19.06.2026 17:30
Paraguay National Team Head Coach Gustavo Alfaro made statements at a press conference before the match against Turkey. Stating that they are different from Australia, Alfaro said, "We will play a game different from Australia. Our defense is always strong, but different situations suddenly emerged in the last match. We will play a game suited to our DNA. You cannot waste time feeling sorry for yourself. We must turn the page and finish this. This is a vital match for both Turkey and us."
In the second match of Group D of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Paraguay's head coach Gustavo Alfaro, who will face the Turkish National Football Team, said that they will have a tough match against Turkey. Speaking at a press conference held at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium where the match will be played, Alfaro emphasized that his emotions are high.
''ALSO VITAL FOR TURKEY''
Alfaro, expressing that they were very upset about the 4-1 loss to the USA, said, "We analyzed the match; there were many reasons for this result. You can't stand still for a single second. In such a tournament, you can't lose morale, you can't feel sorry for yourself; there are problems you need to overcome. I always tell the players: be busy instead of worried. Many things didn't go well, emotions ran high. When you look at the data, you can see the reasons. Therefore, I think tomorrow's match will be different. It's a vital match for both Turkey and us, because we are in the World Cup. We can't waste time feeling sorry for ourselves. We must turn the page and close this chapter. There are many topics we can observe; we're talking about speed and condition. Each match has key issues."
''THERE ARE MANY YOUNG TALENTS IN TURKEY''
Continuing his remarks, Alfaro said, "We worked very hard; I congratulated my players two days ago. I think these trainings will yield very good results tomorrow. It will be a very tough match. Turkey was in the same group as Spain. Turkey had 13 points, Spain had 16. They drew with Spain in the last match. There are many young talents in Turkey. Martin has tough players to contend with, but we will show our strength as we always have. Our national team will give its all to advance from the group."
"IT WILL BE A DIFFERENT MATCH!"
Alfaro, emphasizing that the Turkey match should not affect anything, continued as follows: "It will be a different match. Australia played an excellent match, and we will face our opponent excellently as well. Turkey increased the numbers in their midfield, but after two long passes, the situation changed and a different balance emerged. That's why football is beautiful; sometimes you can explain the result with the resources you have. Turkey gained dominance, but Australia closed all areas. The situation in the attack and defense from the previous match may not carry over to the next. That's why football is a very dynamic and unpredictable sport. You can never know you'll win a match before playing it, and this applies to tomorrow's match as well. We will play a different game than Australia. Our defense is always strong, but suddenly different situations emerged in the last match. We will play a game true to our DNA. If you can't manage the moments, the opposing team makes you pay. We need to make fine adjustments. We lost, but we need to get back up afterward. Otherwise, you remain in a constant state of mourning."
"IF WE LOSE, WE COULD BE ELIMINATED, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE DECISIONS"
Stating that they need to increase dominance and coordination against Turkey, Alfaro said they watched the Australia-Turkey match as a team. Noting that they conducted analysis while watching the match, Alfaro said, "If we lose, we could be eliminated, but we have to make decisions. If we think what we have is the best, we will field them again in the starting 11. I am here to make decisions. I have set a strategy and created it. I take responsibility. In my 23-year professional career, I have made decisions by assembling the best team and tried to give confidence to the players. I try not to harm them; we can learn something even from the worst defeat. Ultimately, everything is a matter of pride. The USA match hurt our pride; I trust my players 100%. I see how they are reacting. We have been through very difficult times. We came to the World Cup after 16 years; we are here to achieve results. If we can't, we will try to come to the next World Cup with what we learn from here."