After 28 years in the wilderness, Paraguay returned to the World Cup their first appearance since 1958. Cayetano Ré was the man tasked with guiding them back.
Paraguay's tournament was a mixed affair, with promising moments offset by results that ultimately cut their journey short.
Paraguay emerged from the group stage unbeaten, showing resilience in a tough opening round. In the knockout rounds, they fell to England in the Round of 16. England proved to be a step too far, and Paraguay's campaign came to a decisive end in the the last 16.
1won2drawn1lost
4scored6conceded
Just 1 win in 4 matches.
Roberto Cabañas led Paraguay's attack with 2 goals at the 1986 World Cup. Shared the top-scorer honours with Romero, both with 2.
5yellow
1.2per match
Schettina booked twice.
The tactical mind behind Paraguay's 1986 campaign. Leading Paraguay at his first World Cup just 1 win in 4 under Ré.
Paraguay employed a flexible formation, switching between 4-2-3-1 and 4-4-2 setups to accommodate their attacking prowess. However, they struggled defensively against England's pacey counter-attacks.
