France and Paraguay will meet tomorrow at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia in the round of 16, which no one expected, following Germany’s elimination by the South American country.
First modification: 07/03/2026 – 17:14Last modified: 07/03/2026 – 17:17
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Santi Carneri (Paraguay)
The football world continues to marvel at Paraguay’s victory over Germany. La Albirroja has defied all odds, and now the country dreams of repeating this feat against France.
“I feel very privileged”
Miguel Fernandez summed up the feelings of many fans to RFI: “I am honored to know that our team will compete in football at the highest level, I hope that everything goes well for us and we can reach the top.”
After the win over Germany, coach Gustavo Alfaro justified the team’s efforts: “We come from red soil, our jerseys are stripes of red soil, we play barefoot on this soil, making sacrifices for parents to try to get the boys so they can train,” he said.
Asuncion, one of the American capitals with the largest number of football stadiums per inhabitant, sports activities in every area and at any time of the day.
“Resist while you can”
But illusion is mixed with prudence. Gabriel Vizcarra, a resident of the popular Chacarita area, believes resistance will again be key: “Our team will probably try to fight back as hard as possible, try to go into extra time and try to win on penalties like they did against Germany, or be able to score and hold on until the end,” he comments.
Trust also comes from the indigenous Mbia Guarani community. Vera Miri from the Pindo community in the south of the country speaks clearly and states: “In my opinion, Paraguay will win because we, the Guaraní race, believe in our father Tupa.”
Writer Marcos Ibáñez, for his part, sends a warning to France: “Paraguay’s victory over Germany was not luck or a miracle, it was a connection to its cultural identity and ancient history. This is one of the few countries that was able to preserve the pre-Columbian language and its games. “No World Cup opponent should claim victory over Paraguay early because this country will fight until the last minute to win.”