While Germany is training in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for the 2026 World Cup, a Guatemalan is part of the support team that works alongside one of the most important teams on the planet.
This is Omar Pineda, originally from El Progreso, Jutiapa, who also took advantage of his proximity to the delegation to give the defender Antonio Rüdiger a work made by the Guatemalan artist Mario Esquivel.
During the last few weeks, Pineda has worked alongside the German delegation on different aspects related to local logistics, a task that has allowed him to interact closely with some of the main figures of the European team.
Among them, the historic goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, the defender Antonio Rüdiger and the midfielders Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz stand out, considered two of the most promising players of the new generation of German football.
“I am accredited by FIFA to attend all training sessions and all press conferences in Germany. In addition, we help with some of the catering, transportation and local logistics for the team, its staff and the coaching staff,” Pineda explained.
The Guatemalan carries out these functions through a company based in North Carolina that participates in event organization, marketing and logistics projects.
The gift for Antonio Rüdiger
Beyond his responsibilities with the German team, Pineda wanted to take advantage of the occasion to promote the talent of another Guatemalan.
For this reason, he gave Antonio Rüdiger a work created by Mario Esquivel, an artist also originally from El Progreso, Jutiapa. It is a camisole, and it was made especially for the Real Madrid defender and combines elements related to Germany and Guatemala.
“Mario Esquivel is from El Progreso, Jutiapa. I met him a few years ago and decided to support him because I was impressed by his talent,” he commented.
As he explained, since then it has served as a link for the artist’s works to reach the hands of different international personalities.
Thanks to this support, Esquivel’s works have been delivered to musical groups, actors, television presenters and now also to world-class soccer players.
How Omar Pineda arrived at the 2026 World Cup
Pineda’s story began far from the World Cup stadiums.
Originally from El Progreso, Jutiapa, he emigrated to the United States when he was 14 years old and later settled in North Carolina. At the age of 17, he began working in the entertainment industry and, over the years, founded Bombazo Enterprises in 2004.
He currently has more than three decades of experience in areas related to promotion, marketing, event organization and logistics, a career that opened the doors for him to collaborate with the German team during the 2026 World Cup.
For the Guatemalan, being part of the environment of one of the most successful teams in history represents a professional achievement, but also an opportunity to show the talent and ability of his compatriots on international stages.
This time, in addition to collaborating with Germany in the World Cup, he also managed to get a work created in Jutiapa into the hands of one of the world’s soccer figures.