It began, as the most unexpected love stories do, on an ordinary afternoon in Asunción.
In fact, it was on an ordinary afternoon inside a small, dusty and patchy soccer field. Alexia had agreed to watch her brother Alejandro play in a youth match for the Cerro Porteño Academy, more out of family duty than true interest. After many attempts, her cousin was the one who convinced Alexia to go to the field and cheer on ‘Ale.’
“Please come with me, I don’t want to go with grandpa all by myself,” said Alexia’s cousin at the time, and even though she preferred to stay back home, Alexia agreed.
It was the cousin who was watching Alejandro play, and it wasn’t until Alexia was forced to focus on the game that she looked up.
“At that time I had a BlackBerry and I lost all reception and ran out of battery,” recalls Alexia about that day as she shrugged off all emotion. “The second half of my brother’s match started and I set down the phone and start watching the game.
“As I’m watching the game I see a kid wearing the number 10 jersey, and he was running from one end to the other end, and from that end to the other, and back again.”
That kid seemed to run not only with his legs, but with his heart. That sight stirred something in her as she stood in awe instead of watching her brother, watching this other skinny, short kid. It so happened, as it often does in love stories, that the number 10 scored one of the winning goals, and curiosity turned into intrigue. Who was this boy?
For Alexia, who came from a family of footballers, seeing this kid play the way he did was love at first sight, although not without some level of difficulty.
“I’m short-sighted. I don’t see very well, so I never saw his face, but I just saw him playing,” said Alexia with a smile on her face that rivaled that of the goal-scoring, fast-paced boy.
She learned his name: Miguel Almirón.
“I don’t think she fell in love with me for my face, of that I’m sure,” jokes Miguel Almirón, now a 31-year-old not-so boy anymore.
Soon after she asked him for a picture, and with the boldness of youth, Alexia sent him a Facebook request, which Miguel didn’t hesitate to accept. Messages turned into conversations, and one night, much to her own surprise, Alexia invited him to her home.
It was late, too late for something so daring, but Miguel didn’t vacillate.
“I get a call from my dad who tells me a teammate of mine is here at home. He passes over the phone and it was Miguel,” recollects Alejandro who wasn’t home at the time.
Though Alejandro pretended to be upset, deep down he sensed the truth: Miguel was different. He was humble, genuine, and he carried a goodness that reassured a protective brother. That night marked the beginning of a love that would grow alongside Miguel’s career, from the academy fields of Cerro Porteño to the great stadiums of the world.
Miguel Almirón Contar Contigo | Documentary
The film explores Almirón's relentless pursuit of excellence, his role in ending Paraguay’s 16-year World Cup drought, and the unwavering love of his wife Alexia and family who continue to shape his journey. It’s a story of resilience, identity, and the power of home.
Decisions and sacrifice
When Miguel was transferred to Lanús in Argentina, the young couple faced their first great test. Everything happened quickly, a surprise neither of them had anticipated. With Miguel’s life about to change forever, they had to make a decision: stay apart or take the leap together. They chose love, and Alexia became Miguel’s anchor, accompanying him into the unknown.
Together they learned that love is not only about romance, but sacrifice. Alexia left behind the comfort of her world to follow Miguel’s. She stood by him in foreign cities, through seasons of glory and moments of harsh criticism. In England, when Miguel joined Newcastle United, Alexia endured one of the darkest periods of her life.
Her grandfather, the man she considered the most important person in her world, fell ill and passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic. Locked down by restrictions, she could not return to Paraguay to say goodbye. Grief weighed heavily on her. But Miguel never let her carry it alone. He held her up in silence and in love, reminding her that even in the loneliest places, they still had each other.
And then came Francesco.
“I realized that I was pregnant as I fell into a depression for my grandfather’s passing. There was no way I could get myself out of it,” says Alexia. “It was hard, I cried every day. Miguel was playing, and at the same time I had to take care of the baby, make sure he was healthy, know that his little heart was beating.”
“Francesco was God’s gift.”
Francesco, now four years old, was a small miracle who arrived to remind her of hope when the world felt unkind. For Miguel and Alexia, Francesco was not just a child, but a reason to become better parents, better partners, better people.
Parenthood reshaped everything
No matter the demands of football, the transfers, the training sessions, the scrutiny of media, the relentless schedules, Miguel and Alexia vow to give Francesco a childhood rooted in happiness, love and the strength of family. They don’t care if he becomes a footballer or follows a different path; what matters to them is that he becomes a good, joyful human being.
Their lives now revolve around creating that world for him. Even when oceans and stadiums separate them from their relatives, Miguel and Alexia make sure Francesco feels connected to his roots. Holidays in Paraguay, family visits whenever possible to Newcastle and Atlanta, FaceTime calls and traditions carried across borders, they work tirelessly to ensure he grows up knowing where he comes from and who stands behind him.
That closeness to family has always grounded them. No matter how far Miguel’s career has taken him, he and Alexia carry Paraguay in their hearts. They never let more than a month pass without reconnecting with their families in person, whenever possible. And when Miguel wears the national team jersey, Alexia is there too, in the stands or at his side, sharing every victory and every heartbreak.
Through it all, their love story has remained steady. It is not a fairytale of effortless joy — it is a story of resilience, of choosing each other again and again despite the weight of distance, sacrifice and scrutiny.
Miguel’s brilliance on the field shines brighter because of the foundation Alexia gives him off it. Her faith in him, her sacrifices, her quiet strength, these invisible forces have propelled his journey.
In return, Miguel has never stopped honoring her commitment. He has given her his success, his care, his presence, his heart. In the face of failure or criticism, he turns to her; in moments of triumph, he shares them with her first. Their love is a partnership forged in courage and tested by circumstance, and it continues to evolve with each new chapter.
Miguel Almirón’s story is often told in goals, transfers and achievements. But behind every sprint, every celebration, every dream fulfilled, there is Alexia. The girl who once noticed a skinny boy in a number 10 jersey chose to walk beside him through every turn of life.
Together, they have built not only a family but a home, one that persists across continents and stadiums. A home where Francesco grows up surrounded by love. A home rooted in sacrifice that proves that even amidst the commotion of professional football, the truest victories are found not on the field, but in the bonds we nurture, the family we cherish, and the love we choose every single day.
