Paraguay president Santiago Pena has declared Tuesday June 30th 2026 a national holiday after the national football team caused a massive World Cup upset by beating Germany in the round of 32.
The South Americans, who sneaked progressed to the knockouts after finishing as a best-placed third-place team, confined the Germans to their first-ever defeat in a World Cup penalty shootout.
Julio Enciso headed Paraguay into a first-half lead before Kai Havertz equalised in the second-half.
It went to penalties and while Paraguay dramatically spurned two opportunities to progress, Jose Canale sent German keeper Manuel Neuer the wrong way to win the tie.
In response to the national euphoria, Paraguayan President Santiago Peña promptly declared a public holiday across the country. The announcement, shared via social media with the emphatic message “¡PARAGUAY NUNCA SE RINDE! ¡¡FERIADO CARAJO!!” (Paraguay never gives up! Public holiday, damn it!).
The decision leverages Paraguayan law permitting the executive branch to designate limited additional public holidays annually.
