The knockout stage of the 2026 World Cup is now underway, and the German national team will face Paraguay in the Round of 32. Julian Nagelsmann’s plan is to deliver a better performance than in their last match. One Bayern player is in the spotlight.
So far, the World Cup has been a rather average affair for the German team. They actually got off to a very good start against Curaçao, winning 7–1, but the match against Ivory Coast (2–1) raised more questions.
The narrow loss to Ecuador wasn’t seen as a disaster in the DFB camp, but neither were the coaching staff nor the players truly satisfied with it.
Everything is set to improve against Paraguay. On Monday evening (10:30 p.m.), the team will battle for a spot in the Round of 16 at Boston Stadium.
The DFB’s Plan with Musiala
After the group stage, the DFB team conducted an analysis and was able to draw some conclusions from the three matches. According to a BILD report, this has resulted in a specific plan for the match against Paraguay.
The preparation time is rather short, which is why the adjustments for this knockout match will focus on minor details. They plan to make fine-tuning adjustments; there won’t be a major overhaul.
According to the report, much will depend on Bayern star Jamal Musiala, who has had a somewhat mixed tournament so far. However, the same applies to his natural partner on offense, Florian Wirtz.
Paraguay showed particular weaknesses against the U.S. when the hosts had many players in the penalty area and were sending in numerous crosses. Wirtz and Musiala must repeatedly drive into the penalty area, but they also need to be careful not to get in each other’s way. Good coordination between these two talented players is crucial.
In addition, an otherwise defensively solid Paraguay repeatedly allowed shots from distance. This is where Felix Nmecha—and likely Aleksandar Pavlovic as well—will be called upon. Musiala and Wirtz must also make sure to consistently get into those positions and further increase their influence on the game. That’s the only way to take the next step.