Paraguay Greatest All-time team

This blogger Artur Yanturin of Russia copied many of my blog teams.  This blog was one of them.  It was my Russia All-Time Team here.  His team was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.   His Spartak Moscow All-Time team entry of  was published in October 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2017.  His entry of the Dutch-German rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.  He also copied many many of my blog entries.

His Facebook and Instagram

Paraguay World Cup 1998

Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.

Olimpia
South America without Brazil and Argentina.
Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Colombia,
Chile, Paraguay, Ecuador
Bolivia, Venezuela.

The nickname of Paraguay national team is the Albirroja, or red and white. Soon after the introduction of football in Paraguay by Williams Paats, the Liga Paraguaya de Futbol (today Asociación Paraguaya de Fútbol) was created in 1906. The first national football team was organized in 1910 when an invitation by the Argentine club Hércules of Corrientes was received to play a friendly match. 

Paraguay won the Copa America in 1953 and 1979.  They also made it to the final of the 2011 Copa América, where Paraguay finished as runners-up. They went to the World Cup Final in 1930, 1950 and 1958, but they did not make a dent in the Finals.  In 1986, the Albirroja reached the second round of Mexico 1986.  They qualified for the Summer Olympics in 1992, where the code of the team became a Golden Generation. They qualified for France 1998 and reached the second round at the Finals. However, they were eliminated by eventual champion and host France with a golden goal at the 114th minute.  That team was known for its strong defense. They would qualify for the next three World Cup Finals.

If there were an All-Time World Cup, this would be the 23 players I would bring to the tournament.

Copa America winner 1979

Team

GK:  Jose Luis Chilavert
Known for his free kicks,  Jose Luis Chilavert was an icon of his generation.  He was South American Player of the Year in 1996. Against Argentina in a World Cup Qualifiers in 1997, he promised to score a goal before the match and he did score one.  He led Paraguay to the round of 16 at both World Cup Finals in 1998 and 2002.  He won 12 club titles, including the 1994 Copa Libertadores and the 1994 Intercontinental Cup, whilst playing for Vélez Sarsfield.  He played for them between 1991 and 2000.

Jose Luis Chilavert

GK: Roberto Fernández

Roberto Fernández was also a member of the Paraguayan team that won the 1979 Copa América. During the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, Fernández started for Paraguay in all four games. He stopped a penalty kick from Mexican Hugo Sánchez to hold the host team to a 1-1 draw.  He earned the nickname "El Gato" (The Cat) for his outstanding stretching saves. His son is also named Robert Fernandez and has capped by Paraguay as a keeper.

GK: Justo Villar 

Villar started his career at Club Sol de América. In 2001, he moved to Club Libertad, where he made a name. Later, he played for Newell's Old Boys between 2004 and 2008. In the 2004 Apertura championship, he was considered as the Goalkeeper of the Year.  He won the 2004 Paraguayan Footballer of the Year award.  Then, he spent time with

Real Valladolid. He had 120 caps for Paraguay.  He had a starring role at the 2010 World Cup Finals.

CB/RB/LB: Denis Caniza 

Denis Caniza started his career in Olimpia of Paraguay in 1994. He also played in Lanús of Argentina, Santos Laguna, Atlas, Cruz Azul, Leon, and Irapuato of Mexico.  Caniza holds the distinction as the only Paraguayan footballer to be selected for 4 consecutive FIFA World Cup Finals, having been chosen in 1998, 2002, 2006 and 2010.  He played 100 times for Paraguay.  

RB: Francisco Arce 
Francisco Arce was a part of the great defensive unit of Paraguay in 1998 and 2002.  Between 1995 and 2004, he had 61 caps for Paraguay. Arce started his club career in Paraguay playing for Cerro Porteño in 1989, where he won the national championship on three occasions. He then moved to Brazil where he played for big clubs such as Grêmio and Palmeiras. He won the Copa Libertadores in 1995 with Gremio, but he spent much of his career with Palmeiras. He also played for Gamba Osaka in Japan.  

Francisco Arce

CB: Juan Lezcano

Juan Lezcano was a member of the historical Olimpia team that won five Paraguayan league championships in a row, from 1956 to 1960 and reached the final of the Copa Libertadores in 1960, where Olimpia lost against Peñarol. Soon after in 1961, Peñarol signed him and became one of the key players of the that helped Peñarol win several national and international championships.  He was an all-time with Paraguay with 26 caps.  He went to the 1958 World Cup Finals.

CB: Paulo da Silva

Paulo da Silva is Paraguay most-capped player of all time, earning over 100 caps between 2000 and 2017. He played at two World Cups and three Copa América tournaments, helping his country finish as runners-up in the 2011 Copa América. He played for many clubs all over the world.  He starred for Toluca in Mexico, and played briefly for Perugia, Venezia,  Lanús, Sunderland and Real Zaragoza.

CB: Celso Ayala
Celso Ayala was a part of the great defensive unit of the Paraguayan national team during the 1990's.  He was capped 86 times and was among the most capped players for his country. For club football, he played in Spain, Brazil, Argentina and of course, Paraguay.  He was known for his spell with Club Olimpia and two spells with River Plate. He won Copa Libertadores for both clubs. 

CB: Heriberto Herrera

Heriberto Herrera helped the Albirroja to win the 1953 Copa America and was named the best player of the tournament. He had 5 caps for Paraguay and later played one game for the Spain national football team in 1957 after he moved to play in La Liga. He played with Club Nacional at home from 1947 to 1952, and then, with Atletico Madrid in Spain between 1952 and 1959.  He later coached Juventus and Inter Milan.

