World Cup 2026: Germany and Netherlands Eliminated on Penalties as Brazil Advances
Germany and Netherlands were knocked out of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on penalty shootouts, while Brazil advanced with a dramatic 95th-minute winner against Japan, leaving intense Round of 16 competition ongoing.
Dramatic Penalty Exits in World Cup
Germany and the Netherlands were both dumped out of the 2026 World Cup on penalties, and you can follow all of the latest reaction from last night, as well as looking ahead at tonight's matches, with ESPN. Both European powerhouses fell in sudden-death competitions after full-time draws, marking significant upsets in the tournament's knockout stage.
Germany's Controversial Loss
Germany were not so lucky, as they were held by Paraguay in Boston in normal time and had a goal disallowed in extra time, before missing three penalties in the shootout and being dumped out of the World Cup. The controversial disallowed goal in extra time proved pivotal, as Germany's inability to capitalize on that opportunity carried into the penalty phase where they faltered.
Netherlands Falls to Morocco
And in the late game, the Netherlands suffered the same fate, with Issa Diop's 91st minute goal for Morocco taking the game to extra time and then to penalties, and it was the AFCON champions who held firm there. Morocco's remarkable comeback demonstrated the unpredictability of World Cup knockout football, with the African side advancing against overwhelming odds.
Brazil's Dramatic Advancement
Meanwhile, five-time world champions Brazil kept alive their hopes with Gabriel Martinelli's 95th minute winner seeing them sneak past Japan. Brazil's thrilling comeback victory over a strong Japanese side set the stage for what could be an exciting path through the tournament's remaining stages.
Matches Ahead
On Tuesday evening we are treated again, as Ivory Coast face Norway in the first game of the day, before France play Sweden and Mexico face Ecuador. The tournament's intensity continues with more knockout matches scheduled, featuring strong European, African, and Latin American sides competing for advancement.