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Miles Bridges trade grades: Suns burn another potential rebuild year in Hornets deal

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The Charlotte Hornets have been one of the most active teams on the offseason trade market, and on Sunday, they were at it again. Mere days after trading LaMelo Ball to the Minnesota Timberwolves, the Hornets turned around and flipped Miles Bridges to the Phoenix Suns in the following deal:

  • Suns receive: Miles Bridges, 2029 first-round pick (least favorable of Jazz, Timberwolves and Cavaliers), 2027 second-round pick
  • Hornets receive: Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale, 2033 first-round pick (unprotected)

So how did everyone do in Charlotte’s second substantial trade of the offseason? Let’s dive right into grades.

Phoenix Suns: D

At the 2025 trade deadline, the Suns traded their unprotected 2031 first-round pick to the Utah Jazz for three lesser first-round picks. The idea at the time was seemingly that their 2031 pick was perceived as quite valuable, but could only be traded once. The Suns felt they needed multiple moves, so they split their one pick up into three lesser picks in order to give themselves the flexibility to make several smaller moves. 

They proceeded to use one of those picks to dump Jusuf Nurkić’s salary on the Hornets. They used another to acquire Mark Williams from, you guessed it, the Hornets. Williams just re-signed in Phoenix, but with Oso Ighodaro ascending and No. 10 overall pick Khaman Maluach developing in the background, it’s not clear he’s one of the two most important bigs that the Suns have. Those picks, in other words, haven’t yielded much to actually turn the Suns into a better basketball team. The Jazz, meanwhile, were thrilled with their acquisition.

“The way it makes sense for us is that we now have another shot at a pick that has a lot of variability. The three picks we traded have no chance to be the No. 1 pick, and this one does,” Jazz general manager Justin Zanik said at the time. “It balances out what we want, but we’ve always talked about bites at the apple or more swings in the draft, but it also is about the quality of the swings, and this is, in my opinion, the most valuable asset on the market right now.”

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A year later, Zanik was ultimately proven correct. That 2031 Suns pick was the cornerstone asset in a trade for Jaren Jackson Jr., an All-Star. That’s how valuable those picks deep in the future can be. They are among the most coveted trade assets in the NBA, and are probably even more valuable now than they were at the 2025 trade deadline because the new lottery reforms expire after 2029. We literally do not know what the rules will be in 2033. Think of the two other teams that have traded picks in the 2030s this offseason. The Miami Heat got Giannis Antetokounmpo, a two-time MVP. The Minnesota Timberwolves got LaMelo Ball, one of the most talented guards in the NBA. That should be the bar for parting with picks that valuable.

The Suns? They got Miles Bridges, who has always been better in theory than in practice. Despite great athletic tools, Bridges has never been a consistently high-level defender. He has shot above league-average from deep once in his career. He’s an unspectacular positional rebounder, and he really benefitted from playing in an up-tempo offense next to an elite playmaker in Ball. Case in point: his true shooting percentage over the past two seasons dropped from 60.8% with Ball on the court to 51.1% without Ball on the court, according to Databallr. The Suns don’t have LaMelo Ball at point guard.

The other motivation here for Phoenix was financial. The Suns shaved about $30 million off their luxury tax penalty by cutting around $6.2 million in team salary. That’s nice, but the Suns are still about $10.3 million above the tax line. There was some thought that the Suns would try to duck the line entirely this season, as doing so would reset their repeater tax clock. They have a long way to go if they plan to do so. That 2029 pick they acquired from the Hornets is a low-end trade asset. They could potentially use it to shave some salary, or they could also use it to improve, but based on what they got for those similar picks in the past, it probably won’t be all that helpful.

Think about the state of the Western Conference right now. Phoenix just saw firsthand in the first round that it isn’t in Oklahoma City’s universe. The San Antonio Spurs are a similarly unreachable juggernaut. The Timberwolves took a home run swing. The Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers are all works in progress, but were meaningfully better than the Suns last season. The Portland Trail Blazers might get Jaylen Brown. The Jazz are taking a step forward with Jackson.

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Realistically, the Suns went from being a Play-In Tournament team before this trade to being a Play-In Tournament team after this trade. The cost of doing so was another year at the back end of this mess in which they will not be able to rebuild properly. Remember, the only first-round pick of their own that the Suns control moving forward is in 2032… because that pick is frozen due to the Suns going over the second apron in the 2024-25 season. Devin Booker will be 37 in the 2032-33 season, and without picks to restock the team, Phoenix’s outlook at that point looks pretty bleak.

