2026 World Cup: A Storm Erupts in Germany Over the Four “Deserters”—The Images Go Viral
The penalty shootout loss to Paraguay in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup has left a deep wound in German soccer, one that is bound to remain at the center of debate for a long time. Not so much because of the unfortunate outcome, but because of what happened just before the German team took its sixth penalty kick.
Images of captain Joshua Kimmich engaged in a rather tense huddle with Goretzka, Brown, Anton, Thiaw, and Tah—the outfield players who had not yet taken a penalty kick—went viral around the world. All five players appeared hesitant, reluctant to take responsibility for the first shot in the shootout.
In the end, it was Jonathan Tah, the 30-year-old Bayern Munich defender, who stepped up to the ball, only to send it well over the crossbar. After squandering the previous opportunity with Sanabria, Paraguay didn’t need to be asked twice: Canale, who took his shot immediately after Tah, made no mistake and secured an unexpected spot in the Round of 16 for La Albirroja.
In Germany, the analysis of what happened was extremely harsh: the German media, led by Bild, harshly criticized the four players who allegedly refused to take a penalty kick (Goretzka, Brown, Anton, and Thiaw), while social media users branded them “deserters,” highlighting the lack of leadership at the World Cup’s most critical moment.
In Germany, that sequence of images has already become a symbol of a Mannschaft that, after winning the 2014 World Cup and reaching the semifinals at Euro 2016, has struggled to handle the pressure at key moments. Beyond the result, what weighs heavily is the image of a team unable to take responsibility—an issue that is bound to spark debate for quite some time.
