Robson Matheus: Bolivia will take to the pitch like lions
Bolivia players Robson Matheus and Miguel Terceros and coach Oscar Villegas talk about their Iraq encounter and managing the moment.
The eve of the final doesn’t feel tense in the Bolivia camp. It feels, rather, like one of those songs that drifts out of a loudspeaker as training wraps up. On this day before their FIFA World Cup 2026™ Play-Off Tournament final against Iraq, it was “Pero te vas a arrepentir” by Los Yonics, but it could have been any other song that kept spirits high on the way back to the hotel. The mood among La Verde was just like that – light-hearted and cheerful, a far cry from the anxiety that usually accompanies a match like this.
It will be the most important 90 minutes for Bolivia since USA 1994. The atmosphere is calm, and that is an achievement of which Oscar Villegas is proud, having decisively broken with the burden of the past: “From the outset, we have made it a priority to enjoy being part of the national team," said Villegas in his press conference. “And today we see these young players enjoying the moment, and we know that, through that enjoyment, their performance will improve."
Both Villegas and the players speak without hesitation about the history they could make this Tuesday at Monterrey Stadium. “We’re going to take to that pitch like lions,” said Robson Matheus.
The players have watched the videos of Bolivia fans crying and celebrating their goals. Miguel Terceros knows that the shirt bearing his number is the most popular among children and sees this as a reflection of the team; he shakes off the burden of individual responsibility.
"It makes me happy to know that so many people are showing their support," said Terceros. "It’s really lovely and very rewarding for me. It’s the result of all the work I’ve been doing, and I’m really pleased with that."
Unlike their opponents, Bolivia already shook off the play-off nerves in the opening match. “We hope that having already played in that setting will be an advantage, and that the emotional toll of that match will work in our favour,” said Villegas. “It was draining, yes, but there was also a very special motivation to be in this moment we’ve dreamed of for so long.”
Their resilience has been forged under the pressure of South American qualifiers that allow for no mistakes. Against Chile in La Paz, there was no margin for error, nor was there against Brazil, and the same was true against Suriname. It is a new normal for Bolivia. “We have to get used to playing every match in this way,” said Villegas.
In the same vein, the 55-year-old tactician was proud of a strong start that the nation made, with two opening away wins against Venezuela and Chile – something that hadn’t happened for decades – followed by a crucial victory in Colombia in which Terceros, then aged 20, came to the fore. “Those nine points at the start made us believe that we could do it,” said Villegas.
The emotion is evident in the smiles of the Bolivians. It would be a mistake to call it overconfidence; it is the calmness of a team that now knows how to cope with the magnitude of the moment.