By Louis Smith.
Everyone saw the scenes from Asunción as Paraguay took on Nicaragua in their final match before heading to North America to compete at the World Cup. It will be their first World Cup appearance in 16 years, and, as you could see by the fireworks and the sea of red and white, it means everything to the Paraguayan people.
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The passion, excitement, and pride around the national team are clear to see. Qualifying for the World Cup for the first time in 16 years is something that has brought a country together.
Paraguay is a country that I have grown to love since 2019, which has involved several trips related to the country, meeting new and exciting people, all stemming from playing a simple game of Football Manager that led me on a journey thousands of miles away from my home in Halifax. It is a journey that has helped me build a relationship with a country that I never imagined I would have.
Discovering Paraguay
My journey with Paraguay actually began subconsciously without me even realising it. Back in 2006, England played Paraguay in the World Cup. It was the first proper World Cup match that I can remember watching, and I remember how frustrating it was watching England try to break them down. Despite taking an early 1-0 lead, England struggled to create chances against a stubborn Paraguayan side that refused to give anything away.
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Fast forward four years, and Paraguay were making headlines again at the 2010 World Cup. This time, they reached the quarter-finals, stunning many along the way and coming within touching distance of eliminating Spain. By that stage, England were already out of the tournament, and I found myself hoping Paraguay could cause an upset. There is always something appealing about an underdog story, and it would have been nice to see them go one step further and reach the semi-finals.
In 2019, I began football writing and decided to target South American football. Having watched and fallen in love with South American football, one country I decided to focus on was Paraguay. The reason for this was that Paraguay always seemed to be a country that went under the radar compared to some of the continent’s bigger nations.
I then came across football journalist Roberto Rojas and got in contact with him. Since then, we have remained friends. It originally started because I wanted to speak to somebody about Paraguay and their preparation for the 2022 World Cup qualifiers.
I was also put in touch with someone very similar to myself, Ralph Hannah, better known as “Paraguayan Ralph”. Ralph is an Englishman who, through his own visits to the country, fell in love with Paraguay and its football culture. He has an encyclopaedic knowledge of the country and its game, and has since gone on to form the Guaraní Vision podcast alongside Roberto, covering Paraguayan football in depth.
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Ralph is another person I have got on really well with. As he is an Arsenal fan, we always have a laugh and a joke whenever we speak. More often than not, those conversations end up turning towards Paraguayan football, its players and the unique stories that surround the game in the country.
During lockdown, Paraguay actually played quite a big role in my writing. Through covering the country, I managed to interview a couple of Paraguayan footballers, including Jorge Morel, and Matías Villasanti, who has since gone on to become an important player for both Paraguay and his club side, Grêmio.
Leo, a Paraguayan guy based in London, whom I came into contact with over football, would become a mate and someone who sent me some Empanadas to try, and they were perfect. I haven’t had the chance to meet up with Leo in person yet, but when we do, I’m sure it will be a great laugh! He has helped me conduct some of the interviews I have put out on WFI.
I also had the opportunity to tell the story of Sergio Orteman and how he helped lift Club Olimpia to their third Copa Libertadores title in 2002.
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What started as a simple interest in Paraguayan football was now giving me the opportunity to speak to players, hear their stories, and learn more about a country and football culture that I had become increasingly invested in.
Lockdown was a difficult time for everyone, but thanks to football and writing, it helped keep me away from boredom.
I managed to cover the story of Atlético Tembetary, a club ambitious about reaching the top flight of Paraguayan football, something they eventually achieved in 2025. I caught up with the owner and spoke about the club, their ambitions and the work they did during COVID to help provide food for families in need.
Through this, I was in contact with a guy called Daniel and another called Ricardo. Little did I know that, through a mate in Halifax, I would end up meeting Ricardo by chance for a pre-match pint at Anfield in late 2023. What started as a one-off meeting soon became a regular occurrence. It was a bizarre situation, discovering that my friend and I both knew the same person without ever realising it. Ricardo is a huge Liverpool fan and, whenever he is in England, spends most of his time following the Reds home and away, including on European nights.
