Marisol Olmedo went viral at SoFi Stadium with a dance video from the stands after the United States thrashed Paraguay 4-1 in Friday’s World Cup opener in Los Angeles, with her next hope hinging on games against Turkey on June 19 and Australia on June 25.
Friday night in Los Angeles came with a double exposure: the flash of Paraguay’s colors in the stands at SoFi Stadium, and the hard reality of a 4-1 defeat on the pitch.
Paraguay superfan and model Marisol Olmedo—dressed in the flag colors—was there when the United States tore through Group D rivals. The home side scored with ruthless efficiency: Folarin Balogun netted twice after an own goal by Paraguay defender Damian Bobadilla. and Gio Reyna added a fine last-minute strike. By the time Mauricio found the net in the 73rd minute. the score was already stretched to 3-1. leaving Paraguay chasing the fight rather than shaping it.
Olmedo responded the only way she knows how. She shared a video of herself dancing in the stands, captioned: “Supporting you through everything, my beloved Paraguay.” The clip—viewed by thousands and quickly shared beyond her usual audience—arrived as Paraguay’s campaign stumbled out of the blocks.
It was Paraguay’s first World Cup since 2010. and thousands of fans have flown to the United States to follow the team. Olmedo. already a familiar presence with 225. 000 followers on Instagram. has been documenting the trip: she flew to Los Angeles and set up base in Hollywood before the start of the tournament. In other words. she didn’t just show up for the opener—she has been building a World Cup journey in public.
Before the internet made her a standout, Olmedo reportedly worked on a quarry as a teenager. Last year. in an interview with La Cuarta about her life now. she said: “I feel very flattered to be known internationally.” Her football world hasn’t been limited to the national team. either; when she isn’t following Paraguay. she supports Club Guarani. a two-time club champion in Paraguay.
For her, the challenge now is timing—because the games keep coming. Olmedo is expected to travel north to northern California for Paraguay’s next match against Turkey in the San Francisco Bay on June 19. Then there’s another test in the Bay area on June 25. when Paraguay take on Australia. just a little over 50 miles from San Francisco itself.
Coach Gustavo Alfaro’s message after the Group D loss was blunt. “At a World Cup you have to leave emotions to one side,” he told reporters. “What matters are decision-making, concentration and the details.” He added: “United States won with absolute justice and clarity. They surpassed us tactically, they surpassed us technically and they surpassed us physically.”.
The next line from Alfaro sounded like a promise the team has to cash in quickly: “We have to focus on getting the points we need to qualify. Today the World Cup started. It didn’t end today.”
In the same stadium where Olmedo danced through the damage, the tournament for Paraguay is now a race against the clock—one more chance to turn visibility into points, and optimism into something the group table can actually reward.
Paraguay Marisol Olmedo World Cup 2026 United States vs Paraguay SoFi Stadium Folarin Balogun Damian Bobadilla Gio Reyna Mauricio Gustavo Alfaro Turkey vs Paraguay Australia vs Paraguay