Paraguay national football team
Encyclopedia
The Paraguay national football team is controlled by the Paraguayan Football Association (Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol) and represents Paraguay
in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup
on four occasions (in 1986
, 1998
, 2002
and 2010
). The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the quarterfinals. Paraguay's only major tournament victories have come in the Copa América
, in which they triumphed in 1953
and in 1979
.
South Africa 2010 was Paraguay's fourth consecutive trip to the World Cup final tournament, having previously qualified for the final at France 1998, Korea/Japan 2002, and Germany 2006.
) was created in 1906. The first national football team was organized in 1910 when an invitation by the Argentine club Hércules of Corrientes
was received to play a friendly match. Members of that first national team where F. Melián, G. Almeida, A. Rodríguez, M. Barrios, P. Samaniego, J. Morín, Z. Gadea, D. Andreani, C. Mena Porta, B. Villamayor, M. Rojas and E. Erico. The match ended in a 0–0 draw.
Because of the increasing number of invitations to play matches and international tournaments, the Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol decided to officially create the national team and select the striped red and white jerseys that until this date remain as the official colours (taken from the Paraguayan flag
). In late 1919 Paraguay accepted the invitation to play the 1921 Copa America
and in order to prepare for that occasion a number of friendly matches were played between 1919 and the start of the tournament in 1921. The first of those friendly matches was a 5–1 loss against Argentina
, and it marked the first international game by the Paraguayan national football team. When the 1921 Copa America finally arrived, Paraguay surprised everybody by beating then three-time South American champions Uruguay
by 2–1, being this the first match in an official competition for the Paraguayan football team. Paraguay eventually finished fourth in the tournament and became a regular participant of the tournament for the next editions.
In 1930 Paraguay participated in the first World Cup, organized by Uruguay. In the first round, Paraguay debuted and lost to the United States
(0–3), to then defeat Belgium (1–0) with a goal by Luis Vargas Peña
. Only one team was to advance from the group stage, and the U.S. left Paraguay behind.
, 1947
and 1949
(where Paraguay finished in second place), Paraguay was ready for their next World Cup
competition.
The return to the World Cup was in 1950
, where Paraguay faced Sweden
and Italy
in Group 3. Paraguay failed to advance to the next round after a 2–2 draw against Sweden and a 2–0 loss against Italy.
The first big success came in 1953 when Paraguay won the Copa America
disputed in Peru
. In their road to the championship, Paraguay defeated Chile
(3–0), Bolivia
(2–1) and Brazil
(2–1); and tied against Ecuador
(0–0), Peru
(2–2) and Uruguay
(2–2). Since Paraguay and Brazil were tied in points at the end of the tournament, a final playoff match was played between them, with Paraguay winning the final by 3–2. Key players of the campaign included Ángel Berni
, Heriberto Herrera and Rubén Fernández
. The coach was Manuel Fleitas Solich
.
For the 1958 World Cup, Paraguay surprisingly qualified ahead of Uruguay (beating them 5–0 in the decisive game) with a team that contained a formidable attacking lineup with stars such as Juan Bautista Agüero
, José Parodi
, Juan Romero, Cayetano Ré
and Florencio Amarilla
. In their first game in Sweden, Paraguay were 3–2 up against France
in a game they lost 7–3. A 3–2 win over Scotland
and a 3–3 draw with Yugoslavia
saw Paraguay finish third in their group.
The departure of several of their stars for European football (mainly Spain
) resulted in a weakening of Paraguay's football fortunes somewhat, but they were only edged out by Mexico
in the 1962 qualifiers.
success (and that of one of its premier clubs Olimpia
in the Copa Libertadores) in 1979 shored up Paraguay as a solid player on the continent.
The 1979 Copa América
was won by Paraguay after finishing first in Group C (which had Uruguay and Ecuador as well) with two wins and two draws. In the semi-finals Paraguay defeated Brazil by an aggregate score of 4–3. In the finals, Paraguay defeated Chile by an aggregate score of 3–1 to claim its second continental crown. Players such as Julio Cesar Romero (Romerito), Carlos Alberto Kiese
, Alicio Solalinde
, Roberto Paredes, Hugo Ricardo Talavera
and Eugenio Morel
where an important part of the team, coached by Ranulfo Miranda.
Paraguay ended a 28-year absence from the World Cup in 1986 with a team starring Roberto Fernández
in goal; Cesar Zavala, Rogelio Delgado
and Juan Bautista Torales in defense; Jorge Amado Nunes
and Vladimiro Schettina
in midfield; midfield playmaker Romerito and strikers Roberto Cabañas, Ramon Angel Maria Hicks and Rolando Chilavert
(older brother of José Luis Chilavert
). In first round matches, Paraguay defeated Iraq (1–0, goal Romerito) and then tied Mexico (1–1, goal Romerito) and Belgium (2–2, both goals Roberto Cabañas). They reached the second round where they were beaten 3–0 by England.
and U.S. 1994
World Cups.
In 1992, Paraguay won the South American Pre-Olympic tournament, which guaranteed a spot in the 1992 Summer Olympics football competition. In the Olympics, Paraguay finished second in its group and were eliminated by Ghana
in the quarterfinals. The most important aspect of that Paraguay team was the emergence of new young players like Carlos Gamarra
, Celso Ayala, José Luis Chilavert
, Francisco Arce
and José Cardozo
, which became part of the "golden generation" that led Paraguay to three straight World Cups and good performances in continental competitions, establishing Paraguay as one of the top teams in South America alongside Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.
This new generation of players helped end the World Cup drought in grand fashion, as the Albirroja reached the France 1998 World Cup
by qualifying in second place in South America behind Argentina. The first round matches were against Bulgaria
(0–0), Spain
(0–0), and Nigeria
(3–1; goals Celso Ayala, Miguel Ángel Benítez and José Cardozo
). Paraguay qualified to the second round (Round of 16) to be defeated in a thrilling match against would-be World Champions France
. France only scored through Laurent Blanc
in the 114th minute, during the second half of overtime (making it the first golden goal scored in a World Cup). Paraguay's central defending duo (Carlos Gamarra and Celso Ayala) and goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert were selected for the all-star World Cup team.
Paraguay returned to the World’s greatest stage once more in the 2002 World Cup
. In their first match, Paraguay tied South Africa
2–2 (goals: Roque Santa Cruz
and Francisco Arce
). Paraguay lost to Spain in the second game (1–3) and finally defeated Slovenia
(3–1; goals Nelson Cuevas, twice, and Jorge Luis Campos
) to qualify for the second round. Germany ended Paraguay’s dreams in the World Cup with an 88 minute goal.
In 2006, Paraguay qualified for its third World Cup in a row. This time, two early defeats against England
and Sweden (both 0–1) sent the team home early. The only consolation was defeating Trinidad and Tobago
during the last and final group game by 2–0.
resigned as head coach and Raúl Vicente Amarilla
was assigned as the interim
coach. In 2007, Argentine Gerardo "Tata" Martino
was designated as head-coach. The former Newell's Old Boys (Rosario, Argentina) skipper's coaching career had blossomed in Paraguay where he formerly coached Libertad and Cerro Porteño.
Paraguay's national squad underwent a major transition after Germany 2006 because of the retirement of key players such as Carlos Gamarra
, Francisco Arce
, Celso Ayala, and goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert
. Paraguay's under-19 side won the Milk Cup
in 2002, 2003 and 2006, and players such as Nelson Haedo Valdez
, Julio dos Santos
, José Montiel
and Óscar Cardozo
were thought key to the re-building of the team.
