Paraguay has produced some truly gifted soccer players who’ve made their mark in South America and beyond. The country’s football tradition mixes tough defense with creative attackers who’ve found success in top leagues across the globe.
Some of the greatest soccer players from Paraguay include legendary goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert, prolific striker Roque Santa Cruz, and modern star Miguel Almirón, among many others who have shaped the nation’s football identity. These players have represented Paraguay in multiple World Cups and played for major clubs in Europe and South America.
Paraguay are back at the World Cup for the first time since 2010, and they arrive as one of the most underrated teams in the tournament. They finished sixth in CONMEBOL qualifying with 28 points, beating Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay at home and recording more qualifying wins than losses for the first time in 16 years.
Under experienced Argentine coach Gustavo Alfaro, Paraguay are pragmatic, physical, and hard to beat. They are in Group D alongside the United States, Australia, and Turkey. Their opening game against the host nation on June 12 in Los Angeles is one of the most anticipated matches of the group stage.
Here are the 10 best soccer players from Paraguay at the 2026 World Cup.
1. Miguel Almirón — Midfielder
Position: Midfielder/Winger
Age: 32 | Club: Atlanta United (USA)
Miguel Almirón is Paraguay’s most recognisable name and the player opponents build their defensive plans around. A fan favourite during his years at Newcastle United in the Premier League, he returned to Atlanta United in MLS in 2025 and rediscovered his form, scoring 6 goals and adding 4 assists across the season.
With 76 caps and 10 international goals, he is Paraguay’s most experienced midfielder and the creative force that makes them tick. He assisted the equaliser against the United States in a November friendly, showing he still has the quality to hurt top opposition. He is one of the best playmakers South America has produced and one of the most skilled dribblers in the squad.
2. Gustavo Gómez — Defender (Captain)
Position: Centre-Back
Age: 33 | Club: Palmeiras (Brazil)
Gustavo Gómez is Paraguay’s captain and defensive leader. With 89 caps and 4 international goals, he is a former AC Milan centre-back who has won league titles in Paraguay, Argentina, and Brazil. He now captains Palmeiras, one of the biggest clubs in South America.
He is commanding in the air, aggressive in the tackle, and a vocal leader who sets the intensity level for the entire back line. Alfaro’s system is built on defensive solidity and Gómez is the cornerstone of it. He is one of the best centre-backs South America has produced in his generation.
3. Julio Enciso — Forward
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Forward
Age: 22 | Club: Strasbourg (France)
Julio Enciso is Paraguay’s most exciting young talent and the player the whole nation is watching most closely. He spent several seasons at Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League before joining Strasbourg in 2025, and has Premier League experience that makes him a genuine threat at this level.
With 32 caps and 4 international goals, including 3 in qualifying, he is a jinking, skilful attacking midfielder with the ability to unlock defences in tight spaces. He is racing to be fit after an injury in a pre-tournament friendly, but when available he is one of the most dangerous young attacking talents at this World Cup.
4. Diego Gómez — Midfielder
Position: Midfielder
Age: 23 | Club: Brighton and Hove Albion (England)
Diego Gómez is the breakout performer of the Paraguayan squad and arguably their most exciting midfielder. He plays in the Premier League with Brighton, which immediately marks him out as one of the highest-quality players in this group.
With 24 caps and 3 international goals at just 23, he is dynamic, technically excellent, and capable of driving forward from central positions with real intent. He is 14 years younger than Almirón and represents the next wave of Paraguayan talent coming through the ranks. He is one of the best young central midfielders in CONMEBOL right now.
5. Ramón Sosa — Midfielder
Position: Midfielder/Winger
Age: 26 | Club: Palmeiras (Brazil)
Ramón Sosa is one of the most underrated players in this Paraguay squad. He plays his club football at Palmeiras in the Brazilian Serie A alongside captain Gustavo Gómez, and has developed into one of the most consistent wide midfielders in South American football.
With 29 caps and 1 international goal, he provides energy, pressing, and directness from wide areas. Alfaro relies on him to carry the ball forward and create problems in transition. He is one of the fastest and most direct wide players in the squad.
6. Júnior Alonso — Defender
Position: Centre-Back/Defender
Age: 33 | Club: Atlético Mineiro (Brazil)
Júnior Alonso is one of the most experienced defenders in this squad with 71 caps and is a key pillar in Paraguay’s defensive structure alongside Gómez. He plays his club football at Atlético Mineiro in Brazil’s Serie A, one of the most competitive leagues in South America.
He is combative, reads the game well, and averaged more than one tackle per 90 minutes in Brazilian Serie A last season. His four yellow cards in qualifying show how intense his defending is. He is one of the most important players in keeping Paraguay defensively compact throughout Group D.
7. Omar Alderete — Defender
Position: Centre-Back/Defender
Age: 29 | Club: Sunderland (England)
Omar Alderete is the Premier League representative among Paraguay’s defenders and one of their most technically capable centre-backs. He plays for Sunderland in England and brings a level of top-league experience that is valuable in a squad where many players are based in South America.
With 36 caps and 3 international goals, he is physical, comfortable on the ball, and capable of contributing in attacking situations from set pieces. He gives Alfaro flexibility in how he structures the back line.
8. Antonio Sanabria — Forward
Position: Striker
Age: 30 | Club: Cremonese (Italy)
Antonio Sanabria is Paraguay’s most experienced striking option and likely to lead the line as the primary centre-forward throughout Group D. With 48 caps and 7 international goals, he is a physical, hard-working striker who holds the ball up and creates space for Almirón and Enciso around him.
He is not the most prolific striker in South American football, but Alfaro’s pragmatic system is not built around a prolific number nine. Sanabria’s work rate and pressing from the front are exactly what is needed in this tactical setup.
9. Fabián Balbuena — Defender
Position: Centre-Back
Age: 34 | Club: Grêmio (Brazil)
Fabián Balbuena is one of the most experienced defenders in the squad. A former West Ham United centre-back, he now plays for Grêmio in Brazil and brings Premier League-tested experience and physical defending to Paraguay’s back line.
With 48 caps, he is another layer of defensive reliability behind the first-choice pairing of Gómez and Alonso. At 34, he is a veteran whose reading of the game compensates for any reduction in physical pace. He is one of the most experienced defenders at this World Cup.
10. Andrés Cubas — Midfielder
Position: Defensive Midfielder
Age: 30 | Club: Vancouver Whitecaps (Canada)
Andrés Cubas is the defensive midfielder who provides the base for Paraguay’s midfield to function. With 33 caps and solid MLS experience at Vancouver Whitecaps, he is a disciplined, combative player who wins the ball, protects the defence, and allows Almirón and Gómez to play further forward.
He is not the most glamorous player in the squad but he is one of the most necessary. In Paraguay’s defensive, transition-based system, Cubas is the player who keeps the structure intact. He is one of the best defensive midfielders in the Paraguayan setup.
Conclusion
Paraguay arrive at the 2026 World Cup as a team built on defensive solidity, hard work, and the individual brilliance of Almirón and Enciso. They beat Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay in qualifying. Do not underestimate them.
Group D against the United States, Australia, and Turkey is tough but entirely winnable. If Alfaro gets the structure right and Enciso stays fit, Paraguay are capable of reaching the knockout rounds.
Other players worth watching include Damián Bobadilla, Matías Galarza, Kaku, and Braian Ojeda.
Who do you think will be Paraguay’s standout player at the 2026 World Cup? Let us know in the comments!
