)
Paraguay's national team coach, Gustavo Alfaro, lauded his players' fighting spirit following their 1-0 World Cup victory over Turkey, emphasizing that his squad should never be underestimated.
Paraguay had to withstand waves of Turkish attacks after Miguel Almirón received a red card in first-half stoppage time.
"We might face teams better than us, and we respect that, but we will never feel like underdogs or inferior to our opponents," a proud Alfaro stated at his press conference. "We will always give our best and honor the jersey in the finest way possible," he stressed.
Paraguay is competing in its first World Cup since 2010 and faced significant criticism after their opening 4-1 loss to the USA.
Alfaro believes the win against Turkey wasn't due to tactics or strategy, but rather the players' spirit.
"When we won the match after the final whistle, I couldn't believe it. Anyway, I told the players that I wanted to see that joy in their eyes when they looked at each other, without needing words. Everything is boiling, our blood, our chests. And I told them I want to see that, that fighting spirit. Even when people think we're dead, we're not," the Argentine coach added.
&format=webp)
&format=webp)
,fit(112:112)&format=webp)
&format=webp)
,fit(112:112)&format=webp)
&format=webp)