FRANCE 98 – Team Detail

Paraguay are without doubt the poor relations of all the World Cup sides in France this summer. The players earn only 2,000 dollars a month. But if poor money wise, they are rich in talent, finishing second in their qualifying group behind Argentina and ahead of Colombia and Chile.

A Paraguay based Dutchman William Poats introduced football to his adopted country at the beginning of the century. The first match was played on November 29 1901 on a pitch near Al Cabildo. Olimpia became the first professional club on July 25 1902. The first competitive match took place on November 25 1903 between Olimpia and Guarani.

The Paraguayan football federation was founded in 1906 and Guarani won the first national championship. Paraguay joined FIFA in 1921 and played their first international match against Uruguay on October 9. Paraguay made its first appearance in a World Cup finals in Uruguay in 1930 and took the Copa America title in Peru in the same year. The national side has played in the World Cup finals a further three times reaching the last 16 in 1986 where they lost to England. On the domestic front Olimpia, who have won the national title the most times, won the Copa Libertadores twice (1979 and 1990).

The present Paraguayan team comprises several outstanding players, including Chilavert, Acuna, Benitez, Gamarra and Arce. They played a leading role in the World Cup qualifying tournament where Paraguay finished second behind Argentina but ahead of Colombia and Chile, the other South American qualifiers.