Betting odds Paraguay

Manager: Gerado Martino
Captain: Denis Caniza
FIFA World Ranking: 23
World Cup appearances: 7
Best World Cup: Round 2; 1986, 1998 & 2002

Paraguay Team Profile

The Paraguayans head into South Africa in high spirits after recording their best ever performance in qualifying, finishing third in the South American zone, just a point shy of Brazil who, of course, finished as South American’s best nation once again. However, the sheer fact that Paraguay were in close proximity to Brazil the entire length of qualifying, even leading the way at one stage. Earlier victories over Brazil and Argentina will enable the entire Paraguay team to take plenty of heart in the fact that on their day they can beat the world’s best teams. The only real question is; can they bring the goods when the pressure is really on, when millions upon millions are watching their every move?

This will be Paraguay’s eighth time out in the finals of a World Cup, their fourth in succession proving in itself that Paraguay are an ever improving nation, growing more and more consistent with each year. The have, however, never made it past the Round of 16 stage of any previous World Cup they’ve entered into while they fell at just the group stage in Germany 2006. After claiming the scalps of both Brazil and Argentina during qualifying, they’ll be right to fancy their chances of an improved bid at the fourth time of asking.

Nickname: Guaranies

Paraguay Key Players

We were devastated to hear that one of Paraguay’s best players, Salvador Cabanas, was nearly murdered and required surgery to save his life. He won’t play any part in South Africa but any progression Paraguay make will surely be dedicated to Cabanas.

In a campaign where Paraguay remained solid throughout, we’ve actually pinpointed their forwards as their key players in South Africa, with a host of well-known forwards originating from Paraguay and looking to do their country proud in the summer.

The first of them despite not featuring for Paraguay during qualifying, is Roque Santa Cruz, who after several successful spells in the Premiership is a must on the Paraguay team sheet. Roque has scored 20 goals in 66 caps for his country and, providing he’s fit in the summer, will be eager to bolster his scoring credentials in South Africa.

Followed closely behind the Man City forward is two players who deputised admirably in the wake of Cabanas tragic accident and Santa Cruz’s host of injuries, Nelson Valdez and Oscar Cardozo. The pair play their football abroad, with Valdez playing for German side Borussia Dortmund and Cardozo enjoying a very good season with Portuguese giants Benfica. The two players are remarkably strong and know how to find the goal. Granted they don’t have the most prolific of goalscoring records for their country, but these two are genuinely quality players and will be a big threat for Paraguay in the final third of the pitch.

Strengths

Paraguay are a very solid unit. They have players strong in physical stature and they aren’t afraid to hustle. Their organisation whenever they didn’t have possession of the ball was outstanding during their qualifying games, as they get men behind the ball at all times and close the opposing player in possession down almost immediately. They do work very hard throughout and they could be a tough side to break down.

Weaknesses

The lack of depth within the Paraguay set up is a big concern especially now that Salvador Cabanas won’t play a part in the finals and Roque Santa Cruz’s persistent injuries are holding him back from making any real impact. Nelson Valdez and Oscar Cardozo are more than worthy replacements, but were one of those to receive a knock in South Africa, Paraguay would be left wafer thing in the striking department. However, if they can somehow keep their players fit, they could go far, or at least further than they’ve gone before – Round of 16.

Paraguay Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: South American
Position: 3rd
Win-Draw-Lose: 10-3-5
Goals Scored: 24
Goals Conceded: 16

Paraguay were mighty impressive during qualifying and earned many plaudits for their hard work, endeavour and sensational results over some of South American’s giants; beating both Brazil (2-0) & Argentina (1-0) in Paraguay. They also enjoyed a stint at the top of the South American table before stepping off the gas when they neared the finish line as qualification looked assured.

