Germany's premature exit from the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a round of 32 loss to Paraguay has been overshadowed by controversy surrounding a disallowed goal. In the final minutes of the first half of extra time, Germany defender Jonathan Tah headed the ball into the net off a corner kick, which would have given his team a 2-1 lead. However, a Video Assistant Referee (VAR) review determined that German defender Waldemar Anton had fouled Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill, and the goal was disallowed.
This decision has drawn scrutiny, with former Denmark and Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel expressing his disagreement on FOX's "World Cup Live." Schmeichel argued that Anton did not commit a foul, stating, "The goalkeeper runs straight into him, and I think they got that wrong." He believed Anton was simply positioned in the area and that the goalkeeper initiated contact.
However, the panel was divided. Former Nigeria midfielder John Obi Mikel sided with the referee's decision, viewing the foul as legitimate. Mikel pointed out that Anton was impeding the goalkeeper's ability to reach the ball, noting that the goalkeeper's eyes were on the ball while the defender was not. "To me, it looks a bit soft. But I think the referee has made the right decision," Mikel said.
Former USA forward Clint Dempsey ultimately supported Schmeichel's viewpoint. "When you've got a goalkeeper who is a part of the goalkeeper union who says it's not a foul, then it's not a foul," Dempsey remarked.
The disallowed goal proved pivotal as Germany went on to lose the match in a penalty shootout, 4-3. Tah missed a crucial penalty kick in the final round, which allowed Paraguay's José Canale to score the winning penalty, sealing Germany's exit from the tournament.