The renovated squad reached first place in the CONMEBOL qualifiers, and becoming the second CONMEBOL team to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
, ahead of continental powers Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, and Chile. Paraguay defeated Brazil at home (2–0), defeated Chile and Colombia away (0–3 and 0–1), and tied Argentina in Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. Qualification was secured with a 1–0 win over Diego Maradona's Argentina
on 9 September 2009.
On January 2010, a tragic head injury suffered in an assault forced Salvador Cabañas
to abandon football for an unspecified period of time, which gave him no chance of making the final 23-man squad for South Africa 2010.
In their fourth consecutive World Cup appearance, Paraguay eventually reached the quarterfinals. Drawn into Group F
along with defending champions Italy
, Slovakia
, and New Zealand, they opened their tournament with a draw against the Italians, holding them 1–1 thanks to a first-half goal from Antolin Alcaraz
. In their second game, they beat Slovakia 2–0 with goals from Enrique Vera
and Christian Riveros. Their final group match saw a goalless draw with New Zealand, clinching first place in Group F and setting up a date with Japan
. Another goalless draw with the Japanese after 120 minutes went to penalties, which Paraguay won 5–3, advancing them for the first time in their history to the World Cup round of eight. In the quarterfinals they met powerhouses Spain
, to whom they lost 1–0 in a game where a goal by Nelson Haedo Valdez was controversially called an offside by the referee. The game also featured each team being awarded a penalty, both of which were contained, first by Spanish keeper Casillas and then by Paraguayan keeper Villar (both were also team captains for the game).
The Albirroja arrived back from South Africa on Monday, July 5 at 3:30 AM. Upon arrival, they were greeted by over 3000 fans at the airport and were decorated by the President of Paraguay. Gerardo Martino announced that he would take some time to decide his future, although the Paraguayan FA has offered him a four year contract to continue at the helm. Roque Santa Cruz also announced that this would be his last World Cup, but that he may play one more tournament, the Copa America in Argentina in 2011. ESPN.com reports that Gerardo Martino
will not return as head coach for Paraguay, however, he promised fans that he would help the team transition to the future and help the team select a new national team coach. Later, however, Martino decided to sign a new contract that will keep him in charge of the Albirroja until after the 2011 Copa America
.
see also 2011 Paraguay national team results.
see also 2012 Paraguay national team results.
matches to be played against and on 11 and 15 November 2011, respectively.
Caps and goals updated as November 15, 2011.
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(injury)
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(injury)
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Copa America
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
in men's international football competitions. The team has reached the second round of the World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
on four occasions (in 1986
1986 FIFA World Cup
The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially...
, 1998
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
, 2002
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
and 2010
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
). The 2010 trip also featured their first appearance in the quarterfinals. Paraguay's only major tournament victories have come in the Copa América
Copa América
The Copa América —previously known as South American Championship—is an international football competition contested between the men's national teams of CONMEBOL, the sport's continental governing body...
, in which they triumphed in 1953
South American Championship 1953
-Goal scorers:7 Goals Molina5 Goals Julinho4 Goals Berni Fernández Balseiro3 Goals Baltazar López C. Romero Peláez2 Goals Alcón Santos Ugarte Pinga Rodrigues Gómez Sánchez Morel Puente1 Goal Ademir Cláudio Ipojucan Nilton Santos Zizinho...
and in 1979
Copa América 1979
The 1979 edition of the Copa América soccer tournament was played between July 10 and December 12. This time, the continental champion would not go to the FIFA World Cup. It was not held in a particular country, all matches were played on a home and away basis...
.
South Africa 2010 was Paraguay's fourth consecutive trip to the World Cup final tournament, having previously qualified for the final at France 1998, Korea/Japan 2002, and Germany 2006.
The beginning (1900–1930)
Soon after the introduction of football in Paraguay by Williams Paats, the Liga Paraguaya de Futbol (today Asociación Paraguaya de FútbolAsociación Paraguaya de Fútbol
The Paraguayan Football Association is the governing body of football in Paraguay. It organizes the Paraguayan football league and the Paraguay national football team, and is based in the Paraguayan capital, Asunción...
) was created in 1906. The first national football team was organized in 1910 when an invitation by the Argentine club Hércules of Corrientes
Corrientes
Corrientes is the capital city of the province of Corrientes, Argentina, located on the eastern shore of the Paraná River, about from Buenos Aires and from Posadas, on National Route 12...
was received to play a friendly match. Members of that first national team where F. Melián, G. Almeida, A. Rodríguez, M. Barrios, P. Samaniego, J. Morín, Z. Gadea, D. Andreani, C. Mena Porta, B. Villamayor, M. Rojas and E. Erico. The match ended in a 0–0 draw.
Because of the increasing number of invitations to play matches and international tournaments, the Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol decided to officially create the national team and select the striped red and white jerseys that until this date remain as the official colours (taken from the Paraguayan flag
Flag of Paraguay
The flag of Paraguay was adopted in 1842. It is the only national flag with different emblems on its obverse and reverse sides.-Description:...
). In late 1919 Paraguay accepted the invitation to play the 1921 Copa America
South American Championship 1921
The 1921 South American Championship of Nations was the fifth continental championship for nations in South America. It was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from October 2 to October 30, 1921....
and in order to prepare for that occasion a number of friendly matches were played between 1919 and the start of the tournament in 1921. The first of those friendly matches was a 5–1 loss against Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
, and it marked the first international game by the Paraguayan national football team. When the 1921 Copa America finally arrived, Paraguay surprised everybody by beating then three-time South American champions Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
by 2–1, being this the first match in an official competition for the Paraguayan football team. Paraguay eventually finished fourth in the tournament and became a regular participant of the tournament for the next editions.
In 1930 Paraguay participated in the first World Cup, organized by Uruguay. In the first round, Paraguay debuted and lost to the United States
United States men's national soccer team
The United States men's national soccer team represents the United States in international association football competitions. It is controlled by the United States Soccer Federation and competes in CONCACAF...
(0–3), to then defeat Belgium (1–0) with a goal by Luis Vargas Peña
Luis Vargas Peña
Luis Vargas Peña was one of the greatest Paraguayan footballers before the Second World War. He was the first Paraguayan to score a goal for the Paraguay national football team in a FIFA World Cup, accomplishing that in a match valid for the group stage of the 1930 FIFA World Cup against Belgium,...
. Only one team was to advance from the group stage, and the U.S. left Paraguay behind.
First taste of success (1930–1970)
After good participations in the Copa America tournaments of 1929South American Championship 1929
The twelfth edition of the South American Championship was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina from November 1 to November 17, 1929. The 1928 edition was postponed due to the participation of Chile, Uruguay and Argentina in the 1928 Summer Olympics held in Amsterdam, Netherlands, where Uruguay and...
, 1947
South American Championship 1947
The 1947 South American Championship was the 20th South American Championship for national teams, and was organized by CONMEBOL. It marked the first time Ecuador hosted the tournament, which hosted all the matches in Estadio George Capwell in Guayaquil. Argentina won the tournament to obtain their...
and 1949
South American Championship 1949
The South American Championship 1949 in football was held in Brazil and won by Brazil. Paraguay was the runner-up.Jair Rosa Pinto from Brazil was the top scorer of the tournament with 9 goals.-Final round:--------------------------------...
(where Paraguay finished in second place), Paraguay was ready for their next World Cup
FIFA World Cup
The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body...
competition.
The return to the World Cup was in 1950
1950 FIFA World Cup
The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II...
