Omar Alderete ‘dreaming’ after standout Sunderland season ahead of World Cup | OneFootball

Omar Alderete will represent Paraguay at this summer’s World Cup finals, buoyed by a stellar first season at Sunderland.

The former Basel and Hertha Berlin defender arrived from Getafe last summer and helped underpin a surprise push for Europe in the club’s first campaign back in the Premier League. He made 34 appearances in all competitions and scored his first Sunderland goal in a hard-earned win at Nottingham Forest in September.

An injury left him on the bench for last week’s 2-1 home win against Chelsea as Regis Le Bris’ side secured a Europa League place. His attention now turns to international duty in North America.

Paraguay face Nicaragua in a warm-up next week, then meet co-hosts the United States, Türkiye and Australia in the group stage.

“I finished a good season with my club, and that is important because it gives me confidence for what is coming. We are all feeling the same. Us on the pitch and the people outside it too. Everyone is anxious and waiting for the World Cup to arrive,” he told Versus Paraguay.

“I think we have a good team and a good group. The team recovered and showed that during the qualifiers. I think that was the important part of what we achieved in the qualifiers. I think if we do not dream ourselves and do not believe in ourselves, then we have nothing to do at the World Cup. We have to dream and start from there.”

Source: Sunderland Echo