The WORLD CUP, ITALY 2015, kicks off tonight and in the Paraguay camp, all is calm. The squad looked very relaxed as they trained just outside Afragola, just over 12km from Naples. The opening match for Paraguay will be played at the Stadio San Paolo, where Belgium will provide the opposition. The talented Belgians, with players such as Kompany, Hazard, De Bruyne and Mirallas are clear favourites for Group C, a group that is made up by Ivory Coast and Georgia, so the battle will be for second place and a spot in the knockout stages.
Paraguay are an ageing side with top players Edgar Barreto, Nelson Valdez and Oscar Cardozo having a combined age of 92 but their experience will be vital in the pressure pot that is the World Cup.
Barreto, Valdez and Cardozo relax before tonight's match
Paraguay boss Gordon Kinnear knows all about pressure after steering Derby County to promotion this season and this is what he had to say:
'We are ready for this competition and our focus is not on finishing second but finishing top. Andy Murray offered to come and give a talk to the lads but as I say, we are not a team that enjoys finishing second. We sent him over to the Belgium camp, where he would be of more use. I have told the lads to go out and enjoy their football first and kick everything in sight second. I spent almost an hour talking to them and at the end realised only Nelson Valdez understands English. We are not scared of anyone in this tournament. Ivory Coast, whoever they are, sounds a nice place for a holiday while Georgia must be the first American city to compete in this tournament. I would like to finish with a few words in Spanish, a phrase taught to me by Nelson Valdez.
'El Paraguyo a scaredio of el no oneo. El Paraguayo for el Coupe de monde'
With that bold statement we wish Paraguay well.
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