, where Paraguay faced Sweden
Sweden national football team
The Swedish national football team represents Sweden in association football and is controlled by the Swedish Football Association, the governing body for Football in Sweden. Sweden's home ground is Råsunda Stadium in Stockholms län and their head coach is Erik Hamrén. Sweden made their first...
and Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
in Group 3. Paraguay failed to advance to the next round after a 2–2 draw against Sweden and a 2–0 loss against Italy.
The first big success came in 1953 when Paraguay won the Copa America
Copa América
The Copa América —previously known as South American Championship—is an international football competition contested between the men's national teams of CONMEBOL, the sport's continental governing body...
disputed in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
. In their road to the championship, Paraguay defeated Chile
Chile national football team
The Chilean national football team represents Chile in all major international football competitions. The team is controlled by the Federación de Fútbol de Chile which was established in 1895. They have appeared in eight World Cup tournaments and were hosts of the 1962 FIFA World Cup finishing in...
(3–0), Bolivia
Bolivia national football team
The Bolivia national football team is the national team of Bolivia and is controlled by the Federación Boliviana de Fútbol. After playing in the 1930 and 1950 World Cups, they qualified just once—in 1994...
(2–1) and Brazil
Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team represents Brazil in international men's football and is controlled by the Brazilian Football Confederation , the governing body for football in Brazil. They are a member of the International Federation of Association Football since 1923 and also a member of the...
(2–1); and tied against Ecuador
Ecuador national football team
The Ecuadorian national football team represents Ecuador in international football competitions and is controlled by the Ecuadorian Football Federation. They generally play official home matches at Estadio Olímpico Atahualpa in Quito, but often play friendlies in other stadiums around the country...
(0–0), Peru
Peru national football team
The Peru national football team, known as 'el equipo inca', represents Peru in international football competition and is managed by the Peruvian Football Federation . The team competes against the other nine members of FIFA's CONMEBOL conference, which encompasses the countries of South America...
(2–2) and Uruguay
Uruguay national football team
The Uruguayan national football team represents Uruguay in international association football and is controlled by the Uruguayan Football Association, the governing body for football in Uruguay. The current head coach is Óscar Tabárez...
(2–2). Since Paraguay and Brazil were tied in points at the end of the tournament, a final playoff match was played between them, with Paraguay winning the final by 3–2. Key players of the campaign included Ángel Berni
Ángel Berni
Angel Antonio Berni Gómez is a former football striker.-Career:Berni started his career at the youth divisions of Olimpia Asunción in 1945, and in 1949 he made the debut for Olimpia's first team...
, Heriberto Herrera and Rubén Fernández
Ruben Fernandez
Rubén Fernández Real is a retired Paraguayan football player. He captained the national team during the 1953 South American Championship that was won by Paraguay.-Career:...
. The coach was Manuel Fleitas Solich
Manuel Fleitas Solich
Manuel Fleitas Solich is a former Paraguayan football player and coach. He was known as "El Brujo" .-Career as a player:...
.
For the 1958 World Cup, Paraguay surprisingly qualified ahead of Uruguay (beating them 5–0 in the decisive game) with a team that contained a formidable attacking lineup with stars such as Juan Bautista Agüero
Juan Bautista Agüero
Juan Bautista Agüero Sánchez is a retired football striker.-Career:He started his career at Olimpia Asunción, which was at time coached by the great Aurelio González. There, Agüero won some national championships. He was later transferred to Sevilla FC of Spain, where he would spend 8 years,...
, José Parodi
José Parodi
Silvio José del Rosario Parodi Rojas was a football player and coach from Paraguay.He played for Club Sportivo Luqueño, Calcio Padova, Genoa C.F.C., UD Las Palmas, Nîmes Olympique and FC Mulhouse...
, Juan Romero, Cayetano Ré
Cayetano Ré
Cayetano Ré Ramírez is a former Paraguayan footballer striker and coach who was born in Asunción, on 7 February 1938. He is famous for being one of the first professional footballers to be open about having Asperger syndrome.-Career:...
and Florencio Amarilla
Florencio Amarilla
Florencio Amarilla Lacasa is a Paraguayan former footballer. He played as a striker.Amarilla started his career in with Club Nacional in Paraguay before being transferred to Europe to play for teams like Elche CF and Real Oviedo of Spain. He was also part of the Paraguay national football team...
. In their first game in Sweden, Paraguay were 3–2 up against France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
in a game they lost 7–3. A 3–2 win over Scotland
Scotland national football team
The Scotland national football team represents Scotland in international football and is controlled by the Scottish Football Association. Scotland are the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside England, whom they played in the world's first international football match in 1872...
and a 3–3 draw with Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia national football team
The Yugoslavia national football team represented the Kingdom of Yugoslavia and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in association football. It enjoyed a modicum of success in international competition. In 1992, during the Yugoslav wars, the team was suspended from international...
saw Paraguay finish third in their group.
The departure of several of their stars for European football (mainly Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
) resulted in a weakening of Paraguay's football fortunes somewhat, but they were only edged out by Mexico
Mexico national football team
The Mexican national football team represents Mexico in association football and is governed by the Mexican Football Federation , the governing body for football in Mexico. Mexico's home stadium is the Estadio Azteca and their head coach is José Manuel de la Torre...
in the 1962 qualifiers.
More continental success (1970–1990)
Paraguay fell short in subsequent World Cup qualifying campaigns, but Copa AméricaCopa América
The Copa América —previously known as South American Championship—is an international football competition contested between the men's national teams of CONMEBOL, the sport's continental governing body...
success (and that of one of its premier clubs Olimpia
Olimpia Asunción
Club Olimpia is a Paraguayan sport club based in Asunción. It is best known for its professional football team which plays in the Paraguayan Primera División....
in the Copa Libertadores) in 1979 shored up Paraguay as a solid player on the continent.
The 1979 Copa América
Copa América 1979
The 1979 edition of the Copa América soccer tournament was played between July 10 and December 12. This time, the continental champion would not go to the FIFA World Cup. It was not held in a particular country, all matches were played on a home and away basis...
was won by Paraguay after finishing first in Group C (which had Uruguay and Ecuador as well) with two wins and two draws. In the semi-finals Paraguay defeated Brazil by an aggregate score of 4–3. In the finals, Paraguay defeated Chile by an aggregate score of 3–1 to claim its second continental crown. Players such as Julio Cesar Romero (Romerito), Carlos Alberto Kiese
Carlos Alberto Kiese Wiesner
Carlos Alberto Kiese Wiesner is a former football coach and sports journalist who served as Paraguay's defensive midfielder...
, Alicio Solalinde
Alicio Solalinde
Alicio Solalinde is a former football defender that now works as a coach.In his career, Solalinde played for Paraguayan teams like River Plate and Olimpia where he became a key player by winning several national and international titles such as the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 1979...
, Roberto Paredes, Hugo Ricardo Talavera
Hugo Ricardo Talavera
Hugo Ricardo Talavera Valdez is a former football midfielder and forward.-Career:Talavera started his career at Nacional of Barrio Obrero before moving to Club Guaraní, where he played briefly. His career advanced in 1971, when he joined Cerro Porteño and won three national championships in a row...
and Eugenio Morel
Eugenio Morel
Eugenio Morel is a retired professional footballer.He has been characterized as a very fast, talented left footed player who scored a lot of goals playing the left forward position.-Childhood and youth:...
where an important part of the team, coached by Ranulfo Miranda.
