thud. Kimmich scored; Musiala scored. Paraguay was shaking too: Sanabria missed, Balbuena's attempt was saved by Neuer. Woltemade stepped up fourth and was saved by Gil again. Germany had scored only two of their first four. Previously, their World Cup penalty shootout conversion rate was 94%.

Amiri scored the fifth, forcing sudden death.

Tah stepped up to the spot. The same Tah whose goal had been disallowed.

He skied the ball. Paraguay's José Canal then calmly converted the decisive penalty. 4-3, Paraguay advanced, Germany went home. The iron law of four perfect shootout victories shattered at the feet of a nation with fewer than 7.5 million people.

Nagelsmann's position is now more awkward than the scoreline suggests. He extended his contract in January 2025 through the 2028 European Championship, but it contains a clause allowing termination if Germany failed to advance from the group stage at this World Cup. Since Germany was eliminated in the round of 32 after advancing from the group, the clause may not technically apply. He also has a release clause effective from summer 2027, valued between €7 million and €8.5 million. After the match, he told the cameras: "If the DFB wants me to stay until 2028, I'll stay. If they don't, I'll leave this project." He forced the decision onto the German FA's table.

Klopp then threw an even bigger firecracker. On MagentaTV, he said: "If this goal is illegal, then Arsenal can't be Premier League champions." In one sentence, he dragged the controversy from Gillette Stadium into the old debate about inconsistent set-piece refereeing in the Premier League.

Paraguay has fewer than 7.5 million people. On a night in Boston, they sent a four-time World Cup champion home. Next stop: the quarterfinals.