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As well as this, I was speaking to another friend, Jose Lezcano, whom I have gotten to know over the years, José Lescano, who works with Olimpia. Through him, I helped break the news of Emmanuel Adebayor’s move to Club Olimpia.
Like most Paraguayans I know, he is a good guy and took me to a basketball game in the country, which was another great experience.
At the same time, I was tracking Paraguay’s results and following them during World Cup qualifying and Olympic qualifying.
My First Trip To Paraguay
In 2022, I finally got the chance to visit the country that I had been planning to go to during lockdown, and it was better than I probably could have imagined.
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I enjoyed the people, the food, and the asado. The smell of asado on a Sunday, travelling from Villa Morra to San Lorenzo, was absolutely fantastic. The people were so friendly and welcoming, it was unbelievable.
I also got my first taste of Paraguayan football as I watched Cerro Porteño defeat Resistencia 1-0. I was actually invited to do a tour of the stadium and got to stand on the pitch thanks to a friend who was working there at the time.
My experience of that first match was quite funny, actually. I went with a friend whom I had known for years. She had never really been to a football match before, but somehow we ended up in the crazy section of the Cerro Porteño supporters rather than the much more mellow stands.
It was an experience in itself. It was enjoyable. It was crazy. It was probably the closest thing to experiencing what it is like to be a true Cerro Porteño supporter, going week in and week out.
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One thing I quickly noticed about Paraguayans was how much football means to them. They always mention their World Cups. They always mention the 2010 team. They are incredibly proud of what that group achieved and how close they came to reaching the semi-finals.
I had a real experience of the Paraguayan Superclasico in 2023 when I met up with Roberto Rojas for the first time in person. He was with his cousin, Milton, who would also become a close friend of mine.
We watched the game at a packed General Pablo Rojas Stadium as the match finished 2-2. The game featured a screamer late on as Olimpia equalised, with Hugo Quintana smashing the ball into the back of the net. It was another fantastic experience and the first time I got to experience fireworks left, right and centre.
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It was just crazy. It was nonstop. But it was Paraguay.
In the same year, I got the chance to watch Libertad play. They were playing their home games at the Estadio La Huerta, a small stadium that I really enjoyed visiting.
It is not the biggest ground and, in some ways, it feels tucked away amongst the streets of Asunción, but it is a nice stadium and one that I enjoyed experiencing.
I also got to watch Enzo González, who has since moved to Wolves, and Alexander Barboza, who has since gone on to become a hero in South America after winning the Copa Libertadores and league title with Botafogo.
Of course, on the bench was veteran striker Roque Santa Cruz, one of the most recognisable names in Paraguayan football. He came on for the final ten minutes
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Libertad went on to win the game 2-1.
I also got the chance to travel to Ciudad del Este and, throughout the journey, I was fascinated by all the different Paraguayan cities and towns that I got to see. Up until that point, most of my experiences had been centred around Asunción, so it was nice to explore other parts of the country and get a better understanding of Paraguay beyond the capital.
Along the way, I passed through Caaguazú, the city where Brighton striker Julio Enciso was born. The city is known for its wood industry and manufacturing, and it was interesting to visit a place that had produced one of Paraguay’s brightest footballing talents.
Travelling across Paraguay gave me a different perspective on the country. It allowed me to see more of the places, people, and communities that make Paraguay what it is, rather than just experiencing life in Asunción.
Following Paraguay’s Journey Back to the World Cup
Travelling around Paraguay, whenever people realised I was English, they would always tell me about the 2006 and 2010 World Cups that they remembered. Those tournaments still mean a lot to the country, and the conversations would often turn to whether Paraguay could one day get back to those heights again.
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At the time, it was all gearing up towards another World Cup qualification campaign, with the hope that Paraguay could finally return to football’s biggest stage once again.
Their World Cup qualifying campaign did not get off to the greatest of starts and ultimately led to the dismissal of Daniel Garnero following a winless Copa América in 2024.
This led to Gustavo Alfaro taking charge and working what can only be described as miracles with the Paraguay national team.
