Klopp takes aim at Arsenal set-pieces after Germany's VAR heartbreak against Paraguay

Germany crashed out of the 2026 World Cup in the round of 32 on Sunday, losing to Paraguay on penalties after Jonathan Tah’s stoppage-time header was disallowed by VAR — and pundit Jurgen Klopp used the fallout to take a pointed swipe at Arsenal’s set-piece tactics.

Tah appeared to have snatched a winner in the 102nd minute, heading in from a corner at the far post, but a lengthy VAR review overturned the goal for a foul on the goalkeeper. Germany then saw Kai Havertz, Nick Woltemade and Tah all miss from the spot, while José Canale kept his composure to seal Paraguay’s win after two South American misses.

Speaking on MagentaTV, Klopp was blunt in his frustration: “If the goal is illegal, then Arsenal won’t be English champions. They’ve scored 60 per cent of their goals that way. We win the game when the ball goes in. So of course, this is brutal.”

The jibe references Arsenal’s well-documented set-piece proficiency. Mikel Arteta’s side scored 25 set-piece goals in the Premier League last season — 35 per cent of their total of 71 — and were regularly accused of using overly physical tactics at corners. Arteta consistently defended the approach, saying: “I am upset we haven’t scored more and that we have conceded [from set-pieces] as well. We want to be the best and most dominant team in every aspect of the game.”

The defeat extends a miserable run for the German national team, who have now failed to reach the last 16 in three consecutive World Cups and have not won a knockout game at the tournament since the 2014 final in Rio de Janeiro.

Germany manager Julian Nagelsmann, at 38 the youngest coach in a World Cup knockout stage in 40 years, had opted for an attacking line-up, handing top scorer Deniz Undav his first start of the tournament. The gamble nearly paid off before VAR intervened.

Klopp’s punditry stint has not been without controversy. He earlier apologised to Nagelsmann after a comment about the coach’s starting line-up selection ahead of Germany’s Group E opener against Curacao — a game the Germans won 7-1 — prompted widespread debate back home. Former Germany and Bayern Munich forward Thomas Müller, also part of the broadcast team, was quick to deflect the tension with humour at the time, telling Klopp: “We are still in June. You are already in September.”