CB:  Carlos Gamarra
Carlos Gamarra was widely considered a top defender in South America during his peak years.  He played in Paraguay, Brazil, Greece, Italy and Portugal. He is the most capped player in Paraguayan football history. He was named as the Paraguayan Footballer of the Year in 1997 and 1998, and was also included in the 1998 FIFA World Cup Team of the Tournament.  He also went to World Cup Finals in 2002 and 2006.  He won a silver medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

Carlos Garmarra

LB: Juan Torales 

Juan Torales was capped 77 times. He played for the Paraguayan squad that won the 1979 Copa America. Torales made his professional debut for Sportivo Luqueño in 1976. He joined Libertad in 1981 and played for the club until 1991. He spent the 1992 season with Club Guaraní before returning to Sportivo Luqueño, where he played until his retirement from football in 1995 at the age of 39.

CM/DM/CB: Francisco Reyes

Born in Asunción, he started his career playing for Olimpia, winning the Primera División Paraguaya in 1962 and in 1965.  Reyes joined Brazilian club Flamengo in 1967, helped the club to win the Campeonato Carioca in 1972, and left at the end of 1973. He retired while defending Olimpia, winning the Paraguayan League in his last season, in 1975.  He won a Bola de Prata in 1970 at a time when Brazilian football was at its peak.

CM/DM: Roberto Acuña

Nicknamed "El Toro (Bull)", Roberto Acuña was born in Argentina.  He started with Nacional.   He played with Argentinos Juniors, Club Atlético Independiente and Boca Juniors, before moving to Europe in 1997. He plauyed for  Zaragoza and Deportivo, appearing rarely for the latter club.  Acuña played 100 times for Paraguay between 1993 and 2010, representing the nation in three World Cups and four Copa América tournaments.  In 2001, he won the Paraguayan Footballer of the Year award.

CM: Manuel Fleitas Solich
Manuel Fleitas Solich was known as "El Brujo" (the Wizard). He began his career with Club Nacional Asunción.  He played for them between 1918 and 1926 before heading to play in Argentina.  He was remembered with his career with Boca Juniors in Argentina between 1927 and 1930.  He was the team's captain as they won the league title in 1930.  He also played for Racing Club, Platense and Talleres (RE) in Argentina. He had 32 caps for Paraguay between 1919 and 1926.  He played in 5 South American Championships in the 1920's.

Manuel Fleitas Solich

CM: Hugo Talavera
At the national team level, Hugo Talavera was part of the Paraguay squad that won the 1979 Copa América tournament.  For his club career, he won three national championships in a row with Cerro Porteño before joining Olimpia in 1975.  He won the Copa Libertadores in 1979 and 7 more league titles with them. He also played for the Argentine club Newell's Old Boys.  In 1979, he won every single titles for club and country.

AM: Saturnino Arrúa
Saturnino Arrúa made his senior debuts at the age of only 14, with local Sportivo Iteño. He was signed shortly after by Cerro Porteño. He was crowned the league's top scorer on three occasions and won 4 league titles with Cerro Porteño before he joined Real Zaragoza in 1974.  He spent 6 seasons there forming a team that was known for ist Paraguayan connection.  For his international career, he was capped 27 times between 1969 and 1980.

AM: Julio Cesar Romero
Julio Cesar Romero was considered one of the best outfielders in Paraguay's history.  He also had careers in Paraguay, the USA, Spain, Mexico, Chile and Brazil.  His two most famous stints were with NY Cosmos and Fluminense.  He was a big idol with the Brazilian club. He also played in Spain with Barcelona FC. He led Paraguay to win the Copa America in 1979 and to qualify for the World Cup Finals in 1986.  He was selected as the South American Footballer of the Year in 1985. 

Julio Cesar Romero

FW/RW:  Luis Vargas Pena
Luis Vargas Pena was one of the greatest Paraguayan footballers before the War.  He was the first Paraguayan to score a goal for the Paraguay national football team in a FIFA World Cup, accomplishing that in a match valid for the group stage of the 1930 FIFA World Cup against Belgium, played on 10 July. Vargas Peña also had the honour of being the first captain for Paraguay in a World Cup.
  
ST: Aurelio González
Aurelio González is one of the greatest football players of Paraguay, considered by many as the second best player behind Arsenio Erico. He started his career with Sportivo Luqueño and then moved to Olimpia of Asunción where he spent the rest of his career winning several championships, most notably the three consecutive national championships in 1927, 1928 and 1929.

ST: Delfín Benítez
Delfín Benítez's career began with Libertad. He joined Boca Juniors in 1932, where he would score 107 goals, making him the fifth all-time top scorer in Boca Juniors' history. Boca fans consider Benítez as one of  the best foreign player to play for them.   He also played for Racing Club and Ferro Carril Oeste. He had 15 caps for Paraguay between 1929 and 1933 and a single cap for Argentina in 1934.  He went to the 1930 World Cup Finals, appearing against Belgium and the United States.

Delfín Benítez

ST: Eulogio Martínez

Eulogio Martínez started his career with Club Libertad before moving to Barcelona FC in 1956.  He led the team in scoring in three seasons (1956–57, 1957–58, 1959–60), obtaining two Spanish League titles, two Copas del Rey and two Inter-Cities Fairs Cups. Martínez also became a part of FC Barcelona's history by scoring the first goal ever at their current stadium, Camp Nou, in 24 September 1957.

ST:  Cayetano Ré
Cayetano Ré began his career in Asunción, playing for clubs like Cerro Porteño and Club Guaraní before signing for Spanish side Elche CF in 1959. From 1959 to 1972, he played in Spain, notably for his three seasons with Barcelona and another 3 with Espanyol. He won the Pichichi award for the season 1964-1965 while playing for Barcelona FC.  He went to the 1958 World Cup finals in Sweden.  He had a total of 25 caps.
  
ST: Arsenio Erico
Arsenio Erico is considered the best Paraguayan footballer of all time and one of the greatest ever to play in the Argentinian league..  He started his club career with Club Nacional of Paraguay in 1930, but better known for his career in Argentina. He is the all-time highest goalscorer in the Argentine first division, with 295 goals, all of them scored with Independiente between 1933 and 1946. He also played for Huracán. He was Alfredo Di Stefano's idol.  he never played for Paraguay in an official game, but unknown number of unofficial games.