What was always known about Paraguay was that they had a good core of players. After all, they had qualified for the Olympics for the first time in years, and there was plenty of talent coming through.
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I got to experience that first hand in Bordeaux when I travelled to watch Paraguay take on Japan at the Olympic Games. There I met Fabio, Roberto, and many other Paraguayans who had travelled thousands of miles to support their national team.
Outside the stadium, there was already a large group of Paraguayans gathered together, singing, chanting and cheering on the players as they arrived for the match. It was a crazy atmosphere and a fantastic experience. Considering how far Paraguay is from France, it was unbelievable to see so many supporters there.
The match itself did not go to plan. Paraguay suffered a 5-0 defeat after an early red card, but that did not stop them from competing in the tournament. They bounced back impressively and eventually reached the quarter-finals, narrowly missing out on a place in the semi-finals after suffering a penalty shootout defeat to Egypt.
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Even in defeat, it showed the character of Paraguayan football. Things do not always go their way, but they never stop competing.
Football, Friendship, and Asado
I managed to catch up with some friends in 2024, Milton and Juanjo, for an asado and a few beers, a typical Paraguayan weekend.
It was a great evening as we reminisced about football, World Cups, and some of our experiences following Paraguay over the years. Naturally, the conversation turned to 2010, a tournament that still means so much to Paraguayans. I even got to have a kick about myself on the local court in San Lorenzo.
Milton told me stories about the atmosphere in the country during that World Cup and just how crazy things became as Paraguay progressed through the tournament. He spoke about the excitement, the celebrations, and the belief that swept across the country as they reached the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
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Like many Paraguayans, he could remember exactly where he was during those matches. It was clear that, even all these years later, the memories of South Africa 2010 remain as strong as ever.
After an afternoon that began with drinking beer in a Shell petrol station garage and watching Liverpool run out 1-0 winners over Girona, he told me the story of how key striker Salvador Cabañas missed the 2010 World Cup after being shot in the head following an altercation in Mexico.
Cabañas was expected to be one of Paraguay’s most important players and a key part of their World Cup ambitions. Instead, events took a dark turn, and he was forced to miss the tournament. Remarkably, he survived and still lives to tell the tale.
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As Milton spoke about him, it was easy to understand just how highly regarded Cabañas was in Paraguay. He talked about his goals, his quality, and the impact he had on the national team. Even years later, there was still a sense of wonder when discussing just how good he was and what Paraguay may have achieved had he been available in South Africa.
Those conversations also took place at an interesting time for Paraguayan football. Gustavo Alfaro had recently taken charge of the national team, and there was a growing belief that Paraguay could finally return to the World Cup after years of disappointment.
Alfaro’s first game in charge of Paraguay saw them travel to Uruguay, where they earned a solid point away from home thanks to a disciplined defensive performance. It was not the most glamorous result, but it felt like the start of something.
That feeling only grew a few days later when Paraguay defeated Brazil 1-0 in Asunción, with Diego Gómez scoring the only goal of the match. Suddenly, belief was starting to return.
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A goalless draw away to Ecuador followed before a 2-1 victory over Venezuela further boosted hopes that World Cup qualification could become a reality. Then came one of the standout moments of the campaign as Antonio Sanabria and Omar Alderete scored in a famous 2-1 victory over the world champions, Argentina.
A draw at altitude in Bolivia showed once again that Paraguay meant business. They were no longer just difficult to beat; they were becoming genuine contenders for a World Cup place. That was further confirmed when they defeated Chile 1-0 in Asunción, extending what had become a remarkable run under Alfaro.
What had looked like another disappointing qualifying campaign had been completely transformed. Alfaro had given Paraguay belief, organisation, and an identity. The country could finally start dreaming about returning to the World Cup.
Paraguay needed just a point against Ecuador to secure qualification for their first FIFA World Cup since 2010. They did exactly that, earning a 0-0 draw and sparking wild celebrations in Asunción and across the country.
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The return to football’s biggest stage meant everything to the Paraguayan people. For a generation of supporters, this was the moment they had been waiting 16 years for. The wait was finally over.
