Diego Gómez hails Paraguay's gritty win over Turkey at World Cup
Diego Gómez said Paraguay have not played well, even after a 1-0 win over Turkey and their first three points in Group D.
Paraguay’s 1-0 win over Turkey at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium gave the Albirroja its first three points of the 2026 World Cup, but Diego Gómez did not dress it up. The 23-year-old Brighton & Hove Albion midfielder said Paraguay had not played well, even as the result secured passage to the second round.
The match on June 20 in San Francisco, California, came from a disciplined performance and a goal by Matías Galarza, enough to keep Paraguay alive in Group D alongside the United States, Australia and Turkey. Gómez said the side had “jugó contra todo,” a line that captured both the physical strain of the game and the narrow margin that kept Paraguay moving forward in the tournament.
Gómez left in the 67th minute with discomfort in his right knee, but later said he did not believe it was serious and that rest was the main need. He also tried to settle nerves around the team’s condition after a match that carried obvious weight for a squad playing its first World Cup in 16 years.
For Gómez, the tournament has been personal as well as collective. The midfielder is appearing in his first World Cup, and Paraguay’s return after a 16-year absence has sharpened the sense of occasion around the group. Before the opener against the United States, Gómez broke down in tears while speaking about what it meant to represent Paraguay, and Gustavo Alfaro stepped in to comfort him, saying that emotion belonged to the entire squad.
That context makes the victory over Turkey feel like more than just three points. It was Paraguay’s response to a rough start and to the pressure that follows a heavy first defeat, giving Alfaro’s side a measure of breathing room before a decisive stretch in Group D. FIFA had Paraguay’s meeting with Australia set for June 26, a match that carried major implications for advancement.
The group also carries historical weight. FIFA notes that the United States beat Paraguay 3-0 at the 1930 World Cup, a reminder of how rarely Paraguay has had sustained success on this stage. Right now, the concern inside the camp is simpler: whether grinding out results while playing below standard reflects tournament maturity, or whether it is a warning before the knockout rounds begin.
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