Paraguay national football team at the 2006 Football World Cup

By user Bobo

Paraguay, currently led by Aníbal Ruiz, have now reached the second round of the World Cup twice in a row. The team, however, have never made it past this stage, instead settling for a moderate record in the Copa América. Twice winners of that competition, their last competition, in 2004, saw them make the quarter finals after beating even Brazil in the process.

But the World Cup? They would have to get past both England and Sweden in order to do so.

Their first match in the tournament is against England, and though I personally hope we get through that one, it's been proven that you only need two victories to make it through to the next stage. With the group rather weighted in England's favour, and with Trinidad and Tobago and Sweden also there, they could possibly get the two victories they need.

A qualifying place from the group would probably see them facing either Germany or Poland, though as it was proven four years ago, it's a useless thing trying to count your chickens.

Their last two World Cup ventures have both ended in the second round, and it's a nice idea to think that they might qualify and outperform themselves this time around.