Havertz dismisses Lineker criticism ahead of Paraguay match

Germany forward Kai Havertz has dismissed criticism from former England striker Gary Lineker, who described the current German national team as one of the weakest he has ever seen. The exchange comes as Germany prepares for its World Cup round of 32 match against Paraguay in Boston on Monday, June 29, 2026.

Lineker made the comments in an interview with French sports newspaper L'Équipe, questioning Germany's prospects should they advance to face tournament favorites France in the next round. "I think that this is one of the weakest Germany sides I've ever seen," Lineker said. "France should reach the quarterfinals without any trouble. Germany are living off their past. Just remember that they didn't even make it out of the group stage at the last two World Cups."

When asked about the criticism at a pre-match press conference, Havertz, who plays for Arsenal, responded with indifference. "Everyone can have their own opinion. I have no problem with that," the 27-year-old said. "I didn't even read what he said." Havertz added that external commentary is a routine part of major tournaments and that the squad pays little attention to it. "We already have many pundits in our country....