Paraguay are back at the World Cup for the first time since 2010, but they made a losing start on their return to the finals.
Los Guaranies reached the quarter-finals in South Africa 16 years ago, succumbing to eventual champions Spain.
Matching that performance in North America already looks like a longshot, after their 4-1 defeat by United States on matchday one.
There is still time for Gustavo Alfaro’s side to turn things around and progress to the knockout stages, but they cannot afford any more slip-ups.
Paraguay World Cup 2026 fixtures
Paraguay were drawn into Group D of the 2026 World Cup. After beginning with their 4-1 defeat against co-hosts United States, they will look to bounce back against Turkey, before rounding off their group campaign against Australia.
READ MORE: Get the latest Paraguay World Cup 2026 outright odds here
Paraguay World Cup 2026 stats
Paraguay route to the World Cup
Paraguay didn’t have the easiest of qualifying campaigns, finishing sixth in the Conmebol qualifying group, sealing the final place at the World Cup and avoiding an inter-confederation playoff.
It was a slow start to the campaign, with Paraguay picking up just one point from their first three games. They only lost one of their next 12 games, though, including wins over Brazil, Argentina and Uruguay. It ended up being a very tight group stage with just one point separating second from sixth and the seven draws for Paraguay proved to be the difference between them having a more secure passage to the World Cup.
Paraguay key players for World Cup 2026
Paraguay top World Cup Golden Boot contender: Antonio Sanabria
- Key stat: Antonio Sanabria scored four goals in qualifying for the 2026 World Cup, despite only starting eight of Paraguay’s games.
Although not the most prolific goalscorer, Antonio Sanabria remains the fulcrum of this Paraguay attack and he will be called upon to deliver. The 29-year-old has scored just seven times in his 49 appearances for his country so far, although four of those came in the qualifying campaign for this very competition. Gustavo Alfaro’s side are not the most creative, so Jamie Vardy’s Cremonese team-mate will have to be clinical when chances come his way.
Paraguay primary playmaker: Miguel Almiron
- Key stat: Miguel Almiron managed 10 direct goal involvements in Major League Soccer last season after returning to Atalanta United from Newcastle United.
Miguel Almiron has been a mainstay in this Paraguay side since making his debut in 2015. The 31-year-old has now made over 70 appearances for La Albirroja and although his star has faded slightly since his Newcastle United heyday, he still made four assists and scored six goals in Major League Soccer last season upon his return to Atlanta United.
Paraguay card magnets & top tacklers: Junior Alonso
- Key stat: Junior Alonso was booked four times in qualifying for this tournament and averaged more than one tackle per 90 minutes in Brazil’s Serie A last season.
Versatile defender Junior Alonso has also made just over 70 appearances for Paraguay. The Atletico Mineiro defender was helpless in his side’s efforts to keep things tight at the back during the United States defeat, in which he was also booked.
That’s hardly surprising, though. After all, he picked up four bookings during qualifying, and 10 yellow cards in 45 appearances for his club in 2025.
Paraguay rising star: Diego Gomez
At the tender age of 23, Brighton star Diego Gomez is already an experienced star at both club and international level.
Though unable to help Paraguay achieve a positive result against United States, he did try to make things happen for his side – registering a team-high four shots on goal.
His Premier League knowhow will be key as the South American outfit look to make it to the knockout stages.
STAND-OUT STAT: Paraguay reached the 2010 quarter finals despite scoring just three goals – the lowest ever total for a team that reached the quarter-final stage.
Paraguay set-piece specialists
- Penalties: Julio Enciso
- Free-kicks: Julio Enciso, Miguel Almiron
- Corners: Julio Enciso, Miguel Almiron
Tactical analysis and formation
Team stats (average per game at 2026 World Cup):
- Corners: 1
- Shots on target: 1
- Shots on target conceded: 6
There’s plenty of experience in the Paraguay defence in 34-year-old Gustavo Gomez and 32-year-old Junior Alonso, though they were vulnerable to the pace of the United States’ attack during their opening match.
Sunderland centre-half Omar Alderete is one of several players with Premier League links, along with Brighton’s Diego Gomez and former Newcastle United winger Miguel Almiron.
Gomez and Almiron pose an attacking threat, as does ex-Seagull Julio Enciso, who won his race to be fit for the opening game. The latter provides support for Antonio Sanabria up front.
Get the latest Paraguay World Cup goals, assists, shots, passes and tackle stats here
Paraguay manager analysis
Paraguay do struggle to create chances under Gustavo Alfaro, despite the inclusion of attacking players like Almiron and Enciso in their squad. They lean heavily on defensive structure, high work-rate and physicality to get results, rather than the attacking dynamism of those players.
Paraguay’s qualifying record highlights this approach, as they played the lowest-scoring matches in the CONMEBOL section. They scored just 14 goals and conceded only 10 across 18 games.
The 63-year-old Alfaro has managed Ecuador and Costa Rica as well as a host of big-name South American sides and brings a wealth of experience to the role – expect him to stick to the pragmatism that got his team to the tournament in the first place here.
| Coach | Team | P | W | D | L | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gustavo Alfaro | Paraguay | 19 | 8 | 6 | 5 | 42.1% |
Paraguay World Cup FAQs
Have Paraguay ever won the World Cup?
No, Paraguay have not won the World Cup before. They have qualified for seven editions of the tournament but their last appearance was in 2010, where they reached the quarter-final stage.
Where did Paraguay finish in the last World Cup?
Paraguay did not qualify for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. They finished eighth in the CONMEBOL standings, eight points away from the inter-confederation final.
Who will be Paraguay captain at the World Cup?
Palmeiras defender Gustavo Gomez is the current Paraguay captain. The 32 year old centre-back has 86 caps to his name and is a two-time Copa Libertadores winner with Verdao.
Who is Paraguay’s top scorer at World Cups?
Nelson Cuevas scored three of his six international goals at World Cups, finding the net twice against Slovenia in 2002 and once versus Trinidad & Tobago in 2006. The overall top scorer for the Paraguay national team is former Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz, who scored 32 times in 112 appearances.
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