“Two years ago we had nothing to eat”, said Melissa Ávalos, and that phrase sums up a chapter that almost no one knew about.
She is the wife of Orlando Gill, the Paraguayan goalkeeper who became an absolute hero after Paraguay qualified for the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup, saving penalties against Germany as if the weight of the country did not exist on his shoulders.
But before the saves and the shouts, there was another story. Ávalos said that after the birth of their son Lauti, who had health complications, the financial situation became unsustainable.
Orlando had to sell clothes and club gear to cover basic expenses, including his under-20 national team jersey.
Today Gill plays for San Lorenzo, was called up by Gustavo Alfaro to the senior national team, and has just added another victory, this time 1-0 against Peru. The path of a goalkeeper who hit rock bottom before reaching glory.
