​“We simply have to win a game like this” – Neuer criticizes Germany’s performance after defeat to Paraguay. Germany’s 2026 World Cup journey ended on Monday as Julian Nagelsmann’s team were eliminated on penalties by Paraguay. In what was Manuel Neuer’s 128th and final appearance for Germany, the goalkeeper spoke bluntly about the display. “The coach said a few words to us. We are all very sad. We didn’t have the punch or the necessary luck to win today. But we also created too few chances – we didn’t have the tools or the cutting edge,” Neuer told Bundesliga.de after the match. He added that during the shootout it would have helped if one or two players had built more confidence earlier by converting clear chances, noting that Paraguay missed twice and that should have been enough to seal victory. Yet his focus remained on the game plan and the need to win such a match against a side like Paraguay, underscoring the moral of the loss and the frustration of falling short in the tournament.