Germany's World Cup campaign came to a disappointing end with a penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay in the Round of 32, following another underwhelming display that encapsulated their tournament. Aside from an emphatic 7-1 victory over Curaçao, Germany rarely looked convincing throughout the tournament. A last-gasp win against Côte d'Ivoire and a defeat to Ecuador exposed familiar weaknesses, leaving many supporters unconvinced that this squad was capable of delivering a fifth World Cup title.