He appeared in the mixed zone of the Gillette Stadium in Boston with the Paraguay flag draped around his neck, his hands still red, and the award for the best player of the match in one hand. Head down, between shyness and embarrassment at being in the spotlight, and a trembling voice, moved by what he had just experienced. No team had ever beaten Germany in a penalty shootout in the history of the World Cup. None. And that's where the legend of Orlando Gill, Paraguayan goalkeeper from San Lorenzo de Almagro in the Argentine First Division, 25 years old, national hero, was born.
"There is no explanation for this moment. I have so many feelings right now and I can't express them, but happy, happy for the qualification and for helping my team in the penalty shootout. This qualification is for all the Guayaquil people," he said, bending down towards the microphone, nervous and unable to think clearly. Things that happen in an unexpected live broadcast.
Gill, who had already played a great game, defeated Germany in a performance that is now part of World Cup history. He anticipated the shots, moving from side to side in the goal and saving the majority of the shots. He stopped the first one, from Havertz, with a high hand diving to his left. Then Kimmich and Musiala scored, but when Woltemade stepped up, he shone again with an even better save. Down to his left again. Difficult to reach, but with his palm open and powerful enough to deflect the shot.
Mistakes from Sanabria and Balbuena left the shootout tied, but Tah's high shot handed the opportunity to Canale, who scored the decisive goal to fulfill Paraguay's American dream.
Everyone went to Gill, the goalkeeper with a thousand battles in the mud of the Paraguayan league. Raised in San Lorenzo, Paraguay, he made his debut with the first team just before they were relegated to the second division of the country, and then spent months on the bench waiting for an opportunity. It came in Argentina, at San Lorenzo, but in the reserve team. He delivered, shone, and grew to become the first team's goalkeeper. A good year and the call-up to the Paraguay national team just over twelve months ago, right in the middle of the World Cup qualification.
That's when his personal story became known. "The photo of my debut against Peru makes me cry with happiness because you made it, my love, and the other photos are the toughest moments of our life when Lauti was born and we had nothing. Orlando sold his club jerseys at that time to cover the expenses," Melissa, Orlando's partner, wrote on social media.
Their son was born premature, she explained, and the goalkeeper tried to make money from wherever he could. "Our son fought for his life and his dad was always there. He sold everything, he sold his U-20 national team jersey, he sold his clothes... He literally sold everything," she posted.
Some time after that, Gill has now become a hero of Paraguay. "This is the most important thing in my career, really. Right now, many things are going through my head, I have to stop and think carefully about what we have achieved. Thank God luck was on our side," the goalkeeper said in the mixed zone of the Boston stadium, where he was asked what he would say to the Orlando of a few years ago.
"I would tell him thank you for never giving up, for always having that calmness and tranquility to know that the opportunity would come. I had to battle a lot, a lot, but I never gave up and now all that sacrifice is reflected," he reflected.