The Suns are coming off a feel-good season fueled by defense and effort. It’s easier to sustain those things in the first year following the misery of the 2024-25 campaign in which the team effectively imploded with Kevin Durant and Bradley Beal headed for exits. With lottery reform killing tanking, Phoenix is not going to be able to try-hard their way into nearly as many regular-season wins, and this deal does nothing to raise their playoff ceiling against opponents like the Thunder team that decimated them in the first round. The reward here was minimal, and the risk was monumental.

Charlotte Hornets: A

The Hornets fundamentally altered the course of their franchise with the Ball trade. Whether or not doing so was wise, we’ll find out over time. But the decision was, essentially, rooted in the dual fears of capping their ceiling and getting stuck with a bad contract. Well, Bridges is on an expiring deal, so they were either going to lose him or they were going to have to give him a potentially regrettable contract. That’s now Phoenix’s problem. And for all of the reasons we covered above, they turned him into one of the highest-ceiling draft picks on the trade market.

Now the Hornets are among the most asset-rich teams in the entire NBA. They have two of those ultra-valuable unprotected picks in the 2030s between this one and the one they got from Minnesota, but they also have two very interesting picks in the nearer future: a top-2 protected 2027 choice from the Dallas Mavericks and a lottery-protected 2027 first-round choice from the Heat that becomes unprotected in 2028. They are effectively shorting four different teams. One or two of them is bound to collapse and hand the Hornets a pretty good pick. Throw in the two first-round picks they just made, Hannes Steinbach and Christian Anderson, and the Hornets are absolutely brimming with long-term upside to pair with franchise cornerstones Kon Knueppel and Brandon Miller.

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The move doesn’t even hurt Charlotte at power forward. Naz Reid, acquired in the Ball trade, is the presumed starter in that slot. He’s better than Bridges, and his value isn’t tied as explicitly to a single teammate as Bridges’ was to Ball. With Steinbach coming in, Charlotte likely didn’t have minutes for Bridges anymore anyway.

The Hornets will presumably continue to use the financial flexibility gained in the Ball trade to take on bad money in exchange for draft capital. Getting such a valuable pick in exchange for only about $6 million in extra salary was a coup for the Hornets, who still have around $50 million in room below the luxury tax line with which to work. The rich are only going to get richer in the days and weeks to come.

Again, only time will tell if the Hornets were correct in getting out of the LaMelo Ball business. But once they made that trade, this one was an absolute no-brainer. This is a genuine home run, one of the best trades any team will make this offseason. Even if the Suns ultimately don’t collapse before 2033, perception can be reality when it comes to first-round picks. If the whole league thinks the Suns are going to collapse, the Hornets now have seven years to potentially capitalize on that pick in a trade. As valuable as Zanik thought that 2031 pick would be, this 2033 selection has a chance to be even better.

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Germany out of World Cup after loss on penalties to Paraguay

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Another World Cup, another moment of unwanted history for Germany. Even though this Germany team got out of the group unlike in Qatar and Russia, the disappointment of this exit in the USA, Canada and Mexico sits just as deep. For the first time in their history, Germany lost a World Cup game on penalties. For the second time in a week, Germany played the game their opponents wanted rather than taking control themselves. And, for the third straight World Cup, Germany failed to meet expectations.

“Only thing I can say is I’m sorry. To disappoint again is not a nice feeling,” Kai Havertz, who missed one of Germany’s penalties, told public broadcaster ZDF afterwards. “We tried to [attack via] the flanks, but unfortunately it didn’t really work out. And I don’t think we deserved to win this time.”

“Even though the elimination hurts: What a game,” German Chancellor Friedrich Merz wrote on social media. “With your dedication and team spirit at this World Cup, you’ve inspired our country. We’re proud of you.”

From its diversity to its team spirit, there are indeed many inspirational sources in this current Germany team. Sadly, when they needed an inspirational performance, they couldn’t find one.

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Julian Nagelsmann looks disappointed after the loss
Questions will now be asked of Julian Nagelsmann’s future as head coach of GermanyImage: Peter Cziborra/REUTERS

Ecuador loss a factor

Beforehand, Germany head coach Julian Nagelsmann said his team needed to adapt a “scumbag mentality” in order to progress. There was little of that tenacity on offer from Germany. This was a side that looked tentative for too long and indecisive when it mattered. Despite coming back from a goal down in normal time, and denying Paraguay the winning penalty twice, Germany were unable to win. It turns out a lot more was lost in New York New Jersey than just the game against Ecuador.

