Paraguay

Paraguay enter World Cup 2026 in Group D, where the early tests are USA, Australia, and Turkiye. Paraguay have never won the World Cup, but their quarterfinal run in 2010 remains a high point for a team traditionally associated with defensive edge and competitive tournament football. The current squad is shaped around Miguel Almiron, Gustavo Gomez, and Oscar Cardozo, a core that gives the team recognizable quality in the moments that usually decide group-stage matches: set pieces, transition attacks, and pressure around the box.

For this tournament, the assignment is both tactical and psychological: start quickly, protect the middle of the pitch, and make the group feel uncomfortable before the knockout picture forms. This group rewards resilience, and Paraguay are comfortable in that kind of contest. If Almiron supplies transition quality and Gomez leads a compact defense, they can push hard for second place. If Paraguay can turn its best individual stretches into a full 90-minute platform, the campaign has room to grow beyond a simple participation story.