Paraguay President Santiago Pena has declared June 30 (local time) a national holiday after the national football team defeated the "German Panzer" to advance to the Round of 16 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America.

Announcing the national holiday on X (formerly Twitter) the previous day, President Pena wrote, "This victory is a triumph for a team that represents the deepest parts of our identity," adding, "Fighting spirit, faith, and the strength to never give up—that is our identity."

The Paraguayan national team, led by head coach Gustavo Alfaro, pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the tournament the previous day at Boston Stadium in Massachusetts, U.S. After a 1-1 draw through 120 minutes of play including extra time, they defeated Germany 4-3 in a penalty shootout.

Having reached the tournament finals for the first time in 16 years since the 2010 South Africa World Cup, where they advanced to the quarterfinals, Paraguay has now joined the ranks of the Round of 16.

Previously, the Latin American nation of Ecuador also declared a temporary public holiday on June 26 after defeating Germany 2-1 on June 25 to secure their spot in the Round of 32.

(Photo: AP, Yonhap News)