The momentum that Germany lost with that defeat hung over their heads in Boston just four days later. Despite Deniz Undav starting, Julian Nagelsmann’s side looked ponderous. Over half an hour in, Germany had completed seven times as many passes as their opponents. Paraguay were asking, perhaps even daring Germany to break them down. Germany couldn’t find a way.

Paraguay did, with their first real foray forward. A recycled corner led to an unmarked Julio Enciso, just 168 centimeters (5 feet, 5 inches) tall, heading home from near the penalty spot. It was a poor look for Germany’s defense, but also an indictment on the harmlessness of Germany’s attack.

Germany were huffing and puffing, again, but not really finding the answers. For the third straight game in this tournament, Germany needed something to spark them into life. This time, it was the tactical change to cross the ball more that brought the equalizer. Kai Havertz’s glancing header was enough to claw Germany back. Initially, it felt like the moment the game would change and Germany would earn a gritty, ugly 2-1 win.

However, like Germany at World Cups of late, the equalizer proved to be a false dawn. So too was Jonathan Tah’s disallowed goal in extra time. The defender’s header was ruled out for a foul in the build-up in a decision Nagelsmann called “scandalous.” He also admitted though, that Germany should have decided the game beforehand.

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Manuel Neuer saves a penalty
Manuel Neuer looked to have turned the tide for Germany, but his team couldn’t take advantageImage: Paul Rutherford/IMAGN Images/REUTERS

They didn’t. And so, when Kai Havertz and Nick Woltemade missed in the shootout, Germany’s tournament looked like it was done. The door opened for one final twist though, when Antonio Sanabria fired wide, Paraguay’s victory in his hands. When Neuer denied Fabian Balbuena with a strong save, Germany looked like they really might have leapt from the jaws of defeat. But Tah, playing in his first World Cup, blazed the first penalty in sudden death over, and Jose Canale sealed Paraguay’s win at the third time of asking. Fittingly for this team of false dawns and slow starts, their defeat came by a thousand cuts rather than one swift blow.

The fallout

Losing 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at the end of extra-time — how did Germany let it come to this? Much will be asked after an exit like this. For Neuer, his return offered little more than a few records. Germany captain Joshua Kimmich’s international career is now littered with disappointments. At 31 years old, it is fair to wonder whether he will even be at Euro 2028. Antonio Rüdiger (33), Leon Goretzka (31) and Leroy Sane (30) are likely not coming back. Significant change lies ahead.

More importantly, what of Julian Nagelsmann? His contract, after a surprising extension in early 2025, runs until 2028.

“I’m here to work and if the DFB decides otherwise then they should tell me,” Nagelsmann said afterwards. “I’m not the type of person who runs away.”

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This Germany team though, are running right out of this World Cup as the country confirms its place outside of football’s elite. Another introspective analysis of the health of the beautiful game in Germany will follow. Fingers will be pointed. Questions will be asked. And so begins another long road to trying to restore this football nation to the top table.

Edited by: Wesley Dockery

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Jalen Duren landing spots: Lakers, Kings in pursuit of Pistons’ All-NBA big man

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The Jalen Duren sweepstakes are heating up ahead of free agency opening on Tuesday (6 p.m. ET). Chris Haynes reported that Duren, who is a restricted free agent, is planning to meet with the Sacramento Kings when free agency officially opens. The Athletic’s Sam Amick reported shortly after that Duren has a call scheduled with the Lakers when free agency opens.

Duren, 22, is eligible for a five-year, $287 million extension (30% of the cap) from the Pistons if he re-signs with the franchise after earning All-NBA honors. If Duren signs an offer sheet elsewhere — and the Pistons execute a sign-and-trade for him — another team can offer a four-year deal worth approximately $177.4 million. Because Duren is a restricted free agent, the Pistons can match any offer sheet a team presents. 

Duren is coming off the best season of his career with the Pistons after averaging 19.5 points, 10.5 rebounds and 2.0 assists. He earned All-NBA Third-Team and NBA All-Star honors for the first time in his career and helped Detroit finish as the No. 1 seed in the East.

Ahead of free agency starting, here is where Duren can land — and why the Pistons could end up being his most likely destination when the dust settles.