Paraguay ended a 28-year absence from the World Cup in 1986 with a team starring Roberto Fernández
Roberto Fernández
Roberto Eladio Fernández Roa is a retired football goalkeeper from Paraguay. He was capped 78 times for the Paraguay national football team in an international career that lasted from 1976 to 1989. He was also a member of the Paraguayan team that won the 1979 Copa América...
in goal; Cesar Zavala, Rogelio Delgado
Rogelio Delgado
Rogelio Wilfrido Delgado Casco is a retired football central defender from Paraguay.-Club career:At the club level, Delgado played for Olimpia Asunción, where he won the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 1979, and six Paraguayan league titles.He also played for Independiente of...
and Juan Bautista Torales in defense; Jorge Amado Nunes
Jorge Amado Nunes
Jorge Amado Nunes Infrán is a former Paraguayan football midfielder that currently works as a coach....
and Vladimiro Schettina
Vladimiro Schettina
Wladimiro Schetina Chepini is a Paraguayan former football defender. He played his club football for Club Guaraní and was also a regular international for his country, appearing in the 1986 FIFA World Cup.- International :...
in midfield; midfield playmaker Romerito and strikers Roberto Cabañas, Ramon Angel Maria Hicks and Rolando Chilavert
Rolando Chilavert
Rolando Marciano Chilavert González is a retired football midfielder from Paraguay.Throughout his career he played for several Paraguayan clubs such as Guaraní , Olimpia and Cerro Porteño, and for Argentine club Chaco For Ever...
(older brother of José Luis Chilavert
José Luis Chilavert
José Luis Félix Chilavert González is a Paraguayan former football player who played as a goalkeeper. He was a three-time IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award winner....
). In first round matches, Paraguay defeated Iraq (1–0, goal Romerito) and then tied Mexico (1–1, goal Romerito) and Belgium (2–2, both goals Roberto Cabañas). They reached the second round where they were beaten 3–0 by England.
The golden generation (1990–2006)
A drought followed once again, as Paraguay failed to reach Italy 19901990 FIFA World Cup
The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated...
and U.S. 1994
1994 FIFA World Cup
The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988...
World Cups.
In 1992, Paraguay won the South American Pre-Olympic tournament, which guaranteed a spot in the 1992 Summer Olympics football competition. In the Olympics, Paraguay finished second in its group and were eliminated by Ghana
Ghana national football team
The Ghana national football team, popularly known as the Black Stars, is the national association football team of Ghana and is controlled by the Ghana Football Association...
in the quarterfinals. The most important aspect of that Paraguay team was the emergence of new young players like Carlos Gamarra
Carlos Gamarra
Carlos Alberto Gamarra Pavón is a former football player. He captained the Paraguay national team at international level, playing at Centre back, and is the most capped player in Paraguayan football history, having made 110 international appearances and scoring 12 goals.Gamarra is known for his...
, Celso Ayala, José Luis Chilavert
José Luis Chilavert
José Luis Félix Chilavert González is a Paraguayan former football player who played as a goalkeeper. He was a three-time IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award winner....
, Francisco Arce
Francisco Arce
Francisco Javier "Chiqui" Arce Rolón is a retired Paraguayan footballer and coach. He played at the right defender position, competing a total of 61 times for the Paraguay national team between 1995 and 2002.-As player:...
and José Cardozo
José Cardozo
José Saturnino Cardozo Otazú is a former Paraguayan football striker.-Club career:Cardozo began his professional career in 1988, making his debut for River Plate of Paraguay. After four years in River, he moved to Swiss club FC St. Gallen, where he played from 1990 to 1992...
, which became part of the "golden generation" that led Paraguay to three straight World Cups and good performances in continental competitions, establishing Paraguay as one of the top teams in South America alongside Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.
This new generation of players helped end the World Cup drought in grand fashion, as the Albirroja reached the France 1998 World Cup
1998 FIFA World Cup
The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final...
by qualifying in second place in South America behind Argentina. The first round matches were against Bulgaria
Bulgaria national football team
The FIFA Bulgaria national football team is an association football team fielded by the Bulgarian Football Union, a member association of UEFA. The team's home ground is Vasil Levski in Sofia and Luboslav Penev is in charge manager after replacement of Lothar Matthäus...
(0–0), Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
(0–0), and Nigeria
Nigeria national football team
The Nigeria national football team, nicknamed the Super Eagles or Green Eagles, is the national team of Nigeria and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation . The team has ranked as high as 5th in the FIFA World Rankings, in April 1994...
(3–1; goals Celso Ayala, Miguel Ángel Benítez and José Cardozo
José Cardozo
José Saturnino Cardozo Otazú is a former Paraguayan football striker.-Club career:Cardozo began his professional career in 1988, making his debut for River Plate of Paraguay. After four years in River, he moved to Swiss club FC St. Gallen, where he played from 1990 to 1992...
). Paraguay qualified to the second round (Round of 16) to be defeated in a thrilling match against would-be World Champions France
France national football team
The France national football team represents the nation of France in international football. It is fielded by the French Football Federation , the governing body of football in France, and competes as a member of UEFA, which encompasses the countries of Europe...
. France only scored through Laurent Blanc
Laurent Blanc
Laurent Robert Blanc is a French association football manager and former player. He is the head coach of the French national team, having replaced Raymond Domenech in the wake of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa. He was previously the manager of Bordeaux...
in the 114th minute, during the second half of overtime (making it the first golden goal scored in a World Cup). Paraguay's central defending duo (Carlos Gamarra and Celso Ayala) and goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert were selected for the all-star World Cup team.
Paraguay returned to the World’s greatest stage once more in the 2002 World Cup
2002 FIFA World Cup
The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0...
. In their first match, Paraguay tied South Africa
South Africa national football team
The South Africa national football team represents South Africa in association football and is controlled by the South African Football Association, the governing body for football in South Africa. South Africa's home ground is Soccer City, known as FNB Stadium due to a naming rights deal, in...
2–2 (goals: Roque Santa Cruz
Roque Santa Cruz
Roque Luis Santa Cruz Cantero is a Paraguayan footballer currently playing as a striker for La Liga club Real Betis on loan from Manchester City and the Paraguay national football team....
and Francisco Arce
Francisco Arce
Francisco Javier "Chiqui" Arce Rolón is a retired Paraguayan footballer and coach. He played at the right defender position, competing a total of 61 times for the Paraguay national team between 1995 and 2002.-As player:...
). Paraguay lost to Spain in the second game (1–3) and finally defeated Slovenia
Slovenia national football team
The Slovenia national football team is the national football team of Slovenia and is controlled by the Football Association of Slovenia. The team played their first match in 1992 after the split of Yugoslavia in 1991....
(3–1; goals Nelson Cuevas, twice, and Jorge Luis Campos
Jorge Luis Campos
Jorge Luis Campos Velázquez is a former Paraguayan footballer, who played as a midfielder or upfront.- International :...
) to qualify for the second round. Germany ended Paraguay’s dreams in the World Cup with an 88 minute goal.
In 2006, Paraguay qualified for its third World Cup in a row. This time, two early defeats against England
England national football team
The England national football team represents England in association football and is controlled by the Football Association, the governing body for football in England. England is the joint oldest national football team in the world, alongside Scotland, whom they played in the world's first...
and Sweden (both 0–1) sent the team home early. The only consolation was defeating Trinidad and Tobago
Trinidad and Tobago national football team
The Trinidad and Tobago national football team, nicknamed The Soca Warriors, is the national team of Trinidad and Tobago and is run by the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation. It reached the first round of the 2006 FIFA World Cup Finals...
during the last and final group game by 2–0.