World Cup Potential: 3/5

Paraguay aren’t a bad little nation these days, with players now making a name for themselves all across Europe, with some even winning some silverware with some of Europe’s biggest clubs. However, their record at finals isn’t great – never reached the quarter-finals and exiting at the group stage in 2006. Injuries have also kept their star man out of action throughout qualifying, although the fact they coped remarkably well without Roque Santa Cruz leading the line bodes very well for their chances. They have already beaten both Argentina and Brazil on route to the finals, and if they can keep Santa Cruz in good shape during the course of the tournament, chances are they could very well record a personal best in South Africa with at least a quarter-final finish.

Paraguay World Cup Betting Odds

Paraguay to win the World Cup (Outright): 50/1 Expekt

Before the World Cup the odds on Paraguay were 80/1 

Official Paraguay World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Aldo Bobadilla (Independiente de Medellín)
Justo Villar  (Valladolid)
Diego Barreto (Cerro Porteño)

Defenders

Aureliano Torres (San Lorenzo)
Antolín Alcáraz (Bruges)
Darío Verón (Pumas)
Claudio Morel (Boca Juniors)
Julio Cáceres (Atlético Mineiro)
Paulo da Silva (Sunderland)
Carlos Bonet (Olimpia)
Denis Caniza (León)

Midfielders

Néstor Ezequiel Ortigoza (Argentinos Juniors)
Jonathan Santana (Wolfsburg)
Cristian Riveros (Cruz Azul)
Edgar Barreto (Atalanta)
Victor Cáceres (Libertad)
Enrique Vera (Liga Deportiva)

Strikers

Óscar Cardozo (Benfica)
Edgar Benítez (Pachuca)
Nelson Valdez (Borussia Dortmund)
Lucas Barrios (Borussia Dortmund)
Rodolfo Gamarra (Libertad)
Roque Santa Cruz (Manchester City)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Paraguay Fixtures – Group F

29/06 – 15.00 – Round of the last 16: Paraguay – Japan: 5-3 pen.

03/07 – 19.30 – Quarter Finals: Paraguay – Spain

World Cup 2010 Group F - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

Spain v Paraguay Betting Odds

Spain to win: 1/2 at Bet365
Draw: 31/10 at Boylesports
Paraguay to win: 7/1 at Ladbrokes

Spain

There are signs that Spain are coming good, just at the right time. Probably the best thing which has happened to them at the 2010 FIFA World Cup was getting beaten in their opening match by Switzerland. No-one saw that coming of course, not even the Spaniards themselves, but it will have served a purpose. It will have been a visible and clear warning to Vicente Del Bosque and his men, that even the best sides are not infallible when it comes to football, and that they cannot afford any slip ups. They got their bad game out of the way early, and it will have put a rocket up them. If they were thinking that they were untouchable going into the tournament, then they had to rethink their mental approach to the tournament pretty quickly. They have done that, and pressed on solidly, and with a lot of conviction. There was nothing wrong with their game in the Switzerland defeat, as they have subsequently gone to play in exactly the same manner and at exactly the same tempo as they did in that game. Things just don’t go your way on certain days, and that is all that happened to Spain. That defeat has probably given them an edge over Argentina and Brazil, the other tournament favourites, as Spain have shown that they can respond to adversity. There is usually a moment in tournament football where a team has their backs against the wall. The aforementioned South Americans have not been troubled at all.

Spain had to face a very defensive and negative Portugal side in the last sixteen, and their patience eventually paid off when David Villa hit the winner just after sixty minutes. Spain enjoy throwing their full backs forward with Joan Capdevila and Sergio Ramos being a large part of the attack. It works well in a system in which Xavi and Andres Iniesta roam around on the flanks, and that means they can double up on the wings with the over-lapping full backs. This works as Xabi Alonso and Sergio Busquets control the centre of the midfield, and Alonso gets forward plenty himself, and combine all that with the two strikers on the pitch, and that is why Spain are such a force. They have a lot power going forward, but not only that, they have the ethos of a South American team in that they value the possession of the ball. They are the one team from Europe that can match South American opponents in terms of holding on to the ball and always having a man available. It is a great formation, and the players know it well, as the squad remains pretty much unchanged from the one which won the Euro 2008 Championships. Their star man is David Villa, who has shown why Barcelona were prepared to pay so much money for him. He is ranking among one of the most accomplished forward players in the world, as he drifts in from the left, often standing out hugging the touchline on the left hand side of midfield when Spain have the ball at the back. He covers an enormous amount of ground, and because of the fact that he drops so deep, he is very hard to track.