The celebrations that followed showed just how much football means in Paraguay. It is more than just a game. It is part of the country’s identity. The scenes in the streets, the fireworks, the flags, and the celebrations across the nation were a reminder of what qualification meant to a country that had spent so long dreaming of returning to the World Cup. It even sparked a national holiday the following day.
In the country of chipa and sopa paraguaya, the World Cup was finally coming back.
I returned to Paraguay once again in late 2025 to cover the Copa Sudamericana final between Athletico Mineiro and Lanús, and what a crazy atmosphere it was. The Lanús fans were unbelievable, bringing colour, noise and passion wherever they went.
I also got the chance to meet up with Milton and Juanjo again. This time, we spent part of the weekend playing old FIFA games and using teams such as Wigan Athletic and Blackburn Rovers, who at the time featured Roque Santa Cruz.
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It showed me that no matter where you are in the world, football remains a huge part of people’s lives. Turning down an asado, a few beers, some time in the pool, and a bit of FIFA was never really an option.
I got the chance to see a live popular Paraguayan band, Kchiporros, at the Sudamericana fan park, and it was a great spectacle featuring good live music, a wild crowd, street food, and of course, a fireworks display.
Even after leaving Paraguay in 2025, the country still seemed to find me.
Ahead of covering the Copa Libertadores final between Flamengo and Palmeiras in Lima, Peru, I once again found myself surrounded by Paraguayans. A friend of mine, Fabio, whom I had originally met in Bordeaux and later linked up with again at the 2024 Copa Libertadores final, was also in Lima for the occasion.
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After the match, Fabio invited me to an asado with a group of Paraguayans and a local family. Among them was someone who worked for Amstel Paraguay, and from the moment I arrived, I was welcomed with open arms.
We shared food, a few beers and plenty of football conversation. Later that evening, we headed out together, and the hospitality shown to me was incredible. The group insisted on looking after me, a gesture that perfectly summed up the generosity I have encountered time and time again from Paraguayan people. Wherever I have travelled, whether in Paraguay itself or elsewhere in South America, I have always found them to be warm, welcoming, and eager to make you feel part of the group.
Thankfully, I was able to return the favour the following day with a few drinks at a hotel bar in Lima.
Over the next three days, we met up several times, sharing more beers, stories, and football conversations. Naturally, the upcoming World Cup was a frequent topic. We all hoped that England and Paraguay might be drawn together, simply because it would have made for a brilliant occasion and given us another excuse to meet up.
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That scenario never materialised, but the friendships remain. I have stayed in touch with the group, and I know that the next time I find myself in Paraguay, there will be even more friends waiting to share a beer, talk football, and enjoy an asado.
And, after all, there is never a bad time for an asado.
Everything in Paraguay always seemed relaxed until it came to football, which tends to be the case throughout much of South America.
In the blistering heat, we spoke about Paraguay and their return to the World Cup. For the first time in 16 years, they were heading back to football’s biggest stage. You could sense the excitement every time the topic came up. This was a generation of supporters who had waited years for this moment.
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They now finally get to live those memories again.
And as somebody who has followed Paraguay since 2019, travelled across the country and shared countless conversations with friends about football, I can completely understand why it means so much.
And now we fast forward to June 2026, just days before the World Cup begins and Paraguay start their campaign against the United States.
Looking Ahead
Although I am English, I will be keeping a close eye on Paraguay, something I have done for the last seven years or so.
After seeing the scenes as the squad made their way to the airport and the atmosphere before the game against Nicaragua, where the fireworks, flags, and passion of Paraguay were on full display, it is impossible not to be excited for what lies ahead.
I cannot wait to see how they get on.
More than anything, I hope the players, supporters, and the country enjoy every moment of it. They have waited 16 years to return to the World Cup stage, and after everything they have been through to get there, they deserve their moment.
Who knows what will happen over the next few weeks? Paraguay may not be among the favourites, but if there is one thing I have learned from following them over the years, it is that they never stop competing.
I hope they can make memories, cause a few surprises, and give their supporters something to celebrate.
Hopefully, this time, they will not have to wait another 16 years to do it all again.
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