Arsenio Erico

Honorable Mention
Ever Hugo Almeida, Ricardo Tavarelli, Sinforiano García, Raimundo Aguilera, Adolfo Riquelme, José de La Cruz Benitez, Claudio Morel, Eligio Echagüe, Manuel Gavilan, César Zabala, Juan Lezcano, Rogelio Delgado, Julio César Cáceres, Gustavo Gómez, César Zabala, Fabián Balbuena, Modesto Bría, Ignacio Achúcarro, Edgar Barreto, Carlos Paredes, Cristian Rivero, Oscar Cardozo, Saturnino Arrúa, Osvaldo Aquino, José Cardozo, Salvador Cabañas, Miguel Almiron, Carlos Diarte, Roberto Cabañas,  Salvador Cabañas, Raimundo Aguilera, Estanislao Struway, Carlos Humberto Paredes, Roque Santa Cruz, Salvador Cabañas,  Angel Berni, Rubén Fernández, Florencio Amarilla.

Squad Explanation
-- Arsenio Erico is the greatest Paraguayan footballer of all-time.  He was followed by Jose Chilavert, Carlos Gamarra, Arsenio Erico and Julio Cesar Romero.  They are all automatic selections. 
-- In 1953, Paraguay won their first South American Championship, but Heriberto Herrera was the only player selected.  Five years later, they qualified for the World Cup Finals in Sweden.  Cayetano Re and Juan Lezcano were selected for this team, but Herrera did not go to that World Cup Finals.  By that point, he was capped by Spain in 1957.

South American Champion 1953

-- In 1979, Paraguay won their second Copa America.  I selected Roberto Fernández, Julio César Romero, Hugo Talavera and Juan Torales from that team.  Except Talavera, the players also went to the 1986 World Cup Finals in Mexico.

-- Paraguay qualified for the 1986 World Cup Finals after 28 yeras. From the 1986 World Cup team, Roberto Fernández, Juan Torales, Julio Cesar Romero and Rogelio Delgado made this all-time team, but I could only name Roberto Cabañas to honourable mention. Julio Cesar Romero is the South American Footballer of the Year in 1985.  He had a successful career with Fluminense FC.

-- Jose Chilavert, Franisco Arce, Carlos Gamarra and Celso Ayala formed the great defensive unit for Paraguay during the late 1990's.  In the 1998 World Finals, they played to Bulgaria and Spain to goalless draw and held France until losing by a single goal in extra time. They all made my all-time team.  Roberto Acuña also came from that team.

-- IFFHS selected the following players as their All-Time Best XI for Paraguay.  They were José Luis Chilavert, Francisco Arce, Carlos Gamarra, Heriberto Herrera, Juan Torales, Manuel Fleitas Solich, Romerito (Julio César Romero), Aurelio González, Arsenio Erico, Eulogio Martínez and Delfín Benítez Cáceres.

-- GOLTV also had their own selection of All-Time Best XI.  They were José Luis Chilavert, Francisco Arce, Carlos Gamarra, Paulo da Silva, Manuel Gavilan, Roberto Acuna, Carlos Paredes, Cristian Riveros, Julio César Romero), Jose Cardozo, and Roque Santa Cruz. This selection was favoring the players from the 1990's onward, but they took Gavilan.  However, they omitted Arsenio Erico, Eulogio Martínez and Delfín Benítez Cáceres.  Five of their Best XI actually did not make this team.

Goalkeepers

-- I do not know if Jose Luis Chilavert (Paraguay) was the greatest South American goalkeeper of all-time, but his flamboyant style created an image of being the greatest ever.  Certainly, he is the greatest ever from Paraguay.  His free kicks turned him into the greatest goal scoring goalkeeper of all-time. 

-- In 2015, I selected Roberto Fernández and Ever Hugo Almeida, but I did not remembered the reasons.  Both of them played around the same time.  Fernández usually started ahead of Almeida in their time.

 -- I did not take Justo Villar in 2015 because his career had not finished.  In 2023, I reassessed  his career and decided to go for him instead of Almeida.  Villar had some moments that stayed in the minds of Paraguayan fans such as his save against Xabi Alonso's penalty in the 2010 World Cup Finals.  He is also the second most capped player for Paraguay.

Justo Villar 

-- Ever Hugo Almeida was born in Salto, Uruguay, but became a naturalized Paraguayan in 1975.  Played with Olimpia for nearly two decades, setting a record for being the player with most appearances in the Copa Libertadores with 113, from 1973 to 1990, winning the tournament on two occasions (1979 and 1990).  He played 22 times for Paraguay between 1975 and 1985.

-- Adolfo Riquelme helped Paraguay to win the South American Championship in 1953.  He deserved some recognition.  Sinforiano García could be one of the three goalkeepers on this team.  From 1949 to 1958, he played for Flamengo in Brazil. I do not see his name mentioned much in 2015, but he seemed to got more information in 2023.  Raimundo Aguilera also spent some time with Valencia in Spain.  Ricardo Tavarelli's career overlapped with Jose Luis Chilavert and was overshadowed by him. He only played 31 times for Paraguay, but he was well-respected. José de La Cruz Benitez was an old-timer.  They all made honorable mentions.

Defenders

-- Carlos Gamarra was highly rated in South America. His club career in Europe was not as good as his reputation in South America. The European-based fans did not rate him as much.  In South America, he was considered to be one of the best in the world during his playing days.  Heriberto Herrera played for Atletico Madrid between 1952 to 1959.  He later played for Spain once, but that did not changed his status with this all-time team for Paraguay.  He was voted the best player in the 1953 South American Championship, where Paraguay won the tournament. It was an important milestone for Paraguay. Juan Lezcano was a legend with Olimpia and Peñarol.  Then, I could not drop Celso Ayala.  He was also a part of Paraguay's great defensive units in the 1990's.  His career in Europe did not stand out, but he was well-known for his career with River Plate. 

