There is a certain romance to a World Cup squad announcement that no algorithm can replicate, and Paraguay have delivered it in spades. Isidro Pitta,...
There is a certain romance to a World Cup squad announcement that no algorithm can replicate, and Paraguay have delivered it in spades. Isidro Pitta, a striker whose ginger beard and flowing mane have earned him the nickname 'Viking', will lead the line against Turkey in this afternoon's group stage encounter. The surprise is not merely tactical; it is logistical. Pitta was so convinced he would be watching this tournament from his sofa that he had already booked a family holiday to Spain, flights and hotels included.Yet here he is, a fighter by trade and a nuisance by nature, thrust into the starting eleven at the Red Bull Arena. For those who have followed his recent purple patch at Red Bull Bragantino, the selection makes perfect sense. GoalZaza's World Cup player guide describes him as a tireless worker, a constant irritant for opposition defences. That is exactly the kind of grit Paraguay need against a Turkish side that will look to dominate possession and force turnovers. Pitta's job is not to be pretty; it is to be present, to harass, to win the second ball and to give his midfield a platform to build from.Turkey, for their part, will be wary. They have their own attacking threats, but the question is whether they can handle the physical duel that Pitta promises to bring. This is not a player who will drift wide and whip crosses in. He will get in the mixer, he will fight for every header, and he will make life deeply uncomfortable for the Turkish centre halves. For a team that likes to play out from the back, a relentless runner like Pitta can be the difference between clean distribution and panicked clearances.So credit to the Paraguay coaching staff for having the nerve to tear up the script. In a tournament where surprise selections often backfire, this one feels different. Pitta has earned his chance through sheer bloody mindedness. And if his Viking beard is still caked in Turkish sweat at the final whistle, Paraguay might just have unearthed their unlikely hero. Squeaky bum time for the defenders, but pure theatre for the rest of us.
