FIFA World Cup 2026 makes unprecedented history after Germany and Netherlands crash out

Germany and the Netherlands crash out in the opening knockout round. (AP photo) The 2026 FIFA World Cup saw a historic first when two teams ranked in the top 10 of the FIFA world rankings were eliminated in the opening knockout round for the first time in the history of the tournament.10th-placed Germany and 8th-placed Netherlands both saw their campaigns end on penalties, making the round of 32 one of the competition’s most dramatic knockout stages.Germany’s disappointing run at major tournaments continued after Paraguay stunned the four-time world champions in a penalty shoot-out. The match finished 1-1 after extra time, with Germany believing they had found a winner in the 101st minute when Jonathan Tah headed home from a corner.However, after a VAR review, referee Jalal Jayed disallowed the goal, ruling that defender Waldemar Anton had obstructed Paraguayan goalkeeper Orlando Gill from the play. The decision forced the match into penalties where Paraguay held their nerve to win 5-3.The defeat marked Germany’s first ever FIFA World Cup elimination via penalty shootout, having won each of their previous four shootouts in the competition. It was also only their second defeat on penalties at a major international tournament, the first coming against Czechoslovakia in the UEFA European Championship final in 1976. The result also extended Germany’s struggles since the World Cup was canceled in 2014 following group stage exits in the previous two editions.Later, Morocco wrote another memorable chapter in their World Cup journey when they knocked out the Netherlands in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.The Dutch looked destined for the round of 16 after Cody Gakpo broke the deadlock in the 72nd minute. But Morocco refused to give up and found an equalizer deep into stoppage time when Issa Diop headed home Chemsdine Talbi’s inviting cross in the 91st minute.Neither side could find a winner during extra time and the match went to penalties. Both teams missed two spot-kicks, but Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou again showed his brilliance from 12 yards when he saved Crysencio Summerville’s effort.With a delicately set-up shootout, Ismael Saibari calmly converted Morocco’s decisive penalty to seal a 3-2 victory and send the African side through to the round of 16.The combined exits of Germany and the Netherlands provided a watershed moment in FIFA World Cup history, as never before had two top-10 ranked nations been knocked out in the first round of the tournament’s knockout stage.