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Detroit Pistons

Why it would make sense: Above all else, the most likely scenario for logistical reasons is Duren returning to Detroit. Because Duren is a restricted free agent, the Pistons have the right to match any offer another team hands out. Additionally, because so few teams have cap space this summer, most deals would have to be a sign-and-trade. Duren is coming off his best season as a pro with the Pistons. And he wants to get paid. The Pistons can offer him more money than anyone else. 

Even after Duren’s lackluster showing in the playoffs (his scoring average dropped from 19.5 points per game in the regular season to 10.2 in the playoffs), he is part of a core that had the best record in the East. If the Pistons do explore a sign-and-trade, they would almost certainly need to trade for a frontcourt player, which is why a potential deal with Sacramento could work. After losing Isaiah Stewart this offseason, Duren walking would be a major blow for the Pistons as the franchise attempts to take another step. That’s why he could end up back in Detroit.


Sacramento Kings

Why it would make sense: This offseason has been full of wild rumors and storylines. The Kings being in on Duren is just the latest curveball of chaos. If the Kings did make a deal with Detroit, two names who make sense to get dealt (to make the money work) are Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis. LaVine, who just opted into his $49 million player option for the 2026-27 season, has been linked in the past to the Pistons. However, Sabonis would make more sense in a potential sign-and-trade scenario. 

Duren is set to make $45.4 million this season and $48.6 million next. Replacing Sabonis with Duren would also make the Kings younger. If Duren joined Sacramento, he would be the youngest non-rookie on the roster. After drafting Darius Acuff Jr. with the No. 7 pick, adding a long-term running mate coming off an All-NBA season would make sense for a Kings team also searching for an identity. Sacramento went through the RFA dance last offseason with the Golden State Warriors when the franchise expressed interest in Jonathan Kuminga. After a long contract standoff, he signed a two-year deal to return to the Warriors before being traded to the Hawks at last season’s deadline. Kuminga is now an unrestricted free agent after having his team option declined by Atlanta on Monday.

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Los Angeles Lakers

Why it would make sense: The Lakers are a team to monitor this offseason. LeBron James is a free agent. Austin Reaves just signed a deal to return to the franchise long-term. If James leaves in free agency, the Lakers would all of a sudden have cap space. The Lakers’ biggest need this offseason is finding a center. They have been linked to fellow RFA Walker Kessler and now Duren. It makes sense that Los Angeles would like to add an All-NBA player to its core of Reaves and Luka Dončić, as the franchise could turn the page on the LeBron era. 

Duren would add size, rebounding and interior finishing to a Lakers frontcourt in desperate need of it. Duren would also fit the timelines of Reaves and Dončić, who are tied together for at least the 2027-28 season. Notably, Dončić has a player option for the 2028-29 season. Adding someone like Duren would be another signal to Dončić that the Lakers are ready to build a team around him for the next chapter of Lakers basketball.

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Daniel Coyle & Farrel capture Canadian Utilities Cup at Spruce Meadows

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Irish rider Daniel Coyle and Farrel won the Canadian Utilities Cup at Spruce Meadows on Friday night, at the ‘Pan American’.

The competition in the International Ring, and the final qualifying opportunity for the AON Grand Prix, saw 63 horse-and-rider combinations take on the challenge of the Canadian Utilities Cup 1.55m.

A fault-free round while staying within the 80-second time allowed was required to reach the jump-off round.

On a course designed by FEI Course Designer Anderson Lima of Mexico, 13 combinations secured their spot in the shortened jump-off.

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Fast clear gives Farrel and Coyle the win

Daniel Coyle demonstrated exactly why he is considered one of the world’s top show jumpers. Aboard Farrel, Coyle delivered a spectacular jump-off performance, stopping the clock in a blistering 40.64 seconds while leaving all the rails in place.

His winning time proved more than one second faster than second-place finishers Lillie Keenan (USA) and Kick On.

Coyle’s fellow Irishman Conor Swail and Clonterm Obolensky rounded out the podium in third.

With another international victory added to his impressive resume, Coyle and Farrel once again showcased the speed, precision, and partnership required to succeed at the highest level of the sport.

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“This arena and this place is very unique”

On returning to Spruce Meadows in 2026, Coyle admitted:

“I could go on for days about what I love about Spruce Meadows, but everybody kind of knows that now. The biggest thing for me here is that I get to know my horses even better, my younger ones especially, and my older horses that I know so well.”

