# Who is the best player in Paraguay national football team history?

> Rank the greatest Paraguayan players ever — from José Luis Chilavert's legendary goal-scoring goalkeeping to Arsenio Erico's astonishing 293-goal record and Roque Santa Cruz's European excellence.

*By YPB Team · Published May 23, 2026 · https://youpick.best/ranking/who-is-the-best-player-in-paraguay-national-football-team-history*

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## Current results (no votes yet)

1. **José Luis Chilavert**
   Iconic and larger-than-life goalkeeper who is unique in football history for his ability to score goals — netting three hat-tricks from set pieces — while also being one of South America's finest shot-stoppers.
2. **Arsenio Erico**
   Historical legend and arguably South America's greatest-ever goalscorer, a Paraguayan who scored 293 goals in Argentina's Primera División — a record that stood for decades.
3. **Carlos Gamarra**
   Commanding and elegant central defender who was the bedrock of Paraguay's defence across the 1990s and 2000s, earning over 110 caps and captaining the team to multiple World Cups.
4. **Roque Santa Cruz**
   Tall and technically gifted striker who established himself as one of South America's finest forwards at Bayern Munich and Blackburn Rovers, leading Paraguay's attack for over a decade.
5. **Salvador Cabañas**
   Clinical and prolific striker who was one of the top scorers in Mexican football before his career was tragically cut short by a shooting incident in Mexico City in 2010.
6. **Roberto Acuña**
   Versatile and hard-working midfielder who was a consistent performer for Paraguay across two World Cups, known for his tenacity and ability to contribute both defensively and offensively.
7. **Óscar Cardozo**
   Powerful and clinical striker who became one of Portugal's deadliest penalties takers at Benfica while scoring important goals for Paraguay at the 2010 World Cup and beyond.
8. **Celso Ayala**
   Dependable central defender who formed a formidable partnership with Carlos Gamarra and was a key part of Paraguay's golden defensive era in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
9. **Nelson Cuevas**
   Versatile and creative forward whose impressive performances at the 2002 World Cup, including goals against South Africa, helped cement Paraguay's reputation as a competitive South American side.
10. **Óscar Romero**
   Gifted and creative attacking midfielder who dazzled with his technical ability and vision for San Lorenzo and internationally for Paraguay, earning comparisons to some of the continent's finest playmakers.
11. **Derlis González**
   Pacy and direct winger who earned over 50 caps and scored important goals for Paraguay while having a solid career in European and South American club football.
12. **Julio César Romero**
   Technically brilliant and celebrated attacking midfielder known as 'Romerito', a star for Fluminense and Portugal-based clubs who was one of Paraguay's finest in the 1980s.

Tags: sports, football, players, world cup