Germany's earliest World Cup exit in a generation has prompted fresh questions about Julian Nagelsmann's future. The Germany coach, however, insists he has no intention of walking away.
Paraguay reached the last 16 after holding Germany to a 1-1 draw before winning 4-3 on penalties. It was Germany's first defeat in a World Cup penalty shootout and their earliest exit from the tournament in decades.
Nagelsmann addressed his future shortly after the match, making it clear he intends to remain in charge.
Nagelsmann Makes His Position Clear After Germany's Exit
Speaking immediately after the final whistle in Boston, the Germany head coach made his position clear. "I'm not one to run away," Nagelsmann told a post-match press conference.
"It's not the first time, but it's been happening for a while now that we've been delivering tournaments like this, and yes, there are certainly a few basic things to address."
The numbers behind the elimination are a different story. Kai Havertz cancelled out Julio Enciso's opener as the round of 32 tie finished 1-1 after extra time. Die Mannschaft thought Jonathan Tah had won it with a late header, only for VAR to rule the goal out.
The penalty shootout proved equally dramatic. Havertz and Nick Woltemade both missed for Germany, while Antonio Sanabria and Fabian Balbuena failed to convert match-winning opportunities for Paraguay. Tah then missed the target before Jose Canale converted the decisive penalty.
Despite controlling 75% of possession, Germany struggled to turn that dominance into clear-cut chances throughout the match.
Jurgen Klopp Dismisses Germany Manager Speculation
The defeat had barely sunk in before attention turned to a familiar name. Across social media, many German supporters called for former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp, now Red Bull's Head of Global Soccer, to take charge for the next World Cup cycle.
Klopp shut the conversation down without hesitation. Asked as a pundit on MagentaTV what would have to happen for him to consider the role, Klopp responded: "I haven't thought about that yet. I've often been in that situation myself as a coach, where a big dream has been shattered.
"I understand that when people talk about the national coach, my name is mentioned. The fact is, Germany was eliminated today, and this is not the moment for me to think about my future."
He went further, insisting current contractual obligations rule out any immediate switch: "I have a job that I really enjoy. And as far as I know, it's not a part-time job."
Klopp's response, however, went beyond dismissing speculation about his own future. Klopp argued that Germany's problems run deeper than the senior national team, saying: "We can talk about the DFB. We one hundred percent have to change a few things. We can start with the U10s and wait a few years to see what comes out at the top."
