MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Paraguay declares a holiday after reaching the World Cup's last 16 by beating Germany

The decree states that Paraguay “has shown the world” its resilience and that the government “cannot remain indifferent to this achievement”

Paraguay's President Santiago Peña declared a national holiday for Tuesday, June 30, to celebrate the national team's qualification for the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, after eliminating Germany in a penalty shootout. “Today a whole country is celebrating,” the president wrote on the social network X, where he published the decree and congratulated the team, which he called by its nickname, the Albirroja.

The round-of-16 match, played on Monday in Boston, ended 1-1 after regulation and extra time, and was decided from the penalty spot with a 4-3 score in favor of the South Americans. It is the first time that Germany, a four-time world champion, has been eliminated from a World Cup after losing a penalty shootout. The team coached by Argentine manager Gustavo Alfaro will play its round-of-16 match in Philadelphia on July 4, against the winner of the France-Sweden tie.

The decree states that Paraguay “has shown the world” its resilience and that the government “cannot remain indifferent to this achievement.” It is the second time Peña has resorted to this power: a law enacted last September allows him to declare up to three holidays a year to mark special occasions, and he used it for the first time that same month, when the Albirroja secured its qualification for the World Cup, fifteen years after its last appearance, at South Africa 2010.

On the field, Paraguay withstood Germany's territorial dominance for much of the match, with the European side controlling possession without creating clear chances. The South Americans went ahead through a header from forward Julio Enciso, considered one of the country's greatest prospects, before Germany's Kai Havertz equalized in the second half. The loss of Enciso to injury forced a reshuffle of the team, which resisted the German pressure in the closing stretch and in extra time.

In the shootout, the Paraguayan goalkeeper became a key figure by saving two attempts, while several German takers missed. The decisive goal was scored by defender Gustavo Canale, sealing qualification. The result is one of the biggest surprises of the tournament, held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, and marks Paraguay's return to the knockout rounds of a World Cup. The team had not advanced past the group stage since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, when it reached the quarterfinals, its best-ever performance in the competition.