Shearer questions Wirtz's quality after Germany's shock World Cup exit to Paraguay

Germany’s World Cup campaign ended in a historic penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay in Boston, with Alan Shearer delivering a pointed verdict on Florian Wirtz’s contribution — questioning whether the £116 million Liverpool signing has justified his reputation.

Paraguay, ranked 41st in the world, took the lead through Julio Enciso before Kai Havertz levelled with a glancing header from Wirtz’s delivery. Jonathan Tah thought he had won it for the 2014 world champions, but his goal was ruled out by VAR after goalkeeper Orlando Gill was adjudged to have been fouled in the build-up.

In the shootout, Havertz and Newcastle forward Nick Woltemade both had their penalties saved by Gill. Paraguay’s Antonio Sanabria and Fabian Balbuena then missed from the spot, but Germany still could not capitalise — Tah blazed over to hand Jose Canale the decisive kick, sealing a 4-3 win for the South Americans. It is the first time in history that Germany have lost a penalty shootout at a World Cup.

Speaking on Netflix show The Rest is Football, Shearer was unsparing in his assessment of Germany’s attacking players. “They’ve got the quality in names and on paper, but they just didn’t deliver,” he said. “You look at [Leroy] Sane, not a great season. [Denis] Undav they had to bring in to try and give them some oomph in and around the penalty area. Wirtz has had a terrible season at Liverpool, he hasn’t performed again at this World Cup. So it’s alright saying they’ve got the quality, but the quality wasn’t there.”

When co-host Micah Richards argued that Wirtz’s £116 million transfer fee proved his calibre, Shearer pushed back sharply: “What’s he done this season?” Richards defended the German, countering: “He’s a superstar. We’ve not seen the best of him, totally agree with that, but we can’t say he’s not a good player. Havertz has scored in Champions League finals. He’s just won the Premier League. Tah gets his big move and goes to Bayern Munich, Rudiger at Madrid is a consistent performer. So I agree in terms of what they produced — that’s very fair to say. But we can’t say this German team hasn’t got quality.”

Wirtz did register an assist against Paraguay, but struggled to impose himself in the moments that mattered most, leaving questions over his form at club and international level heading into the off-season.