“This arena and this place is very unique and you don’t just ride like you ride everywhere else, it’s two gears faster and the jumps are twice as long as they are anywhere else.”

Top 10 Canadian Utilities Cup 1.55m

  1. Daniel Coyle (IRL) & Farrel
  2. Lillie Keenan (USA) & Kick On
  3. Conor Swail (IRL) & Clonterm Obolensky
  4. Lillie Keenan (USA) & Anton
  5. Gabriel de Matos Machado (BRA) & Legaland Sandro
  6. Conor Swail (IRL) & Casturano
  7. Hilary Scott (AUS) & Lola
  8. Mark Bluman (COL) & Genial de B’Neville
  9. Vaclav Sanek (CZE) & Quintin
  10. Katie Laurie (NZL) & ZF Chacco Rio


LiveScores Now Available at IrishScores.com

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Braves, Cardinals ready to put disappointing June behind them

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Jun 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (27) leaves his feet to attempt to throw out San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers at first base during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn ImagesJun 28, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Atlanta Braves third baseman Austin Riley (27) leaves his feet to attempt to throw out San Francisco Giants first baseman Rafael Devers at first base during the sixth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images

Two teams who have struggled throughout June will try to change their trajectory when the St. Louis Cardinals visit the Atlanta Braves for a three-game series that begins on Tuesday.

Both teams are 3-7 over their last 10 games and will be happy to turn the calendar. The Braves are 9-13 in June and the Cardinals are 12-12 over the same time.

Atlanta has seen its lead in the National League East, which was 10.5 games on May 22, dwindle to three games over the Philadelphia Phillies.

St. Louis was 4.5 games behind the NL Central-leading Milwaukee Brewers on May 31 but now trail by seven games and is just a half-game ahead of the San Diego Padres and Miami Marlins in the race for the final wild-card spot.

The series opener features a pair of left-handers, as St. Louis’ Matthew Liberatore (3-5, 5.56 ERA) faces Atlanta’s Martin Perez (6-4, 3.00).

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Atlanta has been in an offensive funk. During their current 4-12 skid, the Braves have been shut out twice and scored three or fewer runs 10 times.

“Our sport is different than every other sport,” Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said. “We play virtually every day for seven months, so you’ve got to get past all that stuff. You’ve got to keep your head down and keep doing the work. These guys are doing the work, they’re doing all that stuff. We’ve just got to fight through it.”

The strugglers are led by Austin Riley, who went 4-for-21 on the six-game West Coast road trip, saw his average fall to .209, and hasn’t homered since May 20. Ha-Seong Kim is on an 0-for-24 skid and is hitting .068. Drake Baldwin hit a home run in his first at-bat after coming off the injured list, but is 2-for-43 since his return and has seen his average fall from .303 to .255.

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The Cardinals have been equally puny at the plate. St. Louis scored only three runs in its three-game weekend series against Miami.

“You look at the games, we’re successful, we come up with that key hit, that big hit and kind of keep it rolling,” Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol said. “We haven’t been able to do that recently and that’s a big part of how we’ve gotten to this point.”

Two Cardinals will try to rekindle their offense. Ivan Herrera (22 games) and Alec Burleson (career-long 25-games) had their on-base streaks end in Sunday’s 2-1 win which snapped a four-game losing streak.

Rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt is coming off back-to-back multi-hit games, giving him 23 on the season.

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The Atlanta staff has been stabilized by the veteran Perez. With No. 2 starter Spencer Strider out for the foreseeable future, Perez has been a dependable arm. Since rejoining the rotation in mid-May, he is 4-2. He had a four-game winning streak end on Wednesday against San Diego when he gave up three runs in four innings, his shortest start of the season.

Liberatore has struggled over his last four starts, going 0-2 with a 10.34 ERA in June. He was rocked by Arizona on Wednesday for six runs in 5 1/3 innings.

This is the first meeting between the Braves and Cardinals this season. The Braves won the series 4-2 in 2025.

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–Field Level Media

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Canale scores winning penalty after Tah blazes over as Germany knocked out

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Four-time winners Germany are knocked out of the 2026 World Cup on penalties as Jonathan Tah blazes over in sudden death before Jose Canale scores the winning penalty.

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World Cup: Dembélé reacts to scoring first hat-trick for France

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Ousmane Dembélé scored a magnificent hat-trick on Friday, his first with Les Bleus, as France beat Norway 4-1 to finish top of Group I. Here’s what the striker said when asked if this was his best ever performance with France

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Nigerians React to Shock 2026 World Cup Result

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Football fans across Nigeria have reacted with shock and excitement after Paraguay eliminated four-time champions Germany from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a dramatic penalty shootout.

