India, June 30 -- Germany's World Cup struggles continued with another early exit, as the four-time champions failed to make a lasting impact at the tournament for the third straight edition. Since lifting the trophy in 2014, Germany have been unable to recapture the consistency and authority that once defined them, and the defeat to Paraguay only added to that decline. The Round of 32 clash ended 1-1 after extra time before Germany suffered the first penalty shootout defeat in their World Cup history. They failed to cope with the pressure from the spot, while Paraguay held their nerve to secure a famous place in the Round of 16.

Veteran Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic said Germany's exit summed up the unforgiving nature of knockout f...