-- In 2021, I did a review of the team.  Paulo da Silva has became Paraguay's most-capped players.   So I decided to select 5 central defenders, plus Francisco Reyes to this team (see below). He was also the captain of the World Cup team in 2006 and 2010 as well as Paraguay finishing runner-up in 2011 Copa America.  He was mentioned frequently as one of Paraguay's greatest ever players. So it would be difficult to keep Rogelio Delgado who was selected on my 2015 team. 

Paulo da Silva

-- Rogelio Delgado played for Olimpia, where he won the Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup in 1979, and six Paraguayan league titles.  He also played for Independiente of Argentina and Universidad de Chile.  He had 53 caps between 1983 and 1990.  He was a member of the Albirroja at the 1986 World Cup in Mexico.

-- Julio César Cáceres helped Olimpia to win Copa Libertadores. He also stood out for River Plate and Boca Juniors. As of 2023, Gustavo Gómez was building a career that could challenge with a spot one day.  They are on my honorable mentions.

-- Francisco Arce was the obvious choice for  rightback.  The second rightback was more difficult.  So I took Denis Caniza who was ranked very high among defenders. He went to a record four World Cup Finals.  He could play both sides of fullbacks as well as a central defender.

-- Claudio Morel had a solid club career in Argentina.  Manuel Gavilan who was the maternal grandfather of Celso Ayala was probably a leftback or left midfielder. He helped Paraguay to finish second twice in the South American Championship while winning the 1953 edition.  But I was uncertain about him although GOLTV named him in their All-Time Best XI.  I have seen his name appearing in many places.  But I stayed with Juan Torales.  He was IFFHS and many peoples' choices for this position.  Basically, I had two many defenders on this team. So I had to drop Claudio Morel and Manuel Gavilan, and used Denis Caniza as the backup leftback.  I also came across a player named Eligio Echagüe.  He played in the 1950's. 

-- In 2015, I took Catalino Rivarola. He was part of the Grêmio team that won several titles including the Recopa Sudamericana in 1995, in 1999 he played for Palmeiras in the season that they won the Copa Libertadores. He was a member of the great defensive unit of Paraguay in the 1990's.  

Midfielders/Wingers

-- Manuel Fleitas Solich was a center-Half or a two way midfielder.  He became the first Paraguayan player to play abroad when he joined Boca Juniors.  He was the first player-manager in South America.  He was undisputed.

-- In 2015, I took Modesto Bría, but I studied other central/defensive midfielders in 2023.  Modesto Bría was an important player for Flamingo during his era, but he seemed to be a forgotten player elsewhere.  So I took Francisco Reyes over him.  In 1970, Reyes received the Bola de Prata from Placar magazine at a time when the Brazilian league was the best in the world. The information was unclear about this, but it was reported that he received the highest point total for the award among all players.  The Bola de Ouro, however, went to Pele that year. He was probably playing as a central defender in 1970. He was considered an important player in Flamingo's history.  One website ranked him number 20th Greatest player from the club behind Zico, Romario, Dejan Petković, Zinho, Tita, Leônidas, etc.

-- Both Carlos Paredes and Cristian Riveros were named on GOLTV's All-Time Best XI. Carlos Paredes earned a nickname the "Sir of the Midfield".  Cristian Riveros played 101 times for Paraguay.  I also looked into Edgar Barreto who had a long career in Italy.  Of the contemporary central/defensive midfielders, Roberto Acuña was probably the best.  Known as "Toro", he was a versatile and resistant midfielder.  He stood out at Deportivo de la Coruña in Spain.  He played in 3 World Cup Finals.  So in 2023, I decided to dropped Modesto Bria for him.  

Roberto Acuña 

-- Born in 1922, Modesto Bría began his career with Nacional in 1940.  In 1943, Ary Barroso brought him to Brazil.  He played for Flamengo in between 1943 to 1953. He won three Campeonato Carioca with them: 1943, 1944 and 1953, and three Torneio Início do Campeonato Carioca: 1946, 1951 and 1952. He later managed the club.  The 1943 title was Flamengo's first ever title.

-- Ignacio Achúcarro was a legend with Sevilla.  He was at one point their foreign players who played the most games.  I seriously considered him as one of my central/defensive midfielders. In the end, I stayed with Roberto Acuña because Achúcarro was not mentioned much anywhere.  He was forgotten in Paraguay probably because he played mainly in Spain.

-- The central/defensive midfield section was one of the hardest decisions I had made.  

-- I selected Hugo Talavera who was the captain of 1979 Copa America winning team.  He also led Olimpia in winning the league, Copa Libertadores and Intercontinental Cup. So that year, he won everything for both club and country. 

-- Saturnino 'Nino' ​​Arrúa was an idol of Cerro Porteño. He also shone in Real Zaragoza in Spain.  However, he only played 27 times for the national team.  Nevertheless, I still took him.

-- While with Fluminense, Julio César Romero was selected as the South American Footballer of the Year at a time when many top South American footballers still remained playing over there.  He was one of Paraguay's greatest players.

-- Osvaldo Aquino won the Copa America and Copa Libertadores in 1979, but I could not find space for him.  

-- I did not have many wingers to choose from.  So I took Luis Vargas Pena from the 1930's.  Delfin Benitez Caseres also played as a left wing forward, but he was mainly a striker.  He would be used wide left. 

-- Salvador Cabañas was ranked very high by many people.  He was a striker who could also play as a wing-forward, and this team needed more wide players.  But I still did not select him because his career was cut short by a shooting incident at the moment when he was ready to shrine at the 2010 World Cup Finals.  His career needed something more to justify a spot on this team.  He was one of the best players not selected.  Miguel Almiron who was an attack midfielder and a winger played well enough for Newcastle.  His transfer fees was believed a club record at the time.  At the time of writing, he is an active player and still needs time to build up his career for a serious consideration.

