Berlin [Germany], July 3 (ANI): Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann has reportedly resigned from his position following the team's shock exit from the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 32, marking a dramatic end to his tenure after Germany failed to progress further in the tournament, according to Sky Sports.
According to the report, following a thorough analysis of Germany's early World Cup exit, the German Football Association (DFB) had a three-and-a-half-hour meeting on Thursday, and the DFB leadership strongly suggested Nagelsmann resign.
"After such a devastating setback, and considering the challenges ahead, we cannot and will not simply return to business as usual," said DFB President Bernd Neuendorf in a statement released approximately 16 hours after the 3-4 penalty shootout defeat against Paraguay in the round of 32, as quoted by Sky Sports.
A successor to Nagelsmann has not been directly announced. However, Sky Sports reported that Jurgen Klopp's name has been circulating in connection with the German Football Association, and not just since his recent statement regarding Nagelsmann's continued tenure.
Klopp would be ready and would take over the national coach job if the DFB approached him, the report added.
Meanwhile, Paraguay progressed to the Round of 16 after a memorable night defined by VAR controversy, defensive resilience and clinical finishing from the penalty spot. The result also ranks among the biggest knockout upsets in modern World Cup history.
Germany entered the tournament ranked 10th in the FIFA World Rankings, while Paraguay were 41st, a gap of 31 places.Since 1994, only three World Cup knockout eliminations have featured a larger rankings disparity:
Spain's defeat to Russia in 2018 (60 places), Italy's loss to South Korea in 2002 (34 places), and Spain's quarter-final exit to South Korea in 2002 (32 places). (ANI)