Present
After the 2006 World Cup, Aníbal RuizAníbal Ruiz
Aníbal "Maño" Ruiz, born 30 December 1942 in Salto, Uruguay, is a football coach. His best coaching efforts include winning the Supercopa Sudamericana with Olimpia Asunción in 1991 and leading the Paraguayan national football team to the 2006 World Cup...
resigned as head coach and Raúl Vicente Amarilla
Raúl Vicente Amarilla
Raúl Vicente Amarilla is a retired Paraguayan football striker.-Career as a player:Amarilla made his debut in his hometown team, Sportivo Luqueño at the age of 17. Because of his scoring ability and great heading skills he soon moved to Spain and signed for Real Zaragoza...
was assigned as the interim
Interim
Interim is an album by British rock band The Fall, compiled from live and studio material and released in 2004. It features the first officially released versions of "Clasp Hands", "Blindness" and "What About Us?" — all of which were later included on the band's next studio album Fall Heads Roll —...
coach. In 2007, Argentine Gerardo "Tata" Martino
Gerardo Martino
Gerardo Daniel Martino , nicknamed Tata, is an Argentine former football midfielder and current a manager.Martino played mostly for Newell's Old Boys in his native Rosario. He holds the record of appearances with the team playing a total of 505 matches in all official competitions...
was designated as head-coach. The former Newell's Old Boys (Rosario, Argentina) skipper's coaching career had blossomed in Paraguay where he formerly coached Libertad and Cerro Porteño.
Paraguay's national squad underwent a major transition after Germany 2006 because of the retirement of key players such as Carlos Gamarra
Carlos Gamarra
Carlos Alberto Gamarra Pavón is a former football player. He captained the Paraguay national team at international level, playing at Centre back, and is the most capped player in Paraguayan football history, having made 110 international appearances and scoring 12 goals.Gamarra is known for his...
, Francisco Arce
Francisco Arce
Francisco Javier "Chiqui" Arce Rolón is a retired Paraguayan footballer and coach. He played at the right defender position, competing a total of 61 times for the Paraguay national team between 1995 and 2002.-As player:...
, Celso Ayala, and goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert
José Luis Chilavert
José Luis Félix Chilavert González is a Paraguayan former football player who played as a goalkeeper. He was a three-time IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award winner....
. Paraguay's under-19 side won the Milk Cup
Milk Cup
The Milk Cup is an international youth football tournament held annually in Northern Ireland. The cup matches are mainly played in the North Coast area of Northern Ireland, with matches taking place in the towns of Portrush, Portstewart, Castlerock, Limavady, Coleraine, Ballymoney, Ballymena and...
in 2002, 2003 and 2006, and players such as Nelson Haedo Valdez
Nelson Haedo Valdez
Nelson Antonio Haedo Valdez is a Paraguayan football striker who currently plays for Russian Premier League side Rubin Kazan and the Paraguayan national team.-Early life:...
, Julio dos Santos
Julio Dos Santos
Julio Daniel dos Santos Rodríguez is a Paraguayan footballer who currently plays for Brazilian club Atlético Paranaense.He plays usually in the hole-position, and sometimes as striker.-Club career:...
, José Montiel
José Montiel
José Arnulfo Montiel Núñez is a Paraguayan football midfielder. He currently plays for the Italian club Reggina.-Career:...
and Óscar Cardozo
Óscar Cardozo
Óscar René Cardozo Marín is a Paraguayan footballer who plays for S.L. Benfica in Portugal, as a striker.Known for his powerful left-foot shot and free-kick skills, he first gained notoriety whilst playing for Newell's Old Boys, which led to a move to Benfica, where he scored more than 100...
were thought key to the re-building of the team.
The renovated squad reached first place in the CONMEBOL qualifiers, and becoming the second CONMEBOL team to qualify for the 2010 FIFA World Cup
2010 FIFA World Cup
The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010...
, ahead of continental powers Argentina, Ecuador, Colombia, and Chile. Paraguay defeated Brazil at home (2–0), defeated Chile and Colombia away (0–3 and 0–1), and tied Argentina in Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. Qualification was secured with a 1–0 win over Diego Maradona's Argentina
Argentina national football team
The Argentina national football team represents Argentina in association football and is controlled by the Argentine Football Association , the governing body for football in Argentina. Argentina's home stadium is Estadio Monumental Antonio Vespucio Liberti and their head coach is Alejandro...
on 9 September 2009.
On January 2010, a tragic head injury suffered in an assault forced Salvador Cabañas
Salvador Cabañas
Salvador Cabañas Ortega is a Paraguayan football striker who plays for the Paraguayan national team. A prolific and natural goalscorer, he is known for his array of skills on the field such as excellent heading, accurate shooting with either foot, receptions in tight spaces, and a combination of...
to abandon football for an unspecified period of time, which gave him no chance of making the final 23-man squad for South Africa 2010.
In their fourth consecutive World Cup appearance, Paraguay eventually reached the quarterfinals. Drawn into Group F
2010 FIFA World Cup Group F
Group F of the 2010 FIFA World Cup began on 14 June 2010 and ended on 24 June 2010. The group consisted of reigning World Cup holders Italy, Paraguay, New Zealand and Slovakia. Italy previously met Paraguay in 1950, in which Italy defeated Paraguay 2–0; neither qualified for the next round.Paraguay...
along with defending champions Italy
Italy national football team
The Italy National Football Team , represents Italy in association football and is controlled by the Italian Football Federation , the governing body for football in Italy. Italy is the second most successful national team in the history of the World Cup having won four titles , just one fewer than...
, Slovakia
Slovakia national football team
The Slovakia national football team represents Slovakia in association football and is controlled by the Slovak Football Association , the governing body for football in Slovakia. Slovakia's home stadium is Štadión Pasienky and their head coach is Vladimír Weiss...
, and New Zealand, they opened their tournament with a draw against the Italians, holding them 1–1 thanks to a first-half goal from Antolin Alcaraz
Antolin Alcaraz
Antolín Alcaraz Viveros is a Paraguayan footballer who plays for Wigan Athletic in the Premier League, as a central defender.-Club career:...
. In their second game, they beat Slovakia 2–0 with goals from Enrique Vera
Enrique Vera
Enrique Daniel Vera Torres, nicknamed Rambert is a Paraguayan football midfielder who plays for LDU Quito and the Paraguayan national team.-Club career:...
and Christian Riveros. Their final group match saw a goalless draw with New Zealand, clinching first place in Group F and setting up a date with Japan
Japan national football team
The Japan national football team represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association, the governing body for association football in Japan...
. Another goalless draw with the Japanese after 120 minutes went to penalties, which Paraguay won 5–3, advancing them for the first time in their history to the World Cup round of eight. In the quarterfinals they met powerhouses Spain
Spain national football team
The Spain national football team represents Spain in international association football and is controlled by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the governing body for football in Spain. The current head coach is Vicente del Bosque...
, to whom they lost 1–0 in a game where a goal by Nelson Haedo Valdez was controversially called an offside by the referee. The game also featured each team being awarded a penalty, both of which were contained, first by Spanish keeper Casillas and then by Paraguayan keeper Villar (both were also team captains for the game).
The Albirroja arrived back from South Africa on Monday, July 5 at 3:30 AM. Upon arrival, they were greeted by over 3000 fans at the airport and were decorated by the President of Paraguay. Gerardo Martino announced that he would take some time to decide his future, although the Paraguayan FA has offered him a four year contract to continue at the helm. Roque Santa Cruz also announced that this would be his last World Cup, but that he may play one more tournament, the Copa America in Argentina in 2011. ESPN.com reports that Gerardo Martino
Gerardo Martino
Gerardo Daniel Martino , nicknamed Tata, is an Argentine former football midfielder and current a manager.Martino played mostly for Newell's Old Boys in his native Rosario. He holds the record of appearances with the team playing a total of 505 matches in all official competitions...
will not return as head coach for Paraguay, however, he promised fans that he would help the team transition to the future and help the team select a new national team coach. Later, however, Martino decided to sign a new contract that will keep him in charge of the Albirroja until after the 2011 Copa America
2011 Copa América
The 2011 Campeonato Sudamericano Copa América, better known as the 2011 Copa América or the Copa América Argentina 2011, was the 43rd edition of the Copa América, the main international football tournament for national teams in South America...
