The 'underdog' effect: Why the whole world is cheering for Paraguay in the 2026 World Cup

The concept of the "underdog" resonates deeply with global audiences, particularly in the context of the 2026 World Cup, where Paraguay has emerged as the team capturing widespread public support. This phenomenon, where a competitor faces significant disadvantages like lower budgets, less recognition, and a limited recent history, paradoxically generates empathy that favored teams often fail to inspire.

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There is a word in English that does not have an exact translation in Spanish, but that every fan understands just by hearing it: 'underdog'. It designates the competitor who arrives with everything against them, less budget, less name, less recent history, and who, precisely because of that, awakens an empathy that no favorite can generate.

This "underdog" effect is not merely anecdotal; it is supported by academic research in marketing and organizational psychology. Studies on brand narratives reveal how companies build a "brand biography" around humble origins and struggles against odds. This story, built on external disadvantages and passionate determination, increases consumer purchase intention, product choice, and loyalty, especially when individuals identify with the underdog narrative in their own lives or when it aligns with a nation's cultural identity.

Further research in individual performance suggests that low expectations from others can trigger a self-affirmation mechanism. This psychological reactance can lead to superior performance as individuals strive to prove doubters wrong. However, this effect is contingent on the protagonist questioning the credibility of those underestimating them. If the negative forecast comes from a trusted source, the opposite, known as the Golem effect, can occur, leading to a self-fulfilling prophecy of failure. The underdog's success hinges on their internal decision to disregard unfavorable predictions.

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The concept is not just the intuition of a sports commentator; it has academic support in marketing and organizational psychology.

The "underdog" archetype extends beyond sports and marketing into the realm of narrative psychology, as popularized by Carl Jung's theories on universal archetypes. Screenwriters and novelists have long utilized this concept to create relatable characters that resonate across different stories. This deep-seated narrative structure explains why audiences are often drawn to tales of triumph against adversity, making Paraguay's current World Cup journey a compelling story for many.

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The underdog wins when they decide, intimately, that the score against them has no authority to define them.