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Gustavo Alfaro
9
Quarter-finals (2010)
Paraguay return to the World Cup with their old competitive identity restored, and that alone makes them a serious nuisance in a tight Group D.
Read full team guide →Pick every match, earn points, and challenge your friends. Predictions lock June 11.
Paraguay are back at the World Cup for the first time since 2010, and FIFA's qualification feature credited Gustavo Alfaro with orchestrating the turnaround. That framing is important because Paraguay's return is not just nostalgia. It is the result of a side rediscovering the old competitive identity that used to make them one of South America's hardest teams to move.
Defender
Palmeiras
Gomez remains the defensive reference point and the player who most clearly represents Paraguay's old-school edge.
Midfielder
Newcastle United
Almiron gives the side energy, directness and the ability to carry transitions over long distances.
Forward
Brighton & Hove Albion
Enciso adds the kind of improvisation and final-third invention Paraguay have badly needed in recent cycles.
Midfielder
Grêmio
Villasanti helps maintain the team's physical and tactical balance in midfield.
Goalkeeper
Puebla
Silva's experience matters in a side that often builds matches from defensive calm outward.
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