"I Am Not Someone Who Runs Away"... Germany's Nagelsmann Refuses to Resign After Round of 32 Elimination

Germany Falls to Paraguay in Penalty Shootout

Misses Out on Round of 16 Berth

Julian Nagelsmann (38), head coach of the German national football team, who was eliminated in the Round of 32 at the 2026 North and Central America World Cup, has stated that he has no intention of resigning voluntarily.

Julian Nagelsmann, Head Coach of the German National Team. Photo by EPA Yonhap News

On June 30 (Korean time), Germany failed to advance to the Round of 16 after losing to Paraguay in a penalty shootout, 3-4, following a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes of extra time at Boston Stadium in Massachusetts, United States.

Since winning the 2014 Brazil World Cup, Germany has suffered consecutive group stage exits at both the 2018 Russia World Cup and the 2022 Qatar World Cup. In this tournament, Germany was eliminated in the Round of 32, once again falling short of expectations and sparking continued criticism toward Nagelsmann.

However, after the match, Nagelsmann told German broadcaster ZDF, "I am not someone who runs away." He added, "I want to continue in my role as head coach, but I cannot decide everything by myself," and stated, "If the German Football Association wants me, I will prepare for the European Championship and the Nations League."

Meanwhile, Germany showed a smooth performance in the group stage. In Group E, they secured first place early by defeating Curaçao (7-1) and Côte d'Ivoire (2-1) in succession. Although they lost 1-2 to Ecuador, they advanced to the Round of 32 with two wins and one loss.

On the other hand, Paraguay barely earned a ticket to the Round of 32 by finishing 7th among the 12 third-place teams in Group D, with one win, one draw, and one loss. However, they caused an upset by defeating Germany in the Round of 32.

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