Forwards

-- Arsenio Erico never played for Paraguay in an official game, but no one would doubt about his inclusion. Paraguay did not select foreign-based players during his prime.  His caps came from matches played under a Red Cross touring team. While playing club football in Argentina, he was offered to play for Argentina, but he refused.  He is the all-time highest goalscorer in the Argentine first division, with 295 goals.  

-- Aurelio González is one of the greatest football players of Paraguay, considered by many as the second best player behind Arsenio Erico.

-- Eulogio Martínez was part of Helenio Herrera 's successful Barcelona team with star players such as Ladislao Kubala , Luis Suárez and Sándor Kocsis.  He scored 111 goals for them.  Cayetano Ré also played for Barcelona where he won the Pichichi Trophy in the 1964-1965 season.  Delfín Benítez was a legend with Boca Junior in the 1930's when Argentine domestic football was the best in South America. 

 Eulogio Martínez

-- Attila Sallustro was born in Paraguay, but he never played for Paraguay.  He moved to Italy as a youngster.  He was capped to Italy. So he is ineligible for this team, but I do believe he belonged here if he did not play for Italy.

-- Certainly playing for Bayern Munich helped Roque Santa Cruz's case. Some people placed him as one of Paraguay's greatest ever players.  He was very famous during his prime, but injuries prevented him for becoming a big star.  José Cardozo was the opposite of Roque Santa Cruz.  He might have a higher chance if he played in a bigger league than Mexico. Both were rated highly in Paraguay, but they only made honourable mentions.

-- Carlos Diarte lost out to other all-time greats.  He played for Real Zaragoza, where he was part of the famous "Zaraguayos" group (a reference to the Paraguayan stars were playing for Zaragoza at that time).  He is becoming a forgotten man in football.  Their members included Saturnino Arrúa and Felipe Ocampos.

Formation

Chile Greatest All-time 23 member team

This blogger Artur Yanturin of Russia copied many of my blog teams.  This blog was one of them.  It was my Russia All-Time Team here.  His team was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.   His Spartak Moscow All-Time team entry of was published in October 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2017.  His entry of the Dutch-German rivalry between Real Madrid and Barcelona was written in 2020, but mine was uploaded in 2014.  He also copied many many of my blog entries.

His Facebook and Instagram

Chile World Cup 1962

Please also see my All-Time World Cup Team Index.

South America without Brazil and Argentina.
Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Peru, Colombia,
Chile, Paraguay, Ecuador
Bolivia, Venezuela.

The Federación de Fútbol de Chile is the second oldest South American federation, having been founded in Valparaíso on 19 June 1895. Chile was one of the four founding member nations of CONMEBOL. Together with Argentina, Brazil, and Uruguay, the four competed in the first South American Championship, later to be renamed the Copa América, in 1916. 

The national team of  Chile is commonly referred to as La Roja ("The Red One").  The best result for Chile at a World Cup Finals were in 1962 when they finished 3rd as the host.  Leonel Sanchez was their star player. Their next major success came in 1998. The strike force of  Marcelo Salas and Iván Zamorano helped them to reach the round of 16. In 2000, Chile won the Bronze medal at the Olympics with Zamorano as one of the overage players.  Since then, another Golden Generation emerged.  They qualified for both 2010 and 2014 World Cup Finals, advancing to the second stage on both occasions.  Chile won back-to-back Copa America in 2015 and 2016.

This is my All-Time team for Chile.  If there were an All-Time World Cup, this would be the 23 players I would bring to the tournament.

Copa America 2016

Team
GK:  Sergio Livingstone
Sergio Livingstone was the greatest keeper in Chile's history.  He was of Scottish descent.  He was nicknamed "El Sapo" ("The Toad") for his typical posture in the goal mouth. From 1938–1959 he played primarily for CD Universidad Católica in Santiago. At the international level, He played 52 times for Chile between 1941 and 1954. With Chile he took part in seven South American Championships.  He went to the 1950 World Cup Finals in Brazil.  

Sergio Livingstone

GK: Roberto Rojas

Roberto Rojas is best remembered for faking an injury hit by a rocket during a match against Brazil in 1989 and led to a lifetime ban on football.  He was actually a good keeper who was capped 49 times. With Colo-Colo, Rojas won national titles in 1983 and 1986. In 1987, after a successful performance in the Copa América 1987 championship, he transferred to Brazil's São Paulo where he remained until 1989. 

GK: Claudio Bravo
As of 2018, Claudio Bravo is Chile's most capped player with 119 times.  He was the hero of Chile's two back-to-back Copa America titles in 2015 and 2016, winning penalty shootouts on both Finals.  He also went to two World Cup Finals. He started his professional career playing with Colo-Colo at home.  He also played with Real Sociedad, Barcelona and Manchester City.

RB: Luis Eyzaguirre
Luis Eyzaguirre played right back in the Universidad de Chile football team known as the Ballet Azul, with which he won four national championships. He was capped 39 times. He played in 1962 World Cup Finals at home where Chile reached the semi-final.  He also played a single match at the 1966 World Cup Finals in England. He was considered the best rightback of his time.

RB/RW/DM: Mauricio Isla

Isla started his career with Udinese in 2007,  He played there until 212 when he joined Juventus.  He also played for Queens Park Rangers, Cagliari, Marseille, Fenerbahce and  Flamengo. Isla has earned over 120 caps for Chile since his debut in 2007, and represented the nation in two World Cups (in 2010 and 2014) as well as five Copa América tournaments (in 2011, 2015, 2016, 2019 and 2021), winning the 2015 and 2016 editions.

  
CB:  Alberto Quintano
Alberto Quintano had 49 caps for Chile. He played in the 1974 World Cup Finals in West Germany, forming a strong partnership with Elias Figueroa. For his club career, he spent most of his career with Universidad de Chile.  He went to play for Cruz Azul(Mexico) in 1971 and became one of the best defenders playing in the Mexican league.

