The Complete Paraguay 2026 World Cup Breakdown | Full Squad, Lineups & Tactical Analysis

April 10, 2026·37 min·1 clip

After losing all three Copa America 2024 group-stage matches — including one to Costa Rica — Paraguay hired ex-Costa Rica coach Gustavo Alfaro, who then lost only one of the next 12 World Cup qualifiers.

Paraguay gets the spotlight first. Renoso and Soltero come in with proper fan energy, shout out a Paraguayan colleague, and treat qualification for 2026 like something worth pausing on. The pitch is straightforward. Paraguay does not have Brazil or Argentina noise around them, but the hosts see an old-school South American problem for opponents. Then the midfield becomes the show. Alfaro has options, and that is the main reason the hosts think Paraguay can make games messy. It is not one samey group. Diego Gomez is the name they keep coming back to. They call him Paraguay's best midfielder and talk up how many jobs he can do, from breaking things up to arriving near goal. His Brighton move from Inter Miami matters in the conversation, with five Premier League goals used as evidence that the rise is real. Gomez is painted as more than a tidy passer. He roams, finds chances, shoots quickly, and has a knack for goal. The Casemiro comparison gets thrown in as shorthand for a do-a-bit-of-everything midfielder, not a perfect match. Around him, Cubas brings the bite as the destroyer. Villasanti gives the midfield legs. Bobadilla adds more power. Almiron gets a warmer, more personal lane. The hosts know his form has changed with age, but his Atlanta United to Newcastle story still makes him easy to root for. That fan attachment sits right beside the tactical talk, which is why the episode has some charge. Paraguay may have a hard tournament coming, but the hosts think a good reminder of Paraguayan football is possible.

As heard by us

A lively Paraguay preview that mixes tactical detail with real fan conviction.

Paraguay's 2026 FIFA World Cup case lands as a real football argument: awkward in one moment, disciplined in the next, and dangerous when the pressure rises.

Read the full review in PlayNext →

Why you'd press play

Want a Paraguay World Cup read that actually feels alive?

Read the full recommendation in PlayNext →

Listen to the show on

Apple Podcasts Spotify

Play clips from this episode More from VAMOS Network