PARAGUAY

Paraguay is a nine-time World Cup participant with a best result of the 2010 quarterfinal. At the 2026 World Cup, Paraguay plays in Group D against the USA, Australia, and Turkey. Head coach Gustavo Alfaro, an Argentinian (since 2024), the former Ecuador coach at the 2022 World Cup and former Costa Rica boss. The leaders: Julio Enciso, Damián Bobadilla, Antonio Sanabria, Gustavo Gómez.

In 2010 in South Africa, Paraguay reached its first-ever quarterfinal. The group was navigable: a 1:1 draw with Italy in the tournament opener, a 2:0 win over Slovakia, a 0:0 draw with New Zealand. In the round of 16: a penalty win over Japan after 0:0. In the quarterfinal against Spain: an evenly contested 0:1 defeat to David Villa's goal. It was the best South American result at that tournament after Uruguay. After 2010, three failed qualifying cycles (2014, 2018, 2022), a 16-year gap.

Qualifying was dramatic. Paraguay was on the edge of missing out until Alfaro arrived in 2024. Alfaro, who coached Ecuador at the 2022 World Cup, rebuilt the team in 18 months and secured fifth place in South American qualifying. In Group D the main rival is the USA (the opener on June 13 in Los Angeles). Matches are in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and San Francisco. A possible knockout against Germany or Belgium — a real shot at the round of 16, like 2010.

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