Paraguay defeated Germany 4-3 on penalties after both sides played out a 1-1 draw following extra time in their Round of 32 clash.

The South Americans took the lead in the 42nd minute through former Brighton and Ipswich Town forward Julio Enciso, before Germany fought back in the second half through Arsenal attacker Kai Havertz, who headed home a cross from Liverpool midfielder Florian Wirtz.

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Despite dominating large periods of the second half and extra time, Germany failed to find a winner. A late goal from Jonathan Tah was ruled out for a foul on Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill.

The penalty shootout produced more drama as Germany’s Kai Havertz and Newcastle United forward Nick Woltemade both had their penalties saved by Gill. Paraguay also missed opportunities to secure victory before defender Jose Canale calmly converted the decisive spot-kick to send his country into the Round of 16.

Football fans across Nigeria have reacted with shock and excitement after Paraguay eliminated four-time champions Germany from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a dramatic penalty shootout.Football fans across Nigeria have reacted with shock and excitement after Paraguay eliminated four-time champions Germany from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a dramatic penalty shootout.

The result sparked widespread reactions among Nigerian football fans on social media, with many describing the outcome as one of the biggest shocks of the tournament.

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@SportsNaija247 wrote:

“This is why we love the World Cup. Nobody gave Paraguay a chance against Germany. Football remains the most unpredictable game in the world.”

@NaijaFootballTalk posted:

“Germany came with big names and history. Paraguay came with heart, discipline and belief. Congratulations to La Albirroja.”

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@AbujaGunner said:

“Kai Havertz scoring during the game and then missing a penalty is the perfect summary of football. Hero and heartbreak in one night.”

Football fans across Nigeria have reacted with shock and excitement after Paraguay eliminated four-time champions Germany from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a dramatic penalty shootout.Football fans across Nigeria have reacted with shock and excitement after Paraguay eliminated four-time champions Germany from the 2026 FIFA World Cup in a dramatic penalty shootout.

@CalabarSportsHub wrote:

“Orlando Gill deserves a statue in Paraguay. What a performance from the goalkeeper.”

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@NaijaWorldCupFans commented:

“We have seen Italy, Spain and now Germany suffer major upsets at different World Cups. No team can rely on history anymore.”

@UyoFootballView added:

“Paraguay defended like warriors. Germany had all the possession but could not find a way through.”

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@PortHarcourtBall posted:

“The World Cup never disappoints. Paraguay have just written one of the greatest stories of this tournament.”

@LagosFootballExtra wrote:

“Imagine predicting that Germany would be eliminated by Paraguay before the tournament started. Football can be cruel.”

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@SuperEaglesUpdates commented:

“This result should give smaller football nations hope. Organisation, discipline and determination can still overcome quality.”

Germany’s exit marks one of the biggest surprises of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, while Paraguay continue their remarkable campaign and will now face either France or Sweden in the Round of 16.

For Nigerian football fans, the dramatic contest served as another reminder that at the FIFA World Cup, reputation counts for little once the referee blows the whistle.

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World Cup 2026: Senegal through to knockout round, Dembélé triple puts France on top

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France secured the top spot of their group in style thanks to a hat trick by Ousmane Dembélé. Senegal’s 5-0 goal fest against Iraq means they make it through to the knockouts. Cape Verde remain unbeaten in the group stage, with a 0-0 draw against Saudi Arabia. They are the first debutants to ever go through the group stage undefeated. Belgium finally get a win, and Iran wait to see if they make it to the next stage of the competition. 

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Paraguay knock Germany out of World Cup 2026 on penalties

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Paraguay stunned Germany in a penalty shootout on Monday to reach the World Cup last 16 after a 1-1 draw following extra time. The South Americans won 4-3 on spot kicks, handing Germany their first-ever defeat in a World Cup penalty shootout and booking a place in the knockout stage.

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‘Slayed a giant’: Sports world reacts to Paraguay upsetting Germany

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The World Cup always provides some magical moments, and that was just the case on Monday.

Paraguay shockingly knocked off Germany in penalties to advance to the Round of 16.

Germany’s Jonathan Tah sent his penalty over the bar, which allowed Paraguay to steal the victory.

Here are some of the best reactions to the upset:

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