Paraguay’s ‘biggest’ fan

Larissa Riquelme gives the thousands of heartbroken Paraguayan fans something to cheer about despite their national team’s exit from the World Cup.


Reuters Photo // Larissa Riquelme

It's a troubling time for Paraguayans across the globe. Up to 50% of its population lives in poverty. An ever worsening economic recession continues to devastate the nation's wealth.

Job opportunities and household income carry on worsening with every waking moment. And more recently, its national football team suffered an exit from the 2010 World Cup by the hands of the Spanish.

However, amidst the prevalence of this madness, one loyal Paraguayan stands out amongst a crowd of chaos as a voice of reason.

One woman, benevolent of her nation's happiness and well-being sets out to accomplish what her national football team could not, to lift her nation's spirits, even if it means 'taking it all off' in the most literal sense of the phrase.

Larissa Riquelme, 25 year-old lingerie model, made a promise to her nation's people, that she would match Diego Maradona's promise to run naked through the streets of Buenos Aires if Argentina had won the World Cup.

Instead, Larissa would do it in Asunción, the capital of Paraguay, at the cost of simply reaching the semi-finals. However, Paraguay failed to make it pass Spain and the hearts of the nation slumped into an abyss of devastation. But the benevolent Larissa would not let this be.

Larissa has said that she's still going to carry out her promise, despite the Paraguayan team's premature exit from the 2010 World Cup. Such is the dedication and compassion of one Larissa Riquelme, citizen of Paraguay, our hero.