Spain are keen to keep their feet on the ground, as the hype which surrounds them keeps growing and growing. They do have problems with Fernando Torres not being at his sharpest, but they are more than able to compensate for that. Even when substitutes come on, Spain simply do break stride from their technically brilliant passing game. They play the way that football should be played, on the deck and with short quick passes. They are not afraid to go forward, and that is because they are so comfortable and confident when in possession, they back themselves to keep a hold of the ball. The Spanish defence really has not been tested by any team, and the only problems they have had have been long balls have been pumped down the middle. This is something that they may get from Paraguay, but again in this match, Spain will weigh heavily in the possession charts, and once you start commanding possession, then you are a lot more likely to win the ball. Progression for Spain against Paraguay would mean a semi final showdown against either Argentina or Germany. But is there any hint of an upset coming from Paraguay? Spain will probably need to exert a lot of patience again, and that is something which they do very well. There is no panic, they simply get the ball in the right places and let individual talent do the rest.

Spain World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: W3, D0, L1
GF/GA: 5/2
Cards: Y1, 2Y0, R0
Most Shots:
Top Scorer:
Shots/On Goal: 74/29 (#2 on overall chart)
Fouls Committed: 43
Total Passes: 2803
Passes Complete: 2265 (81% success rate #1 on overall chart)

Paraguay

Paraguay’s Antolin Alcaraz will be a key figure in holding up their defence when they face Spain in their quarter final match. Paraguay are a very well balanced side, all thanks to their very strong defence. Paraguay finished top of their group ahead, and then they played their way past a tight last sixteen match against Japan, winning on a penalty shoot out. Paraguay’s lean defence have only conceded one goal at the tournament so far, and that was goalkeeping error which allowed Italy to equalise during their opening South Africa 2010 group match. They are the next South Americans to take on the European Champions, as Chile attempted and failed against the Spaniards in the group stages. So what can Paraguay bring to the table? It is a little surprising that they are quite as defensive as they are, as they have some very good talent up front. The backbone of their team is the defensive midfielder Nestor Ortigoza who literally does an old fashioned sweeper’s role, but in front of the back four instead of behind hit. This is what makes Paraguay so strong at the back, as he doesn’t venture far from his back four, offering some excellent protection. Paraguay also tend to keep quite narrow on the pitch when they haven’t got the ball, inviting people to go around the outside of them, much in the vein of Uruguay. The South American nations look to have the edge at South Africa 2010, as they have found that fine balance between defence, attack, finesse and muscle. Paraguay are tough side which won’t be giving the big star names of Spain any room for complacency during Saturday’s match.

This is the first time that Paraguay have been at the Quarter Finals of the World Cup and they are not just there to make up the numbers. They are one of four South American representatives, and their third place finish in qualifying from the continent showed just how much they have progressed as a nation. It is because of the strengthening in defence which is making the South Americans so strong, as there is an extra level of competitiveness in them thanks to an arduous qualification campaign. While their defensive systems work so well, none of the South American teams participating at the 2010 FIFA World Cup have been short of firepower. Paraguay actually play three strikers up front, just like Uruguay do, with Roque Santa Cruz and Edgar Benitez (or Nelson Valdez) flanking Lucas Barrios. While everyone has to drop back and help out in the midfield, there is always at least one man left up top to hit with the long ball, something Paraguay do very well. They have two very gifted central midfielders in Enrique Vera and Cristian Riveros. They have a formation which could frustrate Spain, and while the South Americans will be underdogs, they will be chomping at the bit to take on one of the best teams in the World. Paraguay have probably been guilty of not creating too many chances, and their low goal tally of three during the tournament will reflect that. This is why a match against Spain, who won’t play defensively, may just work more in Paraguay’s attacking favour. They will perhaps have just that little extra space to express themselves, something which they didn’t have a lot of against Italy and Japan in particular. Sticking in there is the plan for Paraguay, and the longer they can make a nuisance of themselves, the more they should be able to disrupt Spain and look for openings to take for themselves. Not an easy task, but if they stick to their shape and not panic into pushing forward, then they could give a very good account of themselves. They will have seen Spain struggle for goals against defensive set ups, and just five goals in the tournament for the Spaniards will give Paraguay a great deal of hope.

