Zambrano Takes Aim at FPF After Peru’s World Cup Failure

According to La República, Peru ended its disastrous 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with a 1-0 defeat against Paraguay at the Estadio Nacional in Lima. The loss cemented a penultimate-place finish with just 12 points, and it marked Paraguay’s first-ever qualifying win in Lima.

After the match, Carlos Zambrano delivered a blunt assessment. “Yes, it’s very tough to finish like this, we expected to get a good result for ourselves and for the fans who came. People talk about a generational change, but we are the ones here, there aren’t more players. Thankfully the nightmare is over because it wasn’t pretty. We are all responsible for this: the FPF (Peruvian FA), the coaches, and especially us players, because we are the ones on the field,” the Alianza Lima defender said.

He admitted the campaign signals the end of a cycle for the national team. “Yes, it’s hard, an era is over. We’re practically down, hopefully things change soon for the good of Peruvian football. Pointing fingers makes no sense, we must accept that Peru has never been a powerhouse. We’ve only reached the World Cup a few times. We are a humble team that fights with what little we have,” Zambrano concluded.

Peru’s next test will be a friendly against Chile in Concepción in October, with the exact date and time yet to be confirmed.