Emil Grădinescu has voiced strong criticism against Paraguay’s national football team, which has emerged as one of the surprises of the 2026 World Cup.
The Prima Sport commentator expressed outrage at the South American team’s playing style, asserting that such a team should not participate in a final tournament.
Grădinescu’s Strong Remarks
“What about Paraguay? I have never seen a more odious team in my life. Odious! It’s unacceptable. There’s a montage of around 20 minutes showcasing all the fouls they committed. It’s unbelievable!” Grădinescu stated during the 3 SportCast broadcast.
He went on to declare, “In my opinion, this team should be banned from the World Cup. Play where you need to and leave us alone, it’s no problem!”
Paraguay’s Surprising Journey
Despite the harsh criticism, Paraguay has performed better than expected in the tournament. They finished the group stage with four points, having lost to the USA 1-4, secured a victory against Turkey 1-0, and drawn 0-0 with Australia.
This record allowed them to qualify for the knockout stages as one of the best third-placed teams. In the round of 16, Paraguay stunned the competition by eliminating Germany in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw, with Julio Enciso scoring first for Paraguay before Kai Havertz equalized.
Paraguay’s run ended in the quarter-finals, where they narrowly lost to France 0-1.
