Germany Crash Out as Paraguay Make World Cup History and End Neuer Era

Football can be cruel.

Germany came into the match as favourites, but they are going home.

According to the official World Cup result, Paraguay defeated Germany on penalties after a dramatic 1-1 draw to book their place in the next round.

It is one of the biggest shocks of the tournament.

Julio Enciso gave Paraguay the lead just before half-time with the country's first-ever goal in a World Cup knockout match.

Germany fought back.

Kai Havertz scored the equaliser and thought they had completed the comeback in extra time when Jonathan Tah found the net.

But according to the match officials, the goal was ruled out because Paraguay's goalkeeper was blocked.

The match went to penalties.

That is where Orlando Gill became Paraguay's hero.

According to the official awards, Gill was named Man of the Match after making crucial saves in the shootout to send Paraguay through.

For Germany, it is another painful World Cup exit.

According to tournament records, Germany have now conceded in 10 straight World Cup matches. Their last clean sheet came in the 2014 World Cup final.

That statistic alone shows how far the four-time world champions have fallen.

The night also marked the end of an era.

According to Germany's official announcement, Manuel Neuer has retired from international football after making his 23rd World Cup start, the most by any German player.

The legendary goalkeeper tried everything to save his country one last time, but even he could not stop history.

After the match, Julio Enciso gave an emotional interview.

According to DSports, he dedicated the victory to his late grandfather and said it was the greatest day of his life.

Germany leave the tournament with heartbreak.

Paraguay leave with history.

Can Paraguay go even further, or was Germany simply not good enough when it mattered most?