.
Recent and forthcoming matches
Matches from the past 6 months as well as any future scheduled matches.see also 2011 Paraguay national team results.
see also 2012 Paraguay national team results.
Players
Current squad
The following players were called for the 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifying2014 FIFA World Cup qualification (CONMEBOL)
The South American Zone of 2014 FIFA World Cup qualification sees nine teams competing for places in the finals which are to be held in Brazil.-Format:The format for CONMEBOL's 2014 World Cup qualifying tournament is identical to the previous four editions...
matches to be played against and on 11 and 15 November 2011, respectively.
Caps and goals updated as November 15, 2011.
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Recent call-ups
The following players have been called up for the team in the last 12 months.|-----
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(injury)
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(injury)
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Previous squads
FIFA World Cup- 1930 FIFA World Cup squad
- 1950 FIFA World Cup squad
- 1958 FIFA World Cup squad
- 1986 FIFA World Cup squad
- 1998 FIFA World Cup squad
- 2002 FIFA World Cup squad
- 2006 FIFA World Cup squad
- 2010 FIFA World Cup squad
Copa America
- 1987 Copa América squad
- 1989 Copa América squad
- 1991 Copa América squad
- 1993 Copa América squad
- 1995 Copa América squad
- 1997 Copa América squad
- 1999 Copa América squad
- 2001 Copa América squad
- 2004 Copa América squad
- 2007 Copa América squad
- 2011 Copa América squad
Most caps
| Player | Paraguay career | Caps (Goals) |
|---|---|---|
| Carlos Gamarra Carlos Gamarra Carlos Alberto Gamarra Pavón is a former football player. He captained the Paraguay national team at international level, playing at Centre back, and is the most capped player in Paraguayan football history, having made 110 international appearances and scoring 12 goals.Gamarra is known for his... |
1993–2006 | 110 (12) |
| Denis Caniza | 1996–2010 | 100 (1) |
| Roberto Acuña | 1993–2011 | 100 (5) |
| Paulo Da Silva | 2000–present | 100 (2) |
| Justo Villar | 1999–present | 95 (0) |
| Roque Santa Cruz Roque Santa Cruz Roque Luis Santa Cruz Cantero is a Paraguayan footballer currently playing as a striker for La Liga club Real Betis on loan from Manchester City and the Paraguay national football team.... |
1999–present | 89 (25) |
| Celso Ayala | 1993–2003 | 85 (6) |
| José Saturnino Cardozo | 1991–2006 | 82 (25) |
| Roberto Fernández Roberto Fernández Roberto Eladio Fernández Roa is a retired football goalkeeper from Paraguay. He was capped 78 times for the Paraguay national football team in an international career that lasted from 1976 to 1989. He was also a member of the Paraguayan team that won the 1979 Copa América... |
1976–1989 | 78 (0) |
| Juan Bautista Torales | 1979–1989 | 77 (1) |
| Cristian Riveros Cristian Riveros Cristian Miguel Riveros Núñez is a Paraguayan footballer who plays for Turkish side Kayserispor on loan from Sunderland.-Career:Riveros started his career in his hometown club Colón de J.A... |
2005–present | 76 (14) |
| José Luis Chilavert José Luis Chilavert José Luis Félix Chilavert González is a Paraguayan former football player who played as a goalkeeper. He was a three-time IFFHS World's Best Goalkeeper award winner.... |
1989–2003 | 74 (8) |
| Estanislao Struway | 1991–2002 | 74 (4) |
| Carlos Humberto Paredes Carlos Humberto Paredes Carlos Humberto Paredes Monges is a Paraguayan footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Olimpia Asunción. His style of play has led the Paraguayan media to call him the "Master of the Midfield". Paredes plays defensive midfield, though he can also play as centre-forward, being... |
1998–2008 | 74 (10) |
| Carlos Bonet Carlos Bonet Carlos Bonet Cáceres is a Paraguayan footballer who plays as a right winger for Libertad in the Paraguayan Primera División. He has been chosen to represent his country in the 2002, 2006 and 2010 FIFA World Cups.-Honours:... |
2002-present | 74 (1) |
Top scorers
| Player | Paraguay career | Goals (Caps) |
|---|---|---|
| Roque Santa Cruz Roque Santa Cruz Roque Luis Santa Cruz Cantero is a Paraguayan footballer currently playing as a striker for La Liga club Real Betis on loan from Manchester City and the Paraguay national football team.... |
1999–present | 25 (89) |
| José Saturnino Cardozo | 1991–2006 | 25 (82) |
| Cristian Riveros Cristian Riveros Cristian Miguel Riveros Núñez is a Paraguayan footballer who plays for Turkish side Kayserispor on loan from Sunderland.-Career:Riveros started his career in his hometown club Colón de J.A... |
2005–present | 14 (76) |
| Julio César Romero | 1979–1986 | 13 (32) |
| Saturnino Arrúa Saturnino Arrúa Saturnino Arrúa was a leading Paraguayan footballer who was born in Ita, near Asunción, on 6 April 1949.Nicknamed El Nino, he began his career at his local team Sportivo Iteño as a fourteen year old, before signing for Cerro Porteño the following year... |
1969–1980 | 13 (26) |
| Carlos Gamarra Carlos Gamarra Carlos Alberto Gamarra Pavón is a former football player. He captained the Paraguay national team at international level, playing at Centre back, and is the most capped player in Paraguayan football history, having made 110 international appearances and scoring 12 goals.Gamarra is known for his... |
1993–2006 | 12 (110) |
| Gerardo Rivas | 1921–1926 | 12 (32) |
| Nelson Haedo Valdez Nelson Haedo Valdez Nelson Antonio Haedo Valdez is a Paraguayan football striker who currently plays for Russian Premier League side Rubin Kazan and the Paraguayan national team.-Early life:... |
2004–present | 12 (57) |
| Miguel Ángel Benítez | 1996–1999 | 11 (29) |
| Carlos Humberto Paredes Carlos Humberto Paredes Carlos Humberto Paredes Monges is a Paraguayan footballer who currently plays as a defensive midfielder for Olimpia Asunción. His style of play has led the Paraguayan media to call him the "Master of the Midfield". Paredes plays defensive midfield, though he can also play as centre-forward, being... |
1998–2008 | 10 (74) |
| Salvador Cabañas Salvador Cabañas Salvador Cabañas Ortega is a Paraguayan football striker who plays for the Paraguayan national team. A prolific and natural goalscorer, he is known for his array of skills on the field such as excellent heading, accurate shooting with either foot, receptions in tight spaces, and a combination of... |
2004–2009 | 10 (44) |
| Aurelio González | 1924–1937 | 10 (23) |
| Juan Bautista Villalba Juan Bautista Villalba Juan Bautista Villalba Maldonado was a Paraguayan footballer who played as a striker.Villalba was a striker, known for his great scoring ability and speed. He played for the Paraguayan national football team between 1945 and 1947, scoring ten goals... |
1945–1947 | 10 (22) |
World Cup record
| FIFA World Cup record FIFA World Cup The FIFA World Cup, often simply the World Cup, is an international association football competition contested by the senior men's national teams of the members of Fédération Internationale de Football Association , the sport's global governing body... |
||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | GP | W | D* | L | GS | GA |
