Nickname	Guaraníes and La Albirroja
Association	Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol (Paraguayan Football Association)
Coach	Aníbal Ruiz (2002-)
Most caps	Carlos Gamarra (104)
Top scorer	José Saturnino Cardozo (24)
First international Paraguay 1 - 5 Argentina (Asunción, Paraguay; 11 March 1919)
Largest win Paraguay 7 - 0 Bolivia (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 30 April 1949)
Worst defeat Argentina 8 - 0 Paraguay (Santiago, Chile; 20 October 1926)
World Cup
Appearances	7 (First in 1930)
Best result	Round 2, 1986, 1998, 2002
Copa América
Appearances	32 (First in 1921)
Best result	Winners, 1953 and 1979

The Paraguay national football team is the national team of Paraguay and is controlled by the Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol.The Paraguay national football team has reached the second round of the World Cup on three occasions (in 1986, 1998 and 2002) but has never advanced beyond that stage. Paraguay's only major tournament victories have come in the Copa América, in which they triumphed in 1953 and 1979. They also won a silver medal in the football tournament at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, being defeated 1-0 by Argentina in the final. It was the first Olympic medal Paraguay ever won in any sport.

Paraguay's current squad is more well-known for its defensive skill than its ability to score goals, with players such as Denis Caniza and captain Carlos Gamarra being amongst its most prominent members. However, the future of this strategy looks questionable due to the recent international retirement of defenders Francisco Arce and Celso Ayala, and that of world-famous goalkeeper José Luis Chilavert. Several key players are now in the latter stages of their career, so Paraguay will be looking to harness talent amongst the younger generation if they are to maintain the increase in status they have achieved over the past decade. There is optimism that this can occur, as Paraguay's under-19 side won the Milk Cup in both 2002 and 2003.

World Cup record

• 1930 - Round 1
• 1934 - Did not enter
• 1938 - Did not enter
• 1950 - Round 1
• 1954 - Did not qualify
• 1958 - Round 1
• 1962 to 1982 - Did not qualify
• 1986 - Round 2
• 1990 - Did not qualify
• 1994 - Did not qualify
• 1998 - Round 2
• 2002 - Round 2
• 2006 - Qualified

Copa América record

1916 to 1920 - Did not enter 1921 - Fourth place 1922 - Runners-up 1923 - Third place 1924 - Third place 1925 - Third place 1926 - Fourth place 1927 - Withdrew 1929 - Runners-up 1935 - Withdrew 1937 - Fourth place 1939 - Third place 1941 - Withdrew 1942 - Fourth place 1945 - Withdrew 1946 - Third place 1947 - Runners-up 1949 - Runners-up 1953 - Winners

1955 - Fifth place 1956 - Fifth place 1957 - Withdrew 1959 - Third place 1959 - Fifth place 1963 - Runners-up 1967 - Fourth place 1975 - Round 1 1979 - Winners 1983 - Semifinals 1987 - Round 1 1989 - Fourth place 1991 - Round 1 1993 - Quarterfinals 1995 - Quarterfinals 1997 - Quarterfinals 1999 - Quarterfinals 2001 - Round 1 2004 - Quarterfinals

Most Paraguay caps

Player	Paraguay career	Caps (Goals)
Carlos Gamarra	1993-present	104 (11)
Roberto Acuña	1993-present	87 (5)
Celso Ayala	1993-2003	85 (6)
José Saturnino Cardozo	1991-present	79 (24)
Roberto Fernández	1976-1989	78 (0)
Juan Bautista Torales	1979-1989	77 (1)
José Luis Chilavert	1989-2003	74 (8)
Estanislao Struway	1991-2002	74 (4)
Denis Caniza	1996-present	70 (1)
Julio César Enciso	1995-2004	70 (2)

Top Paraguay goalscorers

Player	Paraguay career	Goals (Caps)
José Saturnino Cardozo	1991-present	24 (79)
Saturnino Arrúa	1969-1980	13 (26)
Julio César Romero	1979-1986	13 (32)
Roque Santa Cruz	1999-present	13 (42)
Gerardo Rivas	1921-1926	12 (32)
Miguel Angel Benítez	1996-1999	11 (29)
Carlos Gamarra	1993-present	11 (104)
Juan Bautista Villalba	1945-1947	10 (22)
Aurelio González	1924-1937	10 (23)
Carlos Humberto Paredes	1993-present	10 (65)

Famous Players

• Francisco Arce
• Celso Ayala
• José Saturnino Cardozo
• José Luis Chilavert
• Arsenio Erico
• Roberto Fernández
• Carlos Gamarra
• Aurelio González
• Juan Bautista Villalba
• Roque Santa Cruz