Germany vs Paraguay
Match details
2026 FIFA World Cup โ Round of 16
Gillette Stadium, Foxboro/Boston (USA)
Monday, June 29, 2026, 10:30 p.m. French time
Our forecast
Germany โ Paraguay 2:0
Key Statistics
Deniz Undave: 3 goals and 2 assists in 86 minutes of play this World Cup
Best odds
German victory โ 1.36
Germany and Paraguay will face each other this Monday at 22:30. (French time) at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough in Germanyโs first World Cup round of 16 since winning the final in 2014. Manshaft, first in their Group E with 10 goals scored in three matches, return to direct knockout matches after being eliminated at the group stage in 2018 and 2022. Paraguay, who finished third in Group D, will play their first global knockout match since 2010 and will be looking for a feat in this encounter.
The poster pits the German offensive force, one of the most prolific in the tournament, against a Paraguayan defensive unit that hasnโt conceded a goal in its last two group stage matches. Find our analysis and World Cup odds on Eurosport.
Pre-match: Germany vs Paraguay
Julian Nagelsmannโs Germany (10th place in the FIFA rankings) had one of the most disappointing group stages of the tournament. The 7-1 opener against Curacao showcased Mannschaftโs power at its fullest. The 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast was more difficult, with Germany coming back from 0-1 down thanks to a brace from Deniz Undave (12 caps, 9 goals, Stuttgart) coming on during the game. The final day, a 1-2 defeat to Ecuador in a no-stakes match for Germany, who had already qualified, was the only hiccup of the first stage. Nagelsmann decided to field his typical team for this match, which partly explains the defeat to an Ecuadorian team who were playing for survival in the competition.
The main advantage of this Mannshaft is the depth of the composition. Florian Wirtz (44 appearances, 11 goals, Liverpool, 23), Jamal Musiala (45 appearances, 10 goals, Bayern, 23) and Kai Havertz (61 appearances, 24 goals, Arsenal, 27) form a high-level attacking trio. Joshua Kimmich (113 appearances, 10 goals, Bayern, 31 years old) directs the game in the right piston position. Leroy Sane (79 appearances, 18 goals, Galatasaray, 30) on the wing and Undave on the bench provide an additional option that few players can afford.
Germany vs Paraguay โ comparison
last 5 matches
Paraguay Gustavo Alfaro (41st in the FIFA rankings) perfectly embodies the pragmatic South American philosophy at the World Cup. A 4-1 defeat to the United States in the opening match exposed defensive weaknesses, but the Paraguayans were able to respond. A 1-0 win over Turkey, where Almiron was suspended, demonstrated their ability to function as a structured defensive unit. The 0-0 against Australia, crucial to qualification as third best, was manageable despite technical and statistical inferiority. Paraguay scored just two goals in their two official group stage matches, but conceded just two โ proof that the defensive unit is working.
Julio Enciso (35 caps, 4 goals, Strasbourg, 22) anchors the lines and has stopped every Paraguayan attack, providing two assists in three matches. Miguel Almiron (78 matches, 10 goals, Atlanta United, 32 years old) returns to the team after suspension. Gustavo Gomez (92 matches, 4 goals, Palmeiras, 33 years old) โ defensive mainstay and captain. Alfaroโs challenge would be to create enough danger that Germany could not handle it calmly.
Team News: Germany vs Paraguay
Germany
Missing and Uncertain โ Germany
Missing
Nico Schlotterbeck
Defender โ injured (29 matches, 1 goal โ Borussia Dortmund)
Uncertain
Nathaniel Brown
Defender โ under consideration (7 matches, 1 goal โ Eintracht Frankfurt)
Nagelsmann has almost a full squad. Center pivot Antonio Rรผdiger (85 appearances, 3 goals, Real Madrid) and Jonathan Ta (50 appearances, 1 goal, Bayern) form the starting pairing in Schlotterbeckโs absence. David Raum (39 caps, 1 goal, RB Leipzig) takes over at left-back if Brown is unavailable. The Wirtz-Musiala-Havertz offensive line is complete. Undave will be available on the bench, as will Leon Goretzka (72 appearances, 15 goals, Bayern) and Aleksandar Pavlovic (14 appearances, 1 goal, Bayern) in the centre.
Manuel Neuer (127 matches, Bayern, 40 years old) keeps goals. Felix Nmecha (11 caps, 2 goals, Borussia Dortmund) and Pavlovic form a double defensive pivot. Sane on the right flank, Wirtz on the left, Musiala between the lines and Havertz in front โ the expected formation.
Likely lineup Germany (4-2-3-1): M. Neuer; N. Brown, A. Rรผdiger, J. Tah, D. Raum; F Nmecha, A Pavlovich; L. Sane, J. Musiala, F. Wirtz; To Havertz.