 19301930 FIFA World Cup The 1930 FIFA World Cup was the inaugural FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Uruguay from 13 July to 30 July 1930... |
Group Stage | 9th | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
 19341934 FIFA World Cup The 1934 FIFA World Cup was the second FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in Italy from 27 May to 10 June 1934.... |
Did Not Enter | |||||||
 19381938 FIFA World Cup The 1938 FIFA World Cup was the third staging of the World Cup, and was held in France from 4 June to 19 June. Italy retained the championship, beating Hungary 4–2 in the final.-Host selection:... |
||||||||
 19501950 FIFA World Cup The 1950 FIFA World Cup, held in Brazil from 24 June to 16 July, was the fourth FIFA World Cup. It was the first World Cup since 1938, the planned 1942 and 1946 competitions having been canceled owing to World War II... |
Group Stage | 11th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
 19541954 FIFA World Cup The 1954 FIFA World Cup, the fifth staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Switzerland from 16 June to 4 July. Switzerland was chosen as hosts in July 1946. The tournament set a number of all-time records for goal-scoring, including the highest average goals scored per game... |
Did Not Qualify | |||||||
 19581958 FIFA World Cup The 1958 FIFA World Cup, the sixth staging of the World Cup, was hosted by Sweden from 8 June to 29 June. The tournament was won by Brazil, who beat Sweden 5–2 in the final for their first title. To date, this marks the only occasion that a World Cup staged in Europe was not won by a European... |
Group Stage | 12th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 | 12 |
 19621962 FIFA World Cup The 1962 FIFA World Cup, the seventh staging of the World Cup, was held in Chile from 30 May to 17 June. It was won by Brazil, who retained the championship by beating Czechoslovakia 3–1 in the final... |
Did Not Qualify | |||||||
 19661966 FIFA World Cup The 1966 FIFA World Cup, the eighth staging of the World Cup, was held in England from 11 July to 30 July. England beat West Germany 4–2 in the final, winning the World Cup for the first time, so becoming the first host to win the tournament since Italy in 1934.-Host selection:England was chosen as... |
||||||||
 19701970 FIFA World Cup The 1970 FIFA World Cup, the ninth staging of the World Cup, was held in Mexico, from 31 May to 21 June. The 1970 tournament was the first World Cup hosted in North America, and the first held outside South America and Europe. In a match-up of two-time World Cup champions, the final was won by... |
||||||||
 19741974 FIFA World Cup The 1974 FIFA World Cup, the tenth staging of the World Cup, was held in West Germany from 13 June to 7 July. The tournament marked the first time that the current trophy, the FIFA World Cup Trophy, created by the Italian sculptor Silvio Gazzaniga, was awarded... |
||||||||
 19781978 FIFA World Cup The 1978 FIFA World Cup, the 11th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in Argentina between 1 June and 25 June. The 1978 World Cup was won by Argentina who beat the Netherlands 3–1 after extra time in the final. This win was the first World Cup title for Argentina, who became the fifth... |
||||||||
 19821982 FIFA World Cup The 1982 FIFA World Cup, the 12th FIFA World Cup, was held in Spain from 13 June to 11 July. The tournament was won by Italy, after defeating West Germany 3–1 in the final.-Host selection:... |
||||||||
| 1986 1986 FIFA World Cup The 1986 FIFA World Cup, the 13th FIFA World Cup, was held in Mexico from 31 May to 29 June. The tournament was the second to feature a 24-team format. Colombia had been originally chosen to host the competition by FIFA but, largely due to economic reasons, was not able to do so and officially... |
Round of 16 | 13th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
 19901990 FIFA World Cup The 1990 FIFA World Cup was the 14th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 8 June to 8 July 1990 in Italy, the second country to host the event twice. Teams representing 116 national football associations from all six populated... |
Did Not Qualify | |||||||
 19941994 FIFA World Cup The 1994 FIFA World Cup, the 15th staging of the FIFA World Cup, was held in nine cities across the United States from June 17 to July 17, 1994. The United States was chosen as the host by FIFA on July 4, 1988... |
||||||||
| 1998 1998 FIFA World Cup The 1998 FIFA World Cup, the 16th FIFA World Cup, was held in France from 10 June to 12 July 1998. France was chosen as host nation by FIFA on 2 July 1992. The tournament was won by France, who beat Brazil 3-0 in the final... |
Round of 16 | 14th | 4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
  20022002 FIFA World Cup The 2002 FIFA World Cup was the 17th staging of the FIFA World Cup, held in South Korea and Japan from 31 May to 30 June. It was also the first World Cup held in Asia, and the last in which the golden goal rule was implemented. Brazil won the tournament for a record fifth time, beating Germany 2–0... |
Round of 16 | 16th | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 7 |
 20062006 FIFA World Cup The 2006 FIFA World Cup was the 18th FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international football world championship tournament. It was held from 9 June to 9 July 2006 in Germany, which won the right to host the event in July 2000. Teams representing 198 national football associations from all six... |
Group Stage | 18th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
 20102010 FIFA World Cup The 2010 FIFA World Cup was the 19th FIFA World Cup, the world championship for men's national association football teams. It took place in South Africa from 11 June to 11 July 2010... |
Quarter-Final | 8th | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
 20142014 FIFA World Cup The 2014 FIFA World Cup will be the 20th FIFA World Cup, an international association football tournament that will take place in Brazil from 12 June to 13 July 2014.... |
To Be Determined | |||||||
 20182018 FIFA World Cup The bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups was the process by which the locations for the 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cups were selected. The process began officially in March 2009; eleven bids from thirteen countries were received, including one which was withdrawn and one that was... |
||||||||
 20222022 FIFA World Cup The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be the 22nd FIFA World Cup, an international association football tournament that is scheduled to take place in 2022 in Qatar. The competition is scheduled to take place in June and July, although proposals have been made for a winter season. The tournament will involve... |
||||||||
| Total | Quarter-Final | 8/19 | 27 | 7 | 10 | 10 | 30 | 38 |
- *Denotes draws include knockout matches decided on penalty kicksPenalty shootout (football)A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game...
.
Olympic Games record
- 1992 – Quarter-Finals
- 2004Football at the 2004 Summer OlympicsThe football tournament at the 2004 Summer Olympics started on 11 August, , and ended on 28 August.The men's tournament is played by U-23 national teams, with up to three over age players allowed per squad...
