Paraguay stuns Germany on penalties; Alfaro and Chilavert exchange barbs

Paraguay pulled off a historic upset by eliminating four-time world champion Germany in the round of 32 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, winning 5-4 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time. The result came amid a bitter public feud between coach Gustavo Alfaro and legendary goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert.

Pre-match feud

In the days leading up to the match, Chilavert sharply criticized Alfaro's tactics and squad management, calling him "the most fraudulent coach in world football" and questioning his choices. Alfaro responded in a press conference, saying: "Me hubiera gustado que Chilavert, en vez de ser un francotirador, me llamara para hablar con Orlando Gill." Source: Clarin Alfaro invited Chilavert to contribute constructively, as other former players had done. Chilavert doubled down on social media, urging Paraguay to play more offensively and reminding that "los paraguayos no podemos achicarnos ante nadie." Source: Infobae

The match

Paraguay employed a highly defensive strategy, holding just 21% possession, and forced extra time with a disciplined block. In the penalty shootout, goalkeeper Orlando Gill – whom Chilavert had criticized – became the hero by saving the decisive spot-kick. Alfaro described the win as "the greatest victory of my career" and praised his players: "Entraron 26 guerreros y se retiraron como leyendas." Source: Clarin

Aftermath

After the match, Chilavert did not directly congratulate the team but shared fan posts that suggested his harsh words had motivated the squad. He also kept pinned an aggressive reply to Alfaro from earlier in the week, stating: "Preocúpese por Alemania, el Mundial es fútbol de alto nivel y no un congreso de la Corrupbol." Source: El Colombiano The contrasting reactions highlight the ongoing tension between the coach and the iconic goalkeeper.