Germany, four-time World Cup champions, lost to Paraguay on penalties on June 30, ending their 2026 World Cup campaign at a stage that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. It was the first time Germany has ever lost a World Cup penalty shootout, which is the kind of historic footnote no coach wants on their resume.
The calls for head coach Julian Nagelsmann’s removal started before the final whistle had finished echoing. Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp is already being floated as the leading candidate to take over.
A pattern of decline that’s hard to ignore
The 1-1 draw that preceded the shootout was a microcosm of everything critics have pointed to under Nagelsmann’s tenure. Germany topped their group, looked competent enough on paper, then crumbled when the pressure arrived.
This isn’t an isolated incident. Germany crashed out early in the 2018 World Cup. They did it again in 2022. They reached only the quarter-finals at Euro 2024, a tournament they hosted on home soil.
