It has been almost 28 years since Paraguay almost rewrote World Cup history.
At the 1998 World Cup in France, the home team at that time was still looking for their first world championship and had gone through 114 minutes of deadlock against Paraguay's resilient defense. Calm and disciplined, the South American representative retreated deep, neutralizing one attack after another of the opponent, while waiting for counter-attack opportunities.
That is a very typical image of Paraguay, a team that is always proud of its fighting spirit and tenacity.
Paraguay is only 6 minutes away from the penalty shootout, a time when they can completely place their trust in legendary goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert. However, center-back Laurent Blanc scored the first golden goal in World Cup history, helping France qualify for the next round.
A few weeks later, the home team won the world championship, opening the golden age of French football.
Nearly three decades later, France has become one of the most talented powers in the world. Along with Argentina, they are considered the strongest national team in recent years. At the Philadelphia stadium, Paraguay will once again face the challenge of stopping Les Bleus.
Compared to the 1998 championship squad, the current French team is even more formidable. At that time, Zinedine Zidane was suspended and the attack lacked a truly classy center forward. Meanwhile, Didier Deschamps currently possesses a quality attacking squad in all positions.
In the opposite direction, Paraguay is still loyal to its familiar identity. They may be inferior in terms of personnel quality, but have never easily surrendered. The historic victory against Germany in the round of 32 further boosted confidence for Gustavo Alfaro's team.
Before the match against Germany, the Argentine strategist affirmed: "We came here to play, not just to look for a result. This team has overcome many difficulties and proven that football is not decided by financial potential. Paraguayans always know how to stand up after adversity and we want to show that spirit on the pitch".
Paraguay's World Cup campaign started unsuccessfully when they were defeated 1-4 by the USA. The home team's fast play and coordination ability caused Paraguay's defense to be constantly put on alert.
The most disappointing thing is not only the result, but also the performance below the strength of the defense, which is the pride of the South American team.
Juan Caceres, who locked Vinicius Junior in the World Cup qualifiers, was overtaken by Christian Pulisic many times. Center-back Omar Alderete also experienced a forgettable match, while two veterans Gustavo Gomez and Junior Alonso both showed signs of age.
However, Paraguay did not let that happen again. Alfaro quickly adjusted tactics right in the break and the team played more actively in the second half. More importantly, they found their true identity in the match against Turkey.
After scoring a goal in the first minute, Paraguay retreated deep to protect the result. Even when Miguel Almiron received a red card before halftime, they still stood firm and preserved the victory with a courageous defensive style.
Next was a goalless draw with Australia before Paraguay created a big shock when they eliminated Germany from the World Cup.
Alfaro is Argentine, but he understands the spirit of Paraguayan football very well. Since taking over the national team 2 years ago, in the context of Paraguay's decline in the World Cup and Copa America qualifiers, he has gradually brought the team back to the right track.
Paraguay may never be praised for their beautiful football, but they always impress with their almost instinctive defensive spirit. That spirit is clearly shown in Andres Cubas, a central midfielder who works tirelessly to recover the ball, or Matias Galarza, who both scored against Turkey and assisted against Germany, while excellently completing defensive tasks.
However, the biggest question is still whether Paraguay can stop France's powerful attack or not?
