Paraguay Aims for World Cup Victory: Inside the National Team. The captain of Paraguay’s national team has announced their goal to win the World Cup. Team legend José Luis Chilavert shared details about tense moments and internal conflicts leading up to the tournament in France.
The Paraguay national team is entering the world football tournament with a declared goal — to fight for the championship. This was stated by one of the key players of the team, who plays for Brighton, in an interview with European correspondent Christian Martin. According to him, the mood within the squad is unequivocal: the team is ready to go all the way, and the coaching staff led by Gustavo Alfaro emphasizes the importance of maximum ambition every day. Preparation for the tournament is taking place not only on the field but also psychologically — the players note that returning to the world stage requires total concentration and unity.
Internal disagreements
However, behind the official statements, internal contradictions are also hidden. Legendary goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert shared memories on Vs Sports Radio 970 AM about the tense atmosphere in the squad on the eve of the 1998 World Cup in France. According to him, sharp conflicts arose between leading players, including Miguel Benítez and Francisco Arce, which could have affected the team's cohesion. Chilavert noted that it is not always possible to maintain harmony within the group and stressed the leader’s role in overcoming such situations.
Stories from the locker room
Chilavert spoke about a specific incident: before the tournament, Miguel Benítez insisted on having his Audi A4 delivered from Barcelona to the national team's training camp, threatening to leave the squad. According to Chilavert, he had to intervene and explain that there was no room for privileges in the national team and that professionalism was more important than personal demands. This case became one of the examples of how internal disagreements can surface even on the eve of major tournaments.
Unusual moments on the field
Recalling the match against Nigeria at the 1998 World Cup, Chilavert noted Benítez's unusual behavior: after scoring a goal, he immediately asked to be substituted, which puzzled his teammates. According to the former captain, such actions show the importance of maintaining professionalism and team spirit even in tense situations.
The topic of internal conflicts and leadership in national teams remains relevant not only for Paraguay. In Spain, the recent situation with the quarantine on a cruise ship off the coast of Tenerife was discussed, where the authorities took tough measures for the safety of passengers — you can read more about it in the article about the actions of the Spanish authorities amid the hantavirus outbreak.
Chilavert emphasized that past grievances should be left behind and that unity is essential to achieve common goals. Despite disagreements, he said, the Paraguayan national team has always shown a high-quality squad, although perfect atmosphere doesn’t exist in any team.