SW:  Elias Figueroa
Elias Figueroa was one of the best defenders in South American history.  He was named the Brazilian Player of the year award whilst playing for Internacional in 1972 and 1976. He was also awarded the South American Footballer of the Year three times in a row. He played notably for Santiago Wanderers, Internacional and Uruguayan club Peñarol. He also represented Chile 47 times, appearing in three world cups, in 1966, 1974, and 1982.

Elias Figueroa

CB: Ignacio Prieto 
For the national team, Ignacio Prieto played at the 1966 World Cup Finals in England.  He played with Club Deportivo Universidad Católica at home and Nacional in Uruguay before moving to France. While playing with Lille, he was the joint-winner of the Trophée de l'Étoile d'or in 1974-1975. He also played for Stade Lavallois.  His father and brother were also professional players.

CB: Ulises Poirier
Ulises Poirier had 16 caps for Chile between 1919 and 1930.  He was voted Best Defender of the South American championship twice in 1922 and 1926. He was the captain of Chilean national team at the 1930 World Cup finals in Uruguay.  For club football, he played for Colo Colo and La Cruz Valparaíso.

LB: Sergio Navarro
Sergio Navarro was the captain of the 1962 World Cup team, where Chile reached the semifinal.  It was Chile's best ever result at the World Cup Finals. He was capped 31 times between 1957 and 1962.  For his club career, he played for Universidad de Chile (1955-1964), Colo-Colo (1965-1967) and Unión Española (1967-1968).  With Universidad de Chile, he was a part of the team known as "Ballet Azul". He won the Primera División in 1959, 1962 and 1964.

Sergio Navarro (L)

LB: Antonio Arias
Antonio Arias played 30 times for the Chile between 1968 and 1973.  He went to the 1974 World Cup and played 3 matches in the Finals.  At the club level, Arias played for Magallanes and Unión Española. With Unión Española, he won three league titles and finished second at the 1975 Copa Libertadores. It was the club's greatest era in its history.

DM: Gary Medel 

Medel has played club football starting out with  Universidad Católica, and later playing for Boca Juniors, Sevilla, Cardiff City, and Inter Milan, before moving to Beşiktaş. in 2017. He then moved to Bologna in 2019. A full Chilean international with over 150 caps since 2007, where he won two Copa Americas.  He is Chile's most capped players. In 2008, he was Chile's Player of the Year.

DM: Eladio Rojas
Eladio Rojas spent most of his career with Everton (Chile).  He was a hero at the World Cup Finals in  1962. He scored the winning goal in the quarterfinal against the Soviet Union. He again scored the winning goal against Yugoslavia at the 90th minute that gave Chile a third place finish in the Third Place match.  He went to play for River Plate in Argentina after the World Cup Finals.

CM: Rubén Marcos 
Rubén Marcos was considered one of the best Chilean midfielders ever.  He was known for his endurance.  He went to the World Cup Finals in 1966. He also went to the South American Championship in 1967. During his career, Marcos played for Universidad de Chile, and Palestino.  Estadio Rubén Marcos Peralta at his home town Osorno was named after him.

CM: Arturo Vidal
At time of writing, Arturo Vidal is considered one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the world.  He went to the World Cup Finals in 2010 and 2014.  He played with Colo Colo and Bayer Leverkusen before transferring to Juventus in Italy.   In 2015, he moved to Bayern Munich.  He moved to Barcelona in 2018. At the time of writing, he has 100 caps.  He helped Chile to win back-to-back Copa America in 2015 and 2016.

Arturo Vidal

AM: Francisco Valdes

Francisco Valdes is the all-time leading scorer in the Chilean league. He was an all-time great from Chile.  He played for many clubs, but he spent the longest period with Colo Colo, where he formed a notable partnership with Carlos Gaszely.  He earned 50 caps for Chile between 1962 and 1975, and served as the national team captain. He went to the World Cup Finals in 1966 and 1974.  

AM: Jorge Toro

Jorge Toro represented Chile at the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile. He scored the second goal in Chile's 2-0 win over Italy at that tournament, in a match that is remembered as the Battle of Santiago.  He became the first Chilean to play in Italy when he moved to Sampdoria after the World Cup Finals. He also played for Hellas Verona. He was left off the 1966 World Cup team because he was playing abroad in Italy. Between 1963 and 1969, he played for Modena.  he also played for Colo-Colo and Unión Española in Chile.

LW:  Leonel Sanchez
Leonel Sanchez was Chile's record cap holder until 2014.  He had 85 caps between 1955 and 1968. He was one of the greatest left wingers ever in South America.  He scored 4 goals in the 1962 World Cup Finals, where he finished as a joint-top scorer, as Chile finished 3rd.  He spent the majority of his career with Universidad de Chile, despite offers from big clubs in Europe. He was an icon at the club.  He finished his career playing for different Chilean clubs such as Colo-Colo, Palestino and Ferroviarios.

Leonel Sanchez

FW/WF/RW: Carlos Caszely

Carlos Caszely was known to be a critics of Pinochet's government of Chile.  He played in the 1974 and 1982 World Cup Finals.  In Chile, he played mostly with Colo Colo.  He also went to play for Levante and Espanyol in Spain. He was the first ever player sent off in a World Cup Finals when he received a red card against West Germany at the WC Finals of 1974.

FW/RW: Alexis Sanchez
After his debut season of first-team football with Cobreloa, Sánchez was signed by Italy's Udinese in 2006. Following successful loans at Colo-Colo and River Plate, he began playing in Serie A. In 2011, he was signed by Barcelona for £25 million, becoming the most expensive transfer in Chilean football history. In 2014, he moved rot Arsenal.  At the time of writing, he earned 108 caps.  He has played in the WC Finals of 2010 and 2014. He helped Chile to win the 2015 Copa America.  A year later, he led Chile to win Copa América Centenario in the US.

