The Paraguayan goalkeeper was the great figure of the round of 32, supporting his team during the 120 minutes and shining from the penalty spot, where he saved two shots to seal the Albirroja’s qualification.
Paraguay returned to a World Cup after 16 years of absence – its last participation had been in South Africa 2010 – and did so with a historic performance by eliminating one of the traditional powers of world football.
Gill, born on June 11, 2000 in San Lorenzo, Paraguay, is 1.99 meters tall and plays as a goalkeeper. He stands out for his confidence in the aerial game, his reflexes and his ability to respond in moments of maximum pressure.
During the match against Germany he was decisive from regulation time. In addition to making several interventions, the VAR annulled a goal by Jonathan Tah in extra time when it considered that the Paraguayan goalkeeper had been obstructed inside the area during a corner kick, a decision that maintained the 1-1 tie and took the match to a penalty shootout.
From the eleven steps, Gill once again became the protagonist by stopping two German charges and leading Paraguay to a classification that is already part of the history of Guaraní football.
He currently plays for San Lorenzo de Almagro, in Argentina, a club he joined in January 2025 with a contract until December 2027. Before his jump to Argentine soccer, he developed his career in Paraguay, where he began to establish himself as one of the goalkeepers with the greatest projection in the country.
His performance in the South American qualifiers had already made him an important part of the national team, but his performance against Germany definitely raised his international profile and positioned him among the figures of the 2026 World Cup.
Paraguay will face the winner of the match between France and Sweden in the round of 16. While awaiting that duel, Orlando Gill has already established himself as one of the great heroes of the 2026 World Cup after a memorable performance that will remain in the history of Paraguayan football.
His wife, Melissa Ávalos, publicly recounted on Instagram the family’s most difficult moments: when their son Lautaro (Lauti) was born, they had no resources and Orlando sold all of his club clothing, cleats, and even his Under-20 National Team shirt to cover medical expenses, as the child was fighting for his life.