German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul has congratulated Paraguay on their surprise World Cup win against Germany after arriving in the South American country.
Wadephul followed Monday's match which Paraguay won 4-3 on penalties aboard a plane to the Mercosur summit in Paraguay's capital of Asunción. He had predicted a 3-1 win for Germany.
"It was a disappointing result for us. But that's sport, and sport is competition," Wadephul said on Tuesday. "Of course I am sad, just like our players and the whole of Germany, about this failure.
“But I also think it's only proper to congratulate the winner. Paraguay is celebrating — today is even a public holiday because of it, which shows the importance of sport to the people here.”
Paraguay's president, Santiago Peña, had declared a national holiday to honour the prestigious victory which was wildly celebrated in the country.
While Germany are eliminated, Paraguay will face top favourites France or Sweden in the last 16 on Saturday.
