Top News

30 June 2026

Following Germany’s agonising exit from the 2026 World Cup after a penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay, several former internationals have begun reflecting on the disappointing outcome.

Among them was Ilkay Gündogan, a player well-known to German supporters, who admitted that while the result was ultimately fair, he was left baffled by the decision to disallow Jonathan Tah’s goal after a VAR review.

“That team performance definitely doesn’t need any sugarcoating,” the former Germany captain wrote on social media platform X after the match. He added, “But seriously, what kind of VAR [video assistant referee] decision was that? In the Premier League, they’d probably just shrug at something like that – especially when it comes to reversing a call.”

The controversial moment occurred during the first half of extra time when Waldemar Anton appeared to make slight contact with the Paraguayan goalkeeper before Tah headed the ball into the net at the back post. The goal, however, was ruled out following a VAR review, leaving the German camp frustrated.

Despite his anger at the officiating, Gündogan accepted that Germany’s failure lay largely in their own hands. “Of course, it’s brutally disappointing,” he said. “Unfortunately, we didn’t do enough to convince over 120 minutes.”

Germany’s exit marks another painful chapter for the four-time World Cup winners, who had entered the tournament with hopes of redemption after previous disappointments. For Gündogan and other former players, the loss – and the controversial VAR call – will likely linger for some time.