Matias Galarza

The final whistle blew like a dull thud. The scoreboard read Paraguay 0–1 France. The World Cup dream was over. The Albirroja players stood motionless for a few seconds. Some covered their faces with their jerseys; others let out silent tears as they hugged each other. Matías Galarza took a deep breath, but couldn't contain his sadness. His eyes were glassy, ​​and his expression reflected the weight of elimination. Paying no attention to the cameras or the journalists, he looked up at the stands. He began desperately searching for a single face among thousands of people: his girlfriend's. He walked slowly along the edge of the field, ignoring the roar of the stadium. When he finally found her, he felt the little strength he had left slipping away. He approached the stands as some guards tried to stop him to maintain protocol. He barely heard them. All he wanted was to reach her. When he was in front of his girlfriend, he hugged her tightly and rested his face on her shoulder. The tears he had been holding back began to fall silently as she held him in her arms. For a few moments, the entire stadium ceased to exist for him. There was no defeat, no cameras, no noise... only the comfort of the person he loved most.