Alfaro: We give this victory to all Paraguayans

The head coach of the Paraguay national team, Gustavo Alfaro, shared his emotions after the penalty shootout that took his team to the 1/8 finals of the 2026 World Cup. "People know how much effort it cost us here. It is very difficult for us to achieve such a result. And we give this victory to all the people, all Paraguayans, because I knew that they were the ones who sincerely wanted the national team to win. They deserved it, because they always supported us, and we felt it. I lived this match very intensely, like everyone else, with the tension that reigned on the field from the beginning to the end." The specialist also noted the strength of the opponent and the self-sacrifice of his players, who were able to withstand the pressure of one of the main contenders for the title. "We knew it would be difficult against an opponent who is a candidate for the world title, has a huge status and a significant advantage on paper before the game. The boys played a great match, based on our needs and the fact that they had to give their all to prevent Germany from finding a way to our goal. Although we lacked a lot, you should also take into account the very high temperature: due to such efforts, when you have to constantly run back to the defense, at times you simply did not have the energy to run forward," the coach told VS Sports. After the sensational success, the Paraguay national team will continue the fight for the trophy in the 1/8 finals, where they will meet the winner of the confrontation between France and Sweden. It is worth noting that after the team advanced to the next round, the president of Paraguay announced a national holiday in the country.