After 36 years of struggle and frustration with each new cycle absent from the biggest competition on the planet, the wait will still last a little longer. It was dramatic, and it's not over yet. A journey in the qualifiers that began surrounded by disbelief, but which, immersed in the faith and dreams of 32 million people, still has a chapter to conclude. A nation guided by a number 9 who fought for his people, brought glory back to Peru and established himself as the country's all-time top scorer. And Paolo Guerrero delivered. After a free-kick goal in the dramatic battle in Lima, the Peruvian National Team is in the World Cup playoffs against New Zealand. 

The wait will be one month. The first leg will be played on November 06th in Oceania, and the second leg on the 14th of the same month. Until then, the Peruvians have the chance to relive a journey that once seemed lost. Last year, they were near the bottom of the table and by the tenth round were already considered eliminated. However, a combination of results and a different attitude led to Peru's survival.

The team turned things around in 2017. They went from an unstable situation to fighting tooth and nail for a spot in the World Cup. For Paolo Guerrero and Miguel Trauco, qualifying ceased to be just a wish and became an obligation. And so Peru did. Faith transcended the pitch and spread to the stands. In every city and every stadium they visited, the national team carried hopeful hearts.

The great results both at home and away created a new scenario. The impossible became possible, and with the National Stadium of Peru packed, qualification for the playoffs was achieved. The spot isn't guaranteed, but after this struggle, there isn't a single living descendant of the Incas who doesn't believe in qualification. A warrior people, a rich history, a fight to the end. Guerrero isn't Pachacuti, the greatest Inca emperor who ever lived, but he will leave his mark on the history of this country. Hope continues, the dream is alive. Peru goes to Oceania and will carry a renewed heart in its suitcase.