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Paraguay
CONMEBOL · D2 · Pot 2
Third-place threatGroup D fixtures
Key players to watch
Julio Enciso
AM · Strasbourg
The creative spark and main wildcard — a jinking dribbler with Premier League pedigree who scored in qualifying and takes set pieces.
Creator · set-piece taker
Miguel Almirón
FW · Atlanta United
The recognisable name and No.10; the ex-Newcastle man drifts in from the left and links the attack.
Playmaker
Gustavo Gómez
CB · Palmeiras · C
Captain and most-capped player (88); a commanding, trophy-laden centre-back who anchors a stubborn defence.
Defensive leader
Omar Alderete
CB · Sunderland
Aggressive, physical centre-back partner who makes Paraguay hard to break down.
Physical stopper
Diego Gómez
MF · Brighton
Energetic Premier League midfielder who gives the side legs and forward thrust.
Box-to-box engine
Antonio Sanabria
FW · Cremonese
Experienced striker (seven international goals) likely to lead a frugal attacking line.
Lone striker
Goals & output
Low-scoring by design: Enciso provides the moments of quality, Almirón links it, and Sanabria finishes what little is created. This is a side built to keep clean sheets and nick games, not to win shoot-outs.
Set-piece duties
Penalties
Julio Enciso
Free kicks
Enciso / Almirón
Corners
Enciso / Almirón
Enciso and Almirón share the dead-ball duties — Enciso the main penalty option, both delivering free kicks and corners. Given how few chances Paraguay create, set pieces are a meaningful share of their goal threat.
Discipline read
▲A pragmatic, physical block — Gómez and Alderete are commanding but will foul to protect the back line, and the side is happy to slow games down. A bookings-friendly read in tight matches.
Recent form
A first World Cup since 2010 (their ninth; best was the 2010 quarter-final). Gustavo Alfaro engineered the turnaround — after one point from three games, home wins over Argentina and Brazil sparked a run that claimed the last automatic CONMEBOL spot. Hard to beat and well-organised.
Head-to-head history
v USA (13 Jun)
Lost the last meeting
Beaten 2-1 by the USA in a November 2025 friendly — a tough recent marker, and a difficult opener in Los Angeles.
v Türkiye (20 Jun)
No meaningful history
Effectively a first competitive meeting in Santa Clara — potentially decisive for the runner-up and third-place race.
v Australia (26 Jun)
Limited history
Little to separate them historically; a final-day game in Santa Clara that could come down to who needs it more.
Underdog & betting read
The verdict
Unlikely to win the group but a genuine third-place threat through low-scoring, awkward games. The angles are unders, draw markets and Paraguay clean-sheet bets rather than backing them to win outright.