Coach Alfaro: Leaving Paraguay 'Hurts So Much' After World Cup Exit

Gustavo Alfaro, the coach of Paraguay's national football team, was visibly moved after their World Cup elimination, confessing that leaving the team felt deeply painful. He described the national squad as his "family in Paraguay," a sentiment he shared amidst the players' tears and the professional demands of the sport. Alfaro, an Argentine, stepped away from tactical analysis in the post-match press conference to reveal his personal connection to the team. "It's so ugly to have to leave, so ugly to have to go, how much it hurts, how much it hurts," he stated, describing the moment he surveyed the stadium after the final whistle. He recounted telling the press chief, "Fer, how ugly it is to have to leave, how ugly it is to have to go, how much it hurts, how much it hurts." Alfaro praised the players for their sacrifice, dedication, and pride, which made him feel like part of a family. He compared the feeling to visiting his brothers in Rafaela or traveling across oceans to see his daughters and granddaughter, emphasizing the open-door feeling of family. "The national team made me feel like my family in Paraguay, it was my family in Paraguay, it is my family in Paraguay," he said. The coach also reflected on the harsh reality of World Cup eliminations, where months or years of work can be undone in just 90 minutes, acknowledging the raw emotion and collective catharsis experienced by the team.