Germany are out of the World Cup. Round of 32. Penalties. To Paraguay. The four-time champions just lost their first ever WC penalty shootout. To the 34th-ranked team in the world.

The Tah header in extra time that was disallowed should have stood — ESPN's VAR analyst confirmed it. Schmeichel, Shearer, Friedel all said the same. Plus the Woltemade handball claim. Plus the disallowed penalty in the Ecuador match earlier. The refereeing was a mess.

But the refereeing didn't lose this. Nagelsmann did. Same system in every match. Sané a "black hole" on the right for the entire tournament. Wirtz — the £116M Liverpool man — wasted on the left when his best position is behind the striker, exactly what Vladimír Šmicer just publicly told Liverpool not to do. No pace in the squad. Substitutions that fixed things, coming too late, again. And in sudden death of the shootout, the SIXTH German taker was Jonathan Tah — a center back who, per the German commentator, "has never taken a penalty in his entire career." Tah skied it. Canale buried it. Out.

Bonus: the Netherlands also went out on penalties to Morocco. Saibari scored the winner. Hakimi hit the post. Multiple misses on both sides. Morocco plays Canada in the round of 16.

Plus: Brazil 2-1 Japan with a 95th-minute winner — Ancelotti's project is also fighting itself. Canada beat South Africa 1-0 with a Eustáquio stoppage-time winner. Real coach's-eye on why so many penalties are getting missed across the day — it's coaching, not pressure.

Tonight: Norway vs Ivory Coast. The dark horse is still alive.

Germany are through to the knockouts. Nagelsmann made a triple sub at the 60th, Deniz Undav scored twice, and Ivory Coast were beaten 2-1. Real coach's-eye lesson: when your starters aren't doing it, change the structure, don't wait. Most managers don't make that call. Nagelsmann did. Schlotterbeck off at halftime, replaced by Rüdiger, suspected ligament damage — Germany may be down a starting center back going into the knockouts.

Cabo Verde drew Uruguay 2-2 — Pina scored their first ever World Cup goal from a 32-meter free kick. Two draws against major football nations. They could qualify. Population 600,000.

Curaçao got their first World Cup point with a 0-0 against Ecuador. Their keeper Eloy Room made 15 saves — the most in 90 minutes of a World Cup match since records began in 1966.

Türkiye are OUT. 62 shots across two matches, zero goals — the worst two-match goalless run in World Cup history. Vincenzo Montella goes home.

Plus: the first mouth-covering red card in World Cup history — exactly as the rule was designed.

Then: I went to two VNL Women's matches at Huamark in Bangkok last week, and twenty years of coaching team sport jumped out at me. Even the pros can't pass — and I think I know why. Early specialization, the libero rule, and the cost of building specialists instead of generalists. Why Italy keep winning, why Thailand can take Canada to four sets, and what every youth coach in every team sport should be thinking about.

Thursday: Germany vs Ecuador. Final group match.

Germany 7-1 Curaçao. Big debut. Ivory Coast beat Ecuador in the 90th minute and Group E is still interesting. Neuer started. Calf held. Wirtz was excellent. Real test is Saturday in Toronto.

Other World Cup notes: Brazil were rescued by Vinícius against Morocco and look like a team still adjusting to Ancelotti. Sweden five-one'd Tunisia. Japan held the Netherlands 2-2 with an 89th-minute equalizer. Scotland got their first World Cup win in 28 years. Australia upset Türkiye.

NBA: The Knicks won the championship — first since 1973. The Spurs held leads of 12+ in all five games and converted one. Wembanyama walked off the court without shaking hands. He's 22 and learning what losing feels like. Brunson was Finals MVP at 29 and deserves more credit than he's getting.

UFC Freedom 250 from the White House South Lawn: Justin Gaethje TKO'd Ilia Topuria via corner stoppage in round 4. Topuria's first career loss. Ciryl Gane denied Alex Pereira a three-division title by beating him in round 2. All seven fights ended in finishes.

Saturday: Germany vs Ivory Coast in Toronto. The real test.