Paraguay World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: W2, D2, L0
GF/GA: 3/1
Cards: Y5, 2Y0, R0
Most Shots: Nelson Valdez
Top Scorer: Three players, 1
Shots/On Goal: 54/22 (#13 on overall chart)
Fouls Committed: 72
Total Passes: 2019
Passes Complete: 1365 (68% success rate #8 on overall chart)

Spain v Paraguay Betting Prediction: Paraguay +1 Asian Handicap Evens at BetFair

Current Paraguay v Spain Odds:

World Cup Group F Teams: Italy, Paraguay, Slovakia, New Zealand. A fascinating betting group is this one. The defending Champions Italy were drawn in this group, and they have a great mix of opposition to test their mettle, as they look to retain their title. They are waiting news on the fitness of Andrea Pirlo, and World Cup odds are well worth casting an eye over in this one. What will Paraguay and Slovakia bring to the table? Can New Zealand take any points from their second ever World Cup? There is less than a week now to finalise your World Cup betting, before the big kick off in Johannesburg on June 11th. Here we take a look at the best value bets to be found on Group F, to help your betting decisions.

Group Outright: Italy 1/2 at Ladbrokes
The Italians, under Marcello Lippi have not been taking the same route to the 2010 FIFA World Cup and most other nations. Instead of honing their match sharpness, they have instead, been focusing on their conditioning at camp. What does this mean in terms of betting on Italy at the World Cup? Well, the defending champions have been labeled everything from Dad’s Army to Golden Oldies, describing the aging squad. While it is true they have some strong veterans in the squad, like Gianluigi Buffon, Gennaro Gattuso, Mauro Camoranesi, Gianluca Zambrotta and Andrea Pirlo, there is more than enough young legs in their side to run other teams into the ground. It is actually a very well balanced squad, and one thing that the Italians will have over most other teams in the tournament, is an incredible mentality. That is something which they will pull together on, even if they are not playing well. They came through European qualification comfortably, in their own style, which may lack a lot of flair of the likes of Spain, Holland and Brazil, but Italy know how to get the job done, and they have one of the best coaches in the world at handling tactics. How the Italians set themselves up, and how the Italians play won’t shock anyone, and that means teams will know how to play against them. It doesn’t mean that they will be able to beat them though. There is a lot to be admired about the defending champions, and they should be strong force in the group.

To Qualify: Slovakia 13/10 at William Hill
This really is one of the most exciting groups at South Africa 2010. Slovakia topped their European qualification group, edging out Slovenia, who beat the winners twice in the group. Slovakia though, still had enough to get over the finish line, and are worth looking at in World Cup Odds. They have had a few injury worries, including captain Martin Skrtel who has just found out that he will be able to participate in the World Cup after he received positive news about his injured ankle. Their key player is midfielder Marek Hamsik, who pulls all of the strings for Slovakia, as they head to their first ever World Cup. What benefits them on their debut, is that picking up points from their group opposition is extremely feasible. Being their first World Cup, they won’t be shy of taking on their group rivals, as they know they have nothing to lose. They should be able to pick up maximum points against New Zealand, and then it will be a test of their technical ability to beat out South American’s Paraguay for the second spot.

