The current World Cup marks Paraguay’s return to the tournament after a 16‑year hiatus, representing its ninth appearance overall and adding a new chapter to a history filled with tightly contested campaigns.
Their finest performance came in 2010, when they progressed to the quarter‑finals after topping their group. They began with a 1‑1 draw against Italy, beat Slovakia 2‑0, and secured the group lead with a 0‑0 stalemate against New Zealand.
That placement paired them with Japan rather than a group winner. After a goalless draw, Paraguay advanced via a penalty shootout, only to be eliminated by eventual champions Spain 1‑0—a match remembered for Óscar Cardozo’s missed spot‑kick in regular time.
Other World Cup performances
Although they have not replicated the 2010 run, Paraguay reached the Round of 16 three times before the current tournament. Their first appearance at that stage came in 1986, when England eliminated them 3‑0.
Paraguay was forcing the penalties against France until Blanc scored (Ben Radford /Allsport)
Their next knockout‑stage appearance arrived in 1998, when they came within six minutes of a penalty shootout against France before Laurent Blanc scored the golden goal in the 114th minute of extra time.
In 2002, Paraguay again reached the Round of 16 but suffered a heartbreaking exit at the hands of Germany, who scored the only goal through Oliver Neuville in the 88th minute.
Their 2026 campaign
Paraguay finished third in Group D after a 4‑1 loss to the United States, a 1‑0 victory over Turkey, and a 0‑0 draw with Australia. In the Round of 32, they produced the tournament’s biggest upset by eliminating Germany in a penalty shootout after a 1‑1 draw.
