Julian Nagelsmann faces intense scrutiny over his future as Germany's head coach following their unexpected elimination from the World Cup. The team suffered a shock exit in the last-32 after losing a penalty shootout to Paraguay, marking a significant disappointment.
Immediately after the match, Nagelsmann addressed questions about his position, stating he is "not someone who runs away." However, he acknowledged that his popularity among German supporters has likely diminished. "If we're going to do a survey today in Germany, people are not going to speak about me positively obviously," he commented. "I did feel the support in the stadium... I don't think everyone in Germany will agree with me staying on and continuing as manager of the team."
Despite the criticism, Nagelsmann expressed his desire to continue if the German Football Association (DFB) wishes. "I'm not going to step back only because we are eliminated. If the DFB want me to continue, I am going to continue. I know how the industry works and a lot of people now want me to leave. I want to continue if the German FA wants me to."
Concerns about Germany's performance were evident even before the decisive match. Football manager Jürgen Klopp, working for German television, had previously criticized the team's approach, stating, "We chose the wrong methods on this pitch; we played the wrong kind of football against an aggressive opponent." These lessons appeared not to have been learned against Paraguay, who defended resolutely and frustrated Germany throughout the game.
German football journalist Raphael Honigstein described the exit as a "football nightmare," suggesting that the team's performance over the tournament was "poor." He added, "There were too many big calls not coming off for Julian Nagelsmann. It is going to be very hard for him to survive this. I think it will be over for him, I am afraid."
Paraguay is now set to advance to the last 16, where they will face either France or Sweden. Germany, meanwhile, must contend with another premature departure from a major tournament, a result that is expected to have significant repercussions. The team's inability to secure a favorable outcome against Paraguay at this stage has led to widespread disappointment and calls for accountability.