The Paraguay national football team is in the midst of competing in the 2026 World Cup, and a decision by River Plate has had an impact on the team. Matías Galarza Fonda, a Paraguayan midfielder, was affected by the club's statement that he would not be considered for the preseason trip to Alicante. This has raised doubts about his starting position against Turkey, according to journalists from Rock And Pop Paraguay. Galarza's situation is complicated, as River Plate published a statement specifying that he will rejoin the team in the relegation group once Paraguay concludes its participation in the tournament. Coach Gustavo Alfaro had considered Galarza as one of the options to start in the midfield, but now his participation is uncertain. As time goes on, the saturation of the team's midfield, with names like Fausto Vera, Kevin Castaño, Giuliano Galoppo, and Aníbal Moreno, among others, closed the doors to the starting lineup for Galarza. An error in the round of 16 of the 2025 Clausura Tournament against Racing sealed his fate. On the other hand, Paraguay and Turkey arrive at the Friday match with the need to add points after their defeats in the first round. A win would keep their chances of advancing to the next phase of the 2026 World Cup alive. So, the question is, how will the Paraguay national football team respond to this situation? The midfielder born in Puerto Rico, Paraguay, joined the Millonario along with Juan Portillo in a operation in which the club paid 8.5 million dollars to Talleres, acquiring 70% of his pass. In total, he played 14 games with the River jersey — six as a starter and eight from the bench — without scoring goals or providing assists, a performance well below what he had shown in Córdoba. Galarza's situation is a topic of debate among journalists, with differing views on how this will affect the Paraguay team. Bruno Pont, Federico Arias, and Carlín Correa debated the issue, with Pont saying that the current generation of players is too sensitive. Arias, on the other hand, believes that Galarza should respond to River Plate's decision with a good game in the World Cup. Correa, meanwhile, provided a pragmatic argument about what Galarza could gain with a good performance. River Plate's decision has had an impact on the Paraguay national football team, and now the team must find a way to overcome this and keep their chances alive in the 2026 World Cup.