Gustavo Alfaro will remain as head coach of the Paraguay national team. The Paraguayan Football Association confirmed his continuity after extended negotiations, aiming to solidify the project that ended a 16-year World Cup absence.
The first test of this new phase will be a friendly against Bolivia on September 27. The team then travels to face Colombia on October 2.
Alfaro, 64 and nicknamed 'Papá Guasú' in Paraguay, has already named a 28-player squad for these matches. New call-ups include Cléver Ferreira Ñamandú from Atlético Tucumán, Enso González from Wolverhampton, Robert Morales from Pumas, Hugo Quintana from Independiente del Valle, Hugo Benítez from Nacional, and Alexis Cañete from Cerro Porteño.
The defensive structure that was key at the last World Cup remains intact. Orlando Gill, the nearly two-meter-tall goalkeeper who established himself as the starter, will continue between the posts. The back line will again feature captain Gustavo Gómez, Juan Cáceres, Junior Alonso, and José María Canales, who scored the penalty that knocked out Germany.
In attack, the main threat remains 22-year-old Julio Enciso, who plays for Ipswich Town in the Premier League. He is joined by players like Diego Gómez of Brighton, Ramón Sosa and naturalized Mauricio Magalhaes, both of Palmeiras, and Matías Galarza of Inter Miami, where he is a teammate of Lionel Messi.
Alfaro's focus now is on preparing the team to co-host the 2030 World Cup. The goal is clear: build on the defensive foundations already shown and enhance the attacking play for the challenges ahead.
Background and full detail: HolaNews