Top Group Stage Scorers: Paraguay 24/13 at Bwin
Paraguay showed a strong attacking flair in their impressive qualification campaign in the South American Zone. Their top scorer was Salvador Cabanas, who won’t be at South Africa 2010, as he was the unfortunate victim of a shooting to the head. While he is on the road to recovery, his absence will be sadly missed at South Africa 2010. The goal scoring duties will fall upon Nelson Valdez, Roque Santa Cruz and exciting young talent Lucas Barrios. They finished qualification just one point behind winners Brazil, and level on points with Chile. They do not have the strongest of defences though, and coach Gerardo Martino has demanded his players work harder at the back. Still, they have beaten World Cup bound Greece, fought back twice from behind to hold the Ivory Coast, but suffered a loss against the Republic of Ireland in their international friendly warm up matches. Paraguay have never been beyond the last sixteen of the World Cup, but it shows that they can get out of their group, and with their current side, they should explode with goals.

Group Goals Total: Under 15.5 goals Evens at Bwin
This may fly in the face of the Paraguay bet above, but this is a good value bet to back. Typically, Italy will not be full of goals, and being the seeded team in the group, a lot of what happens in the World Cup Fixtures in Group F will be influenced by the defending Champions. Italy should also be tight at the back, with the capability of blanking the rest of the group out. New Zealand will likely struggle for goals, and with the relative unknown quantity of Slovakia, this should be a tight group, with not too many goals flying in. The best match of the group should be Paraguay v Slovakia which could have a huge bearing on the next best value of the group.

Italy to finish second: 13/5 at Boylesports
Yes, this is worth looking at because of the odds. The Italians have not been having everything their own way in their build up for the 2010 FIFA World Cup, and this is why this bet is in here. After losing to Mexico and then drawing with Switzerland, the Italians are looking for a little bit of match sharpness, and having to face a Paraguay side in the first match, a side who likes to attack with pace, then they could be caught cold. This group could run a lot closer than many may think, especially with Slovakia in the mix as well. It is hard to see Italy not qualifying from the group, but there is a chance of upsets happening in Group F, and if so, then it will be at Italy’s expense. Italy are a great tournament nation, but could have their hands full here, and be pushed all the way.
 

South American dark horses Paraguay have named their preliminary World Cup squad, and have stirred up some nationality emotions by choosing Lucas Barrios. The Argentinean born forward has bags of talent, and has been proving his worth in one of the toughest European leagues, the German Bundesliga, where his 18 goals has made Paraguay coach Gerardo Martino sit up and take notice. It is this form which has earned Barrios a place in the preliminary Paraguay squad, after recently becoming a Paraguayan national. While they are not strong in World Cup Odds there is much speculation about the threat which the attacking flair of Paraguay can give not only to their Group F rivals, Italy, New Zealand and Slovakia, but to other teams in the knockout stages.

Manchester City will be represented by Roque Santa Cruz, who has been drafted into the provisional squad, despite dealing with injuries throughout the Barclays Premier League season. Other names to look out for when considering betting on Paraguay at the World Cup will be Oscar Cardozo and Nelson Valdez. There is some sad news for Paraguay though, in that their qualification top goalscorer Salvador Cabanas has not made the provisional squad. Cabanas was shot in the head in January while in a bar, and while he has reportedly recovered to a level of 95%, he is not being pencilled into Paraguay’s World Cup plans at the moment.

This is a sad blow for a sorry tale, but the Paraguayans have a lot to prove on the World Stage. They finished just a point behind Brazil in qualifying from the South American zone, and that makes them dangerous dark horses. If you are enjoying World Cup betting promotions at your online bookmaker for the tournament, then don’t discount and outside dabble on Paraguay getting out of the group. They are strong, have a great coach and make for a great tip. You can plot their course and check their fixtures with our printable World Cup Chart, which is free to download. Paraguay’s first match is against the defending champions Italy on June 14th in Cape Town.
 

