Alfaro achieves 'most important' win of his life, motivates Paraguay against Germany: '26 warriors'

Gustavo Alfaro, the Argentine coach of Paraguay, described the team's World Cup qualifying victory over Germany as the "greatest victory of my career as a coach" and the "greatest victory of my life." He attributed the win to the players' "demonstration of love" and their "heart that never gives up."

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I said it was Aristotle: hope is the dream of a waking man.

Alfaro, known for his motivational quotes and the title of his book "Hunters of Impossible Utopias," told his players before the match that he wanted "26 warriors" united. He specifically mentioned Diego Gómez, who was suspended but would be watching from the stands, and urged the players to leave the field as "legends."

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Before the match, I told the players that I wanted 26 warriors hugging each other singing the anthem. Diego (Gómez) wouldn't be able to be there due to suspension, but he would be with us from the box. So I proposed something to them: 'I want those 26 warriors who enter to leave the field as legends.'

Despite acknowledging that Germany possesses "four stars and academies that have been training for a long time," Alfaro highlighted the "place of origin" of the Paraguayan squad. "We come from the red land; that land is in the red stripes of our jersey. We wish we had Germany's tools, but I never deny our origins. And the players represented where we come from," he stated.

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This is the greatest victory of my career as a coach. I thanked the players for that. I stayed on the field because my eyes and senses were not enough to take in the whole atmosphere. The players showed a demonstration of love. It is the greatest victory of my life, hopefully we will have others.

Julio Enciso, who scored the opening goal, revealed that Alfaro told the team before the penalty shootout that their compatriots were already proud, but they could become national legends. Alfaro's coaching philosophy centers on living in the present and facing strong opponents early in tournaments, as he believes they can be overwhelming once they gain momentum.

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We can have a thousand flaws and successes, but we don't give up. For me, nothing exists beyond today, I live in the present. It's better to catch the big teams in the group stage, because when they warm up, they can run you over. And we resisted, that's why we want to keep enjoying it all together.