Paraguay
Missing and Uncertain โ Paraguay
Suspended
Diego Gomez
Midfielder โ suspension (2 yellow cards โ 27 caps, 3 goals โ Brighton)
Uncertain
Omar Alderete
Defender โ physical injury (39 matches, 3 goals โ Sunderland)
Alfaroโs main concern is central defence. Alderete, a pillar of the system, is unsure and will not appear among the likely eleven candidates on Monday. Gustavo Velasquez (16 matches, 1 goal, Cerro Porteรฑo, 35 years old) replaces him along with Gustavo Gomez. The good news is Almironโs return from the suspension that cost him the match against Turkey. The loss of Diego Gomez (27 caps, 3 goals, Brighton) in midfield is significant: he is one of the rare players to have played in Europeโs five major championships and his creativity will be missed. He will be replaced by Matias Galarza (17 matches, 4 goals, Atlanta United).
Orlando Gill (9 caps, San Lorenzo, 26 years old) will be in goal, confirming his starting status throughout the tournament. The defense is completed by Junior Alonso (74 matches, 3 goals, Atlรฉtico Mineiro) and Juan Jose Caceres (20 matches, Dynamo Moscow). Antonio Sanabria (49 appearances, 7 goals, Cremonese) and Gabriel Avalos (25 appearances, 2 goals, Independiente) form the attacking pair, with Enciso supporting from wide at the back.
Likely lineup Paraguay (4-4-2): Jill; J. Alonso, J. Velasquez, J. Gomez, J. Caceres; M. Almiron, A. Cubas, M. Galarza, Mauricio; J. Avalos, J. Enciso.
Head-to-head matches: Germany vs Paraguay
History of confrontations
Germany
1 โ 0
Paraguay
Results of 2 matches: 1 win for Germany, 1 draw.
1 V
1 N
0 D
June 15, 2002
Germany vs Paraguay โ CDM
1-0
August 14, 2013
Germany vs Paraguay โ Friendly Match
3-3
The two countries have met each other twice in history. The most notable meeting took place on June 15, 2002 in the 1/8 finals of the Korea-Japan World Cup: Germany won 1-0, and Oliver Neuvilleโs goal in the 88th minute ended Paraguayโs hopes of a first world quarter-final. The friendly match on August 14, 2013 ended with an impressive 3:3 score, which has only anecdotal significance.
Germanyโs unique competitive precedent gives it a moral advantage, but the two generations of players are vastly different. More importantly for analysis: Germany have never lost to Paraguay in their official history, and the recent form of both teams reproduces the same pattern of German dominance.
Our prediction: Germany vs Paraguay
Best bets
German victory
Cat: 1.36
Germany scored 10 goals in three group stage matches and are backed by a Wirz-Musiala-Havertz attacking trio that is one of the most creative in the tournament. Paraguay scored just two goals in the group stage and showed very limited attacking power, with the absence of Diego Gomez in midfield further weakening their ability to fight back. Thus, the gap in individual qualities clearly speaks in favor of Mannschaft.
Value bet
Germany wins without conceding a single goal
Cat: 2.10
Paraguay scored just two goals in three group games and showed very limited attacking volume with just 1.11 xG. Faced with a broken Rรผdiger-Tach joint at major European meetings, Gabriel Avalos and Julio Enciso will struggle to find a place. Given the uncertainty of Alderete and the suspension of Diego Gomez, Paraguayโs offensive structure looks even more limited. Compare odds at Betclic via Eurosport.
Outsider
Jamal Musiala scorer
Cat: 2.64
Musiala scored 1 goal and created several decisive chances in this World Cup. With 10 goals in 45 matches and a rare ability to dribble in compact spaces, he is the most dangerous German player in opposing areas. Facing a Paraguayan block that would leave space for Germany, Musiala, playing between the lines, would have the opportunity to score.
Free choice
Less than 3.5 goals in a match
Cat: 1.43
Paraguay will defend with a compact block that is difficult to break through quickly. Despite Germanyโs expected dominance, a 2-0 or 2-1 scoreline is a more likely scenario rather than a goal celebration. In three group matches, Paraguay scored 3.5 goals just once (losing 4-1 to the United States).
Our forecast
Germany โ Paraguay 2:0
Germany have the attacking power, squad depth and knockout experience to win. Paraguay will defend with discipline but lack the creativity to threaten Manuel Neuer.
- Deniz Undav, results 3 goals and 2 assists in just 86 minutes of play at this World Cup โ exceptional performance from the bench
- Paraguay just generated 1.11 total xG in 3 group matchesone of the weakest offensive records among skilled players.
- Germany registered 10 goals in 3 matches group stage โ 7-1 v Curacao, 2-1 v Ivory Coast, 1-2 v Ecuador
- Diego Gomez (Brighton) Est suspendeddepriving Paraguay of its only midfielder to have played in five major European championships.
- Germany returns to knockout matches for the first time since its inception. final 2014 against Argentina