Scouting intel
compiled 2026-06-11 · SonarSquad value
€155m
Coach
Gustavo Alfaro
Form (last 5)
WWDWW
Key players
Miguel AlmirónRW/AM · Primary creative outlet cutting in from right€15m
Julio EncisoCF/SS · Mobile forward, key goal and xG contributor€18m
Diego GómezCM/AM · Box‑to‑box link, presses and carries in transition€14m
Ramón SosaLW · Direct winger, main 1v1 and counter threat€16m
Shape: Alfaro has settled on a compact 4-2-3-1/4-4-2, prioritising vertical attacks after regaining the ball and aggressive wing transitions.[2][4] Paraguay defend deep-to-mid block, keep central zones crowded, and rely on Almirón, Sosa and Enciso to create and finish fast breaks rather than long possession spells.[2][4][7]
Numbers: In CONMEBOL qualifying Paraguay were mid-table in non-penalty xG created but near the top for fewest big chances conceded, underlining a defense-first profile with modest attacking volume.[4][7] Their attack tends to generate fewer shots but from relatively good locations in transition, while a low block and strong aerial presence help limit opponents’ xG and set-piece quality.[2][4]
Key updates
- ▸Paraguay return to a World Cup for the first time since 2010 after claiming the final automatic CONMEBOL spot, built on home wins over Argentina and Brazil.[4][7]
- ▸Gustavo Alfaro, appointed during qualifying, has kept his job for the finals and is widely credited with imposing a more pragmatic, defensively solid structure.[2][4]
- ▸Antonio Sanabria arrives off a strong qualifying campaign as the central reference up front, scoring key goals including the winner versus Bolivia and the equaliser against Argentina.[4]
- ▸Paraguay are drawn in Group D with USA, Türkiye and Australia, facing the USA in their opener before two games in the San Francisco Bay Area.[2][6][7]