Historic Upset: Two Top-10 Teams Exit FIFA World Cup Early

The FIFA World Cup 2026 has made history with the unexpected elimination of two top-10 teams, Germany and the Netherlands, in the knockout stage. Morocco's thrilling victory over the Netherlands in a penalty shootout and Germany's shocking exit highlight the tournament's unpredictability. Discover the key moments that led to these historic upsets and how Morocco kept their World Cup dreams alive. Read on for an in-depth look at these matches and their implications for the tournament.

By Narendra Chaudhary Jun 30, 2026, 23:52 IST

FIFA World Cup Shocker: Top Teams Eliminated

The ongoing FIFA World Cup is making headlines as it witnesses an unprecedented event: for the first time, two teams ranked in the top 10 of FIFA have been knocked out in the initial knockout round.

According to reports from ESPN, the elimination of Germany, ranked 10th, and the 8th-ranked Netherlands via penalties marks a historic moment in the tournament's history.

Morocco, representing Africa, kept their hopes alive for the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a thrilling 3-2 victory over the Netherlands in a penalty shootout after the match ended 1-1 following extra time on Monday (local time).

Germany's decline since their 2014 World Cup triumph continued as they exited in the Round of 32, having previously been eliminated in the group stages of the last two tournaments. This marked their first-ever exit in a World Cup penalty shootout, having triumphed in all four previous shootouts.

This was only their second defeat in a penalty shootout at a major international event, the first being against Czechoslovakia in the 1976 UEFA European Championship final, as noted by OptaJoe.

The match was tied at 1-1 as it moved into extra time, and Germany believed they had secured a spot in the Round of 16 when Tah scored from a corner in the 101st minute.

However, a VAR review led referee Jalal Jayed to disallow the goal, determining that Germany's Waldemar Anton had interfered with Paraguay's goalkeeper Orlando Gill during the play.

The match proceeded to penalties, where Paraguay triumphed 5-3, adding to the woes of the four-time world champions since their 2014 victory.

In the Morocco versus Netherlands match, the first half was tightly contested with limited clear chances until Cody Gakpo scored for the Netherlands in the 72nd minute.

The Netherlands seemed poised to advance until Morocco made a dramatic comeback in stoppage time. In the 91st minute, Chemsdine Talbi sent a cross into the box, where Issa Diop scored with a powerful header, leveling the match at 1-1 and silencing the Dutch fans.

This equalizer shifted the momentum towards Morocco, but neither team could find a decisive opportunity during the additional 30 minutes of extra time, leading to a penalty shootout.

The shootout was tense, with both teams missing two penalties each. Morocco's goalkeeper Yassine Bounou showcased his skills by saving a penalty from Crysencio Summerville.

With the score tied, Ismael Saibari took the decisive penalty for Morocco and converted it calmly, securing a 3-2 victory in the shootout and igniting celebrations among Moroccan players and supporters.