– Silver Medal (Second place)
Copa América record
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South American Championship 1956 South American Championship 1956 was a football tournament held in Uruguay and won by Uruguay with Chile as a second.Enrique Hormazábal from Chile became top scorer of the tournament with 4 goals.-Final round:----------------------------... – Fifth place South American Championship 1957 The South American Championship 1957 was a football tournament held in Peru and won by Argentina with Brazil as a second.Humberto Maschio from Argentina and Javier Ambrois from Uruguay became top scorers of the tournament with 9 goals each.-Final round:... – Withdrew South American Championship 1959 (Argentina) The South American Championship 1959 was a football tournament held in Argentina, and won by Argentina with Brazil in second.Pelé from Brazil became top scorer of the tournament with 8 goals.-Stadium:All games played in Buenos Aires, at Estadio Monumental.... – Third place South American Championship 1959 (Ecuador) The 1959 South American Championship held in Ecuador was an extra South American Championship for the year. The tournament was contested between five teams; Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, and Peru did not participate and Brazil attended with a team from Pernambuco... – Fifth place South American Championship 1963 The South American Championship 1963 was held in Bolivia between 10 March and 31 March 1963. It was won by Bolivia with Paraguay second. This is so far, the only Copa America which was won by Bolivia.... – Runners-up South American Championship 1967 The South American Football Championship 1967 was held in Uruguay and won by Uruguay with Argentina as a second.Luis Artime from Argentina and Mora from Paraguay were the top scorers of the tournament with 5 goals each... – Fourth place Copa América 1975 The 1975 edition of the Copa América football tournament was played between July 17 and October 28. For the first time in the history of the event there was no fixed venue, and all matches were played throughout the year in each country. In addition, the tournament changed its name from South... – Round 1 Copa América 1979 The 1979 edition of the Copa América soccer tournament was played between July 10 and December 12. This time, the continental champion would not go to the FIFA World Cup. It was not held in a particular country, all matches were played on a home and away basis... – Winners Copa América 1983 The 1983 Copa América football tournament was played between August 10 and November 4, with all ten CONMEBOL members participating. Defending champions Paraguay got a bye into the semifinals.-First round:... – Semi-Finals Copa América 1987 The 1987 Copa América was 33rd edition of the Copa América, CONMEBOL's national team competition. It was the first Copa América under the new rotational hosting system. Argentina, as the first country alphabetically, hosted the tournament between June 27 to July 12, 1987... – Round 1 Copa América 1989 The Copa América 1989 football tournament was hosted by Brazil, from July 1 to July 16, 1989. All ten CONMEBOL member nations participated.Brazil won their fourth Copa América, and first since 1949, by beating Uruguay 1-0 in the final match at the Maracanã.... – Fourth place Copa América 1991 The 1991 Copa América football tournament was hosted by Chile, from July 8 to July 21, 1991. It was organized by CONMEBOL and all ten member nations participated.This was the last time that the tournament consisted of only CONMEBOL member nations... – Round 1 Copa América 1993 The 1993 Copa América was the 36th Copa América, CONMEBOL's football tournament for national teams. It was held in Ecuador between June 15 and July 4. All 10 CONMEBOL members took part, but for the first time two nations from outside CONMEBOL were invited to take part in the tournament. Mexico and... – Quarter-Finals Copa América 1995 The 1995 Copa América football tournament was staged in Uruguay. It was won by Uruguay, who beat Brazil 5-3 in the penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in the final. All 10 CONMEBOL members took part, with Mexico and the USA invited in order to reach 12 teams.... – Quarter-Finals Copa América 1997 Bolivia hosted the Copa América for the second time in its 38th edition. It was held from June 11 to June 29, 1997. It was organised by CONMEBOL, South America's football governing body.There is no qualifying for the final tournament... – Quarter-Finals Copa América 1999 The 1999 Copa América was a football tournament held in Paraguay, from June 29 to July 18, 1999. It was organised by CONMEBOL, South America's football governing body.There is no qualifying for the final tournament... – Quarter-Finals Copa América 2001 The Copa América 2001 was held in Colombia, from July 11 to July 29, 2001. It was organised by CONMEBOL, South America's football governing body.... – Round 1 Copa América 2004 The Copa América 2004 was the 41st edition of the Copa América, the South-American championship for international association football teams. The competition was organized by CONMEBOL, South America's football governing body, and was held in Peru, who hosted the tournament for the sixth time,... – Quarter-Finals Copa América 2007 The 2007 Campeonato Sudamericano Copa América, known simply as the 2007 Copa América or 2007 Copa América Venezuela, was the 42nd edition of the Copa América, the South-American championship for international association football teams... – Quarter-Finals |
Pan American Games record
- 1951Football at the 1951 Pan American GamesThe first edition of the football tournament at the Pan American Games was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina, from February 25 to March 8, 1951. Five teams did compete, after Brazil withdrew on February 16, 1951.-Matches:-External links:*...
– Fifth place - 1955Football at the 1955 Pan American GamesThe second edition of the football tournament at the Pan American Games was held in Mexico City, Mexico, from March 13 to March 22, 1955. Four teams did compete, with Argentina defending the title.-Matches:-External links:*...
to 1983Football at the 1983 Pan American GamesThe ninth edition of the Men's Football Tournament at the Pan American Games was held in Caracas, Venezuela, from August 15 to August 27, 1983. Ten teams competed in a first round-robin competition, with Brazil defending the title. After the preliminary round there was a final round.-Group A:-Group...
– Did not compete - 1987Football at the 1987 Pan American GamesThe tenth edition of the Men's Football Tournament at the Pan American Games was held at the William Kuntz Soccer Center in Indianapolis, United States from August 9 to August 21, 1987. Twelve teams competed, with title defender Uruguay missing...
– Round 1 - 1991Football at the 1991 Pan American GamesThe eleventh edition of the Men's Football Tournament at the Pan American Games was held in Havana, Cuba from August 4 to August 13, 1991. Eight teams competed, with title holder Brazil missing...
– Did not compete - 1995Football at the 1995 Pan American GamesThe twelfth edition of the Men's Football Tournament at the Pan American Games was held in Mar del Plata, Argentina from March 10 to March 24, 1995. Twelve teams competed, with title defender USA being eliminated in the first round...
– Quarter-Finals - 1999Football at the 1999 Pan American GamesThe thirteenth edition of the Men's Football Tournament at the Pan American Games was held in Winnipeg, Canada from July 23 to August 7, 1999. Ten U-23 teams competed, with title defender Argentina missing...
– Did not compete - 2003Football at the 2003 Pan American GamesThe fourteenth edition of the football at the Pan American Games was held in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic from August 2 to August 15, 2003. Eight U-23 teams competed, with Mexico defending its title. The South American teams played with their U-20 teams...
– Round 1 - 2007Football at the 2007 Pan American GamesThe football tournaments at the 15th Pan American Games were held in Rio de Janeiro in July 2007. The fifteenth edition of the men's competition was played by 12 teams, while the third edition of the women's tournament was played by 10 countries....
– Did not compete - 2011Football at the 2011 Pan American GamesFootball at the 2011 Pan American Games was held in Guadalajara, Mexico from October 18 to October 28. Associations affiliated with FIFA were invited to send their full women's national teams and men's U-22 teams to participate...
– Did not qualify
See also
- Paraguay women's national football teamParaguay women's national football teamThe Paraguay women's national football team represents Paraguay in international women's football.-World Cup record:-Olympic Games record:*1996 to 2008: Did not qualify-Panamerican Games record:*Winnipeg 99: Did not enter...
- Paraguay national under-20 football teamParaguay national under-20 football teamParaguay national under-20 football team represents Paraguay in international football competitions such as FIFA U-20 World Cup and South American Youth Championship.-Overview:...
- Paraguay national under-17 football teamParaguay national under-17 football teamParaguay national under-17 football team represents Paraguay in international football competitions such as FIFA U-17 World Cup and South American Under-17 Football Championship.-Overview:...
- Paraguay national futsal teamParaguay national futsal teamThe Paraguay national futsal team represents Paraguay during international futsal competitions and is controlled by a branch of the Paraguayan Football Association...
- Football in ParaguayFootball in ParaguayFootball is by far the most popular sport in Paraguay to the point that it is part of the nation's culture.-History:Football was first introduced in Paraguay by Dutchman William Paats, who moved from the Netherlands to Asunción in 1888...
External links
- Official site of the Paraguayan Football Association
- RSSSF archive of results 1919–2004
- RSSSF archive of most capped players and highest goalscorers
- Planet World Cup archive of results in the World Cup
- Planet World Cup archive of squads in the World Cup
- Planet World Cup archive of results in the World Cup qualifiers
- Paraguayan Football Site