South African side Paraguay, one of the strongest potential dark horses of the teams participating in World Cup 2010 have pencilled in some stern friendly opposition as part of their preparations. Paraguay will face Korea DPR, the Republic of Ireland, the Ivory Coast and Greece in some heavy warm up matches, as they look to build upon the strength of their qualification campgain. In the South American zone, Paraguay finished just a point behind winners Brazil, and level on points with Chile. Paraguay have always put out strong defensive sides in their World Cup performances in the past, but th current crop of players has shown that they have a lot of potential in going forward, harbouring enough firepower to push for qualification from their group, which contains defending World Cup champions Italy. 

Roque Santa Cruz is one of the more recognisable name in the Paraguay squad, although the Manchester City striker has been struggling for fitness through the season. Santa Cruz insists that the current Praguay set up is different to ones which have appeared on the world stage in the past. Not only do they have their famed defence to build upon, but they now have the perfect balance of firepower, as proven in the qualifciation process to reach the World Cup Finals in South Africa, which included a 2-0 victory over . Paraguay have never been beyond the last 16 in World Cup history, but 2010 represents their best chance of changing that stat. They are situated in Group F along with Slovakia, New Zealand and Italy, and World Cup Odds has the South Americans decently priced and situation to cause an upset or two along the way.

One of the top names to look out for when Paraguay take the field at the World Cup, is Oscar Cardozo, who is leading the goalscoring charts in both the Europa League and the Portuguese domestic league, with his club Benfica. Nelson Haedo Valdez and Lucas Barrios are also major threats, and carry a lot of the attacking weight if Paraguay are to have their best tournament ever. Paraguay were ranked eighth in the World just under a decade ago but fell from those heady heights, but are definitely moving in the right direction again as they have rised up to 23rd in the World Rankings, an impressive climb of six places. They should be a force to be reckoned with at the tournament, and should provide stern opposition for Italy and the improving Slovakia and hopeful New Zealanders. La Albirroja begin their World Cup Fixtures against Italy.

Manager: Gerado Martino
Captain: Denis Caniza
FIFA World Ranking: 23
World Cup appearances: 7
Best World Cup: Round 2; 1986, 1998 & 2002

Paraguay Team Profile

The Paraguayans head into South Africa in high spirits after recording their best ever performance in qualifying, finishing third in the South American zone, just a point shy of Brazil who, of course, finished as South American’s best nation once again. However, the sheer fact that Paraguay were in close proximity to Brazil the entire length of qualifying, even leading the way at one stage. Earlier victories over Brazil and Argentina will enable the entire Paraguay team to take plenty of heart in the fact that on their day they can beat the world’s best teams. The only real question is; can they bring the goods when the pressure is really on, when millions upon millions are watching their every move?

This will be Paraguay’s eighth time out in the finals of a World Cup, their fourth in succession proving in itself that Paraguay are an ever improving nation, growing more and more consistent with each year. The have, however, never made it past the Round of 16 stage of any previous World Cup they’ve entered into while they fell at just the group stage in Germany 2006. After claiming the scalps of both Brazil and Argentina during qualifying, they’ll be right to fancy their chances of an improved bid at the fourth time of asking.

Nickname: Guaranies

Paraguay Key Players

We were devastated to hear that one of Paraguay’s best players, Salvador Cabanas, was nearly murdered and required surgery to save his life. He won’t play any part in South Africa but any progression Paraguay make will surely be dedicated to Cabanas.

In a campaign where Paraguay remained solid throughout, we’ve actually pinpointed their forwards as their key players in South Africa, with a host of well-known forwards originating from Paraguay and looking to do their country proud in the summer.

The first of them despite not featuring for Paraguay during qualifying, is Roque Santa Cruz, who after several successful spells in the Premiership is a must on the Paraguay team sheet. Roque has scored 20 goals in 66 caps for his country and, providing he’s fit in the summer, will be eager to bolster his scoring credentials in South Africa.

