Julian Nagelsmann has stated he will not resign as Germany head coach following the team's elimination from the World Cup last 32 after a penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay. The match, held in Boston, saw Paraguay triumph in the shootout, prompting Paraguay's president to declare Tuesday a national holiday.
Nagelsmann Vows to Continue
Speaking at a press conference nearly four hours after kick-off, Nagelsmann said: 'I am not someone who runs away. This is not the first time this has happened, and there are some things about today that need to be changed. But if the DFB wants me to continue I am going to continue. I know the mechanics of football, I know how the industry works. I know a lot of people will want me to leave but I would love to continue if the football association wants me to.'
Nagelsmann had already spoken to German FA bosses before addressing the media. 'They have talked to me gently, they comforted me, they’re not going to offer me an extension of my contract two minutes after I lost this match. They are not going to talk just after the defeat,' he added.
Germany's Tournament Struggles
Germany entered the match on the back of a defeat to Ecuador in their final group game, facing a Paraguay side that finished third in Group D behind the US and Australia. This was Nagelsmann's second major tournament as Germany manager in three years, with a combined total of just one knockout round victory—against Denmark at their home European Championship.
'If we did a survey today in Germany people would not speak positively about me today. But in football you win some and you lose some, it’s always been that way, we haven’t really done much in this tournament to make people celebrate, but I have a lot of confidence that we could have done a better job,' Nagelsmann said. He acknowledged the difficulty posed by Paraguay's defensive approach: 'It was very difficult because they were ultra-defensive. We didn’t give enough. When you exit the World Cup after you play Paraguay then it is very bitter. If you do not score many goals then it is not enough. It is very hurtful.'
Paraguay Celebrates Historic Victory
For Paraguay, the victory was a moment of national pride. Paraguayan journalists celebrated in the press room as the winning penalty was scored, applauding head coach Gustavo Alfaro. Alfaro praised his '26 warriors' and spoke at length about the growth of football in Paraguay, emphasizing its role as a source of happiness, power, and collectivism for the people of the 'red earth.'
Paraguay's president declared Tuesday a national holiday in honor of the team's achievement. Paraguay will now face either France or Sweden in a highly symbolic 4 July Independence Day match in Philadelphia, the birthplace of the Declaration of Independence.
