They left the World Cup: one team with a win, the other with a dream fulfilled.

Julio DOS SANTOS (PAR), Budweiser Man of the Match
I’m very happy to have started tonight’s game, because I was disappointed that I hadn’t started before. We knew the importance of winning this game, not just because it was our last […]

Both left the tournament, but they left with heads up high, especially Trinidad and Tobago.

Anibal RUIZ (PAR)
We had asked the players to try and lift their spirits after the Sweden defeat. We knew that it wasn’t easy, because that was a harsh blow, but it was important to get up for this game and play […]

Paraguay is out of the World Cup, Sweden has one more thing to do: get the draw against England to be sure of qualifying. Coaches are one happy, but cautious, the other one bitter.

Lars LAGERBACK (SWE)
It was a really good team effort from us tonight. I have a lot of respect for the Paraguay team […]

Swedish players have one more thing to do: not to lose with England. This is why they are moderately happy. Paraguayan players, though, are in pain.

Freddie LJUNGBERG(SWE), Budweiser Man of the Match
It will be a massive game against England and both teams will want to win to top the group. It’s going to be very […]

The own goal scored by Gamarra in the England vd. Paraguay match holds an unwanted record for the Paraguayan defender:

Carlos Gamarra’s misplaced header against England yesterday, , timed at three minutes, was the quickest own goal in FIFA World Cup™ history.
The previous fastest was scored by Yugoslavia’s Ivan Horvat, who netted an own goal in […]

Unfortunately for him, Paraguay goalkeeper Villar left the field after almost 20 minutes in the first game of the World Cup, against England, with a calf injury.

Villar left the field in tears after sustaining the injury when making a clearance under pressure from Michael Owen. Speaking after the South Americans’ 1-0 defeat, Paraguay coach […]

Though they lost 1-0 to England, Paraguayan striker Nelson (what a British name!) Valdez still thinks they could come in second, at least, and go past the group stages.

“We played some really good football in the second half and if we can carry on with this mentality then we can get good results against big […]

Players of both teams tell us what they think of the game they just finished.

Frank LAMPARD (ENG), Budweiser Man of the Match
We are happy with the result obviously as the first game is very important to win and we are happy especially with the first-half performance. I know we suffered in the second half and […]

These are the things that both coaches said just after the game:

Sven-Goran ERIKSSON (ENG)
In the first half until 35-40 minutes I think we did well and we played the football we should have played. We could have scored more goals. But the last few minutes of the first half and for a long time in […]

Paraguay had a recent injury in their 23 for the World Cup, in the name of Jose Cardozo. His replacement, Genoa player Dante Lopez.

Lopez took part in Thursday’s training session before Anibal Maño Ruiz’s squad headed to Frankfurt in advance of Saturday’s Group B opener with England. The 23-year-old will have his work cut out […]