Alexis Sanchez

ST: Raúl Toro Julio
Raúl Toro Julio was considered the first star in Chilean football.  He played with Santiago Morning , Santiago National and Santiago Wanderers.  He was known for his wild life-style. He went to the South American Championship in 1937, where he scored two goals against Uruguay and Uruguay lost its first ever match in the tournament.

ST: Marcelo Salas
Salas played 71 times for Chile and the all-time leading scorer for Chile.  He went to the WC in 1998, where he formed a partnership with Ivan Zamorano.  Salas made his debut playing for Universidad de Chile in 1993, but he first made his name with River Plate, where he was considered one of the greatest foreigner ever played for them.  He moved to Lazio in 1998, where he won the Serie A in 1999-2000. He also had a successful spell with Juventus.

ST: Iván Zamorano
Iván Zamorano is considered to be one of Chile's greatest strikers.  He played in the 1998 World Cup and four Copa América tournaments. He won a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics, where he also finished as the top-scorer.  He played notably Real Madrid, where he won La liga and was the league's top scorer in 1994-1995.  He also scored a hat-trick in a 5-0 win over Barcelona that season. He developed a great partnership with Michael Laudrup. He also played with Inter Milan, Sevilla, Colo Colo, etc.

Ivan Zamorano

Honorable Mention
Jorge Aravena, Mario Galindo, Humberto Elgueta, Gabriel Mendoza, Lizardo Garrido, Isaac Carrasco, Manuel Guerrero, Misael Escuti, Mario 'Gato' Osbén, Adan Godoy, Mario Osbén, Adolfo Nef, Nelson Tapia, Javier Margas, Humberto Cruz, Ascanio Cortés, Ignacio Prieto, Fernando Astengo, Pablo Conteras, Raul Sanchez, Carlos Reinoso, Jamie Pizarro, David Pizarro, Francisco Molina, Patricio Yáñez, Pedro Araya  George Robledo, Rubén Espinoza, Hernán Carvallo, Gonzalo Jara, Jean Beausejour, Enrique Hormazabal, Jorge Valdivia, Matias Fernandez, Guillermo Saavedra, Carlos Campos, Eduardo Vargas, Ivo Basay, Esteban Paredes, Osvaldo 'Pata bendita' Castro, Alexis Sanchez, Humberto Suazo and Pedro González.

Squad Explanation
-- The original blog was created in 2015.  I redid the entire team in September, 2023.

-- The greatest footballers from Chile were probably Elias Figueroa,  Iván Zamorano, Marcelo Salas, Leonel Sanchez, Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal.  Claude Bravo should also be undisputed.

-- Chile as the host of the 1962 World Cup Finals finished third. I selected Luis Eyzaguirre, Jorge Toro, Leonel Sanchez, Eladio Rojas and Sergio Navarro from that team onto this all-time team.  Enrique Hormazabal was also from this generation, but he was left off the World Cup team due to disputes with the management.

-- Chile won back-to-back Copa America in 2015 and 2016.  They also reached the second round of two World Cup Finals, in which Chile had only managed to do twice before the 2010 World Cup Finals. Claudio Bravo, Mauricio Isla, Gary Medel, Alexis Sanchez and Arturo Vidal were on this team. This generation was under represented. Jorge Valdivia, Gonzalo Jara, David Pizarro and Eduardo Vargas deserved a spot on the team.  In 2021, I edited the team,  Isla took over Mario Galindo's spot.

-- IFFHS selected the following players as their All-Time Best XI for Chile: Claudio Bravo, Luis Eyzaguirre, Alberto Quintano, Elías Figueroa, Antonio Arias, Arturo Vidal, Francisco Valdés, Alexis Sánchez, Iván Zamorano, Marcelo Salas and Leonel Sánchez.

-- Goal.com did a historical Best XI.  The players selected were: Claudio Bravo, Elias Figueroa, Alberto Quintano, Gary Medel, Humberto Cruz, Francisco Valdes, Arturo Vidal, Jorge Toro, Alexis Sanchez, Marcelo Salas and Ivan Zamorano.

-- Guioteca also selected their Best XI in 2014.  They were Sergio Livingtone, Luis Eyzaguirre, Alberto Quintano, Elías Figueroa, Antonio Arias, Arturo Vidal, Ruben Marcos, Enrique Hormazábal, Alexis Sánchez, Marcelo Salas and Carlos Caszely.

Goalkeepers

-- Sergio Livingstone was often considered to be the greatest keeper in Chile's history. He was voted as the 9th best Latin American goalkeeper of the 20th Century. Claudio Bravo had a successful club career in Europe, which was rare for a goalkeeper from Chile. He was also the hero of two Copa America titles. So he should be number one by time of the review in 2023.

Claudio Bravo

-- Roberto Rojas was a good player, but remembered for the wrong reason. He was the player in question for El Maracanazo. He was considered the 12th best goalkeeper in South America in the 20th Century by the IFFHS. I kept him as one of the three keepers.  Some source ranked him ahead of Livingstone.

-- Those goalkeepers stood out from the rest.  Misael Escuti helped Chile to finish third in the 1962 World Cup Finals.  Mario 'Gato' Osbén defended the national team in 1982 World Cup Finals. The other famous goalkeepers from Chile included Manuel Guerrero, Adan Godoy, Mario Osbén, Adolfo Nef and Nelson Tapia. 

Defenders

-- Both IFFHS and Guioteca had the same back four on their All-Time Best XI. 

-- Luis Eyzaguirre was one of the best rightbacks in South America at his time.  He was no doubt as Chile's number one. In 2021, I studied the team again.  I decided to replace Mario Galindo with Mauricio Isla.  