Followed closely behind the Man City forward is two players who deputised admirably in the wake of Cabanas tragic accident and Santa Cruz’s host of injuries, Nelson Valdez and Oscar Cardozo. The pair play their football abroad, with Valdez playing for German side Borussia Dortmund and Cardozo enjoying a very good season with Portuguese giants Benfica. The two players are remarkably strong and know how to find the goal. Granted they don’t have the most prolific of goalscoring records for their country, but these two are genuinely quality players and will be a big threat for Paraguay in the final third of the pitch.

Strengths

Paraguay are a very solid unit. They have players strong in physical stature and they aren’t afraid to hustle. Their organisation whenever they didn’t have possession of the ball was outstanding during their qualifying games, as they get men behind the ball at all times and close the opposing player in possession down almost immediately. They do work very hard throughout and they could be a tough side to break down.

Weaknesses

The lack of depth within the Paraguay set up is a big concern especially now that Salvador Cabanas won’t play a part in the finals and Roque Santa Cruz’s persistent injuries are holding him back from making any real impact. Nelson Valdez and Oscar Cardozo are more than worthy replacements, but were one of those to receive a knock in South Africa, Paraguay would be left wafer thing in the striking department. However, if they can somehow keep their players fit, they could go far, or at least further than they’ve gone before – Round of 16.

Paraguay Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: South American
Position: 3rd
Win-Draw-Lose: 10-3-5
Goals Scored: 24
Goals Conceded: 16

Paraguay were mighty impressive during qualifying and earned many plaudits for their hard work, endeavour and sensational results over some of South American’s giants; beating both Brazil (2-0) & Argentina (1-0) in Paraguay. They also enjoyed a stint at the top of the South American table before stepping off the gas when they neared the finish line as qualification looked assured.

World Cup Potential: 3/5

Paraguay aren’t a bad little nation these days, with players now making a name for themselves all across Europe, with some even winning some silverware with some of Europe’s biggest clubs. However, their record at finals isn’t great – never reached the quarter-finals and exiting at the group stage in 2006. Injuries have also kept their star man out of action throughout qualifying, although the fact they coped remarkably well without Roque Santa Cruz leading the line bodes very well for their chances. They have already beaten both Argentina and Brazil on route to the finals, and if they can keep Santa Cruz in good shape during the course of the tournament, chances are they could very well record a personal best in South Africa with at least a quarter-final finish.

Paraguay World Cup Betting Odds

Paraguay to win the World Cup (Outright): 50/1 Expekt

Before the World Cup the odds on Paraguay were 80/1 

Official Paraguay World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Aldo Bobadilla (Independiente de Medellín)
Justo Villar  (Valladolid)
Diego Barreto (Cerro Porteño)

Defenders

Aureliano Torres (San Lorenzo)
Antolín Alcáraz (Bruges)
Darío Verón (Pumas)
Claudio Morel (Boca Juniors)
Julio Cáceres (Atlético Mineiro)
Paulo da Silva (Sunderland)
Carlos Bonet (Olimpia)
Denis Caniza (León)

Midfielders

Néstor Ezequiel Ortigoza (Argentinos Juniors)
Jonathan Santana (Wolfsburg)
Cristian Riveros (Cruz Azul)
Edgar Barreto (Atalanta)
Victor Cáceres (Libertad)
Enrique Vera (Liga Deportiva)

Strikers

Óscar Cardozo (Benfica)
Edgar Benítez (Pachuca)
Nelson Valdez (Borussia Dortmund)
Lucas Barrios (Borussia Dortmund)
Rodolfo Gamarra (Libertad)
Roque Santa Cruz (Manchester City)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Paraguay Fixtures – Group F

29/06 – 15.00 – Round of the last 16: Paraguay – Japan: 5-3 pen.

03/07 – 19.30 – Quarter Finals: Paraguay – Spain

World Cup Group F - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

World Cup Group of Paraguay