# Paraguay national football team developments

> Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/paraguay-national-football-team-developments
> Updated: 2026-10-20T19:02:16.000Z. Sources: 8. Developments: 4.

Paraguay national football team coach Gustavo Alfaro recently drew controversy following comments regarding the quality and speed of the local league. These remarks were prompted by Olimpia’s 4-1 defeat against Vasco da Gama in the Copa Sudamericana. Following these events, Alfaro has shifted focus to squad preparation, calling up 24 players for a training microcycle at the Centro de Alto Rendimiento Deportivo (CARDE) in Ypané. The squad consists primarily of domestic players, with one player from Rosario Central in Argentina. These sessions are intended to evaluate players ahead of a November tour in Asia, where Paraguay is scheduled to play friendly matches against Singapore and Japan. Alfaro has since addressed criticisms from Olimpia coach Pablo Sánchez and Guaraní coach Francisco Arce. Defending his performance reports, Alfaro stated that his assessments are based on “physical, psychological, and technical parameters rather than personal opinion.” He noted that current performance metrics are lower than in previous years and urged coaches to focus on professional growth instead of criticizing the data provider. In domestic league news, 2 de Mayo coach Eduardo Ledesma commented on his team’s heavy defeat against Olimpia during the Clausura 2026 tournament. Ledesma attributed the loss to a lack of order and subsequent desperation in the final minutes. He also expressed dissatisfaction with referee Blas Romero, suggesting the official’s decisions appeared “conditioned” during the match. Club Olimpia has since issued a formal statement demanding that Alfaro speak with “rigor and respect” regarding domestic football. While the club expressed support for the national team’s goal to elevate local standards, it argued that specific match performances should not be used to make broad generalizations that devalue local professionals.

## Timeline

### 2026-10-20: Club Olimpia demands respect following national team coach's criticism

Club Olimpia has demanded respect from Paraguay national team coach Gustavo Alfaro after he criticized the quality of the local football league.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/club-olimpia-demands-respect-following-national-team-coachs-criticism

### 2026-10-18: Paraguayan football figures address performance and match results

Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro defends his performance data against local coaches, while 2 de Mayo's Eduardo Ledesma critiques a heavy loss to Olimpia and officiating.

3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/paraguayan-football-figures-address-performance-and-match-results

### 2026-10-16: Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro calls up 24 players for training

Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro has called up 24 players, mostly from the local league, for a training microcycle in Ypané ahead of friendly matches against Singapore and Japan in November.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/paraguay-coach-gustavo-alfaro-calls-up-24-players-for-training

### 2026-10-04: Gustavo Alfaro criticizes Paraguayan football level

Paraguay coach Gustavo Alfaro sparked controversy by criticizing the local football level following Olimpia's 4-1 loss to Vasco da Gama.

2 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/gustavo-alfaro-criticizes-paraguayan-football-level

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Cite as: Paraguay national football team developments. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/paraguay-national-football-team-developments