-- Galindo was often rated as one of Chile's greatest fullbacks (he could play both sides).  One source claimed that he was the best right back in Latin America for several years. But he only played 12 times for Chile between 1973 and 1982.  He went to the World Cup Finals in 1974 and 1982. During his playing career, Galindo played at the club level for Colo Colo. He reached the Final of Copa Libertadores in 1973. Isla had a solid club career in Europe, especially with Udinese.  He was also voted as the best rightback at Copa America 2016.  He might have done more than Galindo.

-- Humberto Elgueta was a historical right-sided defender.  He played in the 1930 World Cup Finals. Lizardo Garrido won the Copa Libertadores with Colo Colo but as a central defender.  His teammate Gabriel Mendoza was also a renowned rightback of his time. They made honorable mentions.

-- Sergio Navarro was the captain of the 1962 World Cup team, where Chile reached the semifinal, but Antonio Arias was usually considered their greatest ever leftback. Some old-timers also listed Isaac Carrasco as Chile's greatest, but I stayed with Navarro and Carrasco.  I might have overrated Navarro. His name did not mention much anywhere.

Antonio Arias 

-- Elias Figueroa won South American Player of the Year three times in a row.  He was largely considered among the greatest ever defender from Latin America.  He was also voted 8th best South American and 37th best player in the world of the 20th Century by the IFFHS in 1999.  I also took his partner Alberto Quintano who often listed among Chile's greatest central defenders. Ulises Poirier was the first star defensive player ever from Chile.  He was the second oldest player listed in the inaugural 1930 World Cup. Belgian goalkeeper Jean de Bie was the only player older to have participated in a World Cup Finals who was born before Poirier.  He was awarded as the best defender at two South American Championship. Then, I finally took Ignacio Prieto. He was the joint-winner of the Trophée de l'Étoile d'or in the 1974-1975 season when he played in France.  

-- Javier Margas' name was mentioned frequently, but I stayed with the older players. He was just outside looking in.  I also looked into Fernando Astengo. He was considered one of the best defenders in Chilean history.  Because of the ban in 1989 following the Rojas incident vs Brazil, he only played 18 times for Chile.  I put him below the central defenders I chosen for the team because services to the national team was very important in my selection process.  He just did not play enough for Chile. Pablo Conteras and Raul Sanchez also made honorable mention.

Midfielders/Wingers

-- Eladio Rojas, Rubén Marcos and Arturo Vidal were selected for the team.  Vidal was famous while playing at some of the biggest clubs in Europe.  Except Alexis Sanchez, he was the most successful Chilean playing in Europe at the time.  In 2023, I added Gary Medel to the team.  He was Chile's most capped player.  He could also play as a central defender. I was unsure about Jaime Pizarro even through he was frequently mentioned. Pizarro was playing at home in a generation where Chilean footballers were playing all over the world.  His exposure outside South America was limited.  So I took Medel over him.

Gary Medel

-- Chile had a horrible time at the 1966 World Cup Finals, but Ruben Marcos stood out.  He scored two goals in England. He was comfortable playing on the left as a defensive midfielder, but he also  appeared on the right and sometimes also on the wing. He was a full-field player.

-- Eladio Rojas' goal against Yugoslavia in the 1962 World Cup Finals was the most important goal in the history of Chilean football.  It earned Chile a third place in the tournament. He also scored against the Soviet Union.  It was difficult to select Jaime Pizarro over a national hero. It also seemed that Marcos was ranked better than Rojas.

-- David Pizarro had a successful club career, especially in Italy, but unfortunately, he did not go to a World Cup Finals. He lost out to players who contributed to Chile in a major tournament.  He was a veteran or an aging player at the 2015 Copa America so his contributions to the national team was somewhat limited.  Matías Fernández made honorable mention.  His career was largely unfulfilled after his early promises, but he won the South American Player of the Year in 2006.  He was great for a few seasons.  Carlos Reinoso was considered the greatest foreign player ever in the Mexican league, but his name recognition out of Mexico was limited. These players were well-known to the younger fans, but I only put them on honorable mention.

-- Jorge Valdivia was sometimes billed as Chile's greatest, but his career did not live up to expectation. Guillermo Saavedra starred at the 1930 World Cup Finals, but I was not sure about him.  Francisco Molina was born in Spain.  He moved to Chile as a boy.  He played for Atletico Madrid in the 1950's.  No many Chilean player was playing in Europe at the time. Those players were solid candidates, but I put them on honorable mention for now.  

-- Instead, I went with Francisco Valdes who was widely considered to be Chile's greatest playmaker.  He is also Colo Colo’s all-time top scorer with the 180 goals. Jorge Toro was the first Chilean to play in Italy. It was viewed a big milestone in Chilean football history.  He was also considered to Chile's best player in the 1962 World Cup Finals.  Goal.com put him on their All-Time Best XI, but he was probably not undisputed on my team.  His place could have gone to Enrique Hormazabal, David Pizarro or Jorge Valdivia.  

-- Enrique Hormazabal had a rockstar status in Chile during his prime. He was named the best player at the 1959 South American tournament, but he did not attend the 1962 World Cup Finals because of a disagreement with the national team.  That perhaps damaged his chance with this team.  Jorge Toro shoned in the World Cup Finals while Hormazabal's name did not become famous outside of Chile. Guioteca actually out him on their All-Time Best XI ahead Francisco Valdes and Jorge Toro. So his reputation might have been greater in Chile.  He was a right winger as well, but the right side was also loaded. Both Alexis Sanchez and Carlos Caszely could also play on the right. So I left him off the team.  I also did not need Patricio Yáñez and Pedro Araya.  

-- Leonel Sanchez had many great moments in Chile's football history. His 40-yard strike in 1959 that forever changed the rivalry between Universidad de Chile and Colo Colo. His free-kick goal against Soviet keeper Lev Yashin at the 1962 World Cup Finals was legendary in Chile.  He won the Golden Boot title in the 1962 World Cup Finals.  Ruben Marcos might be able to play on the left.

Forwards

-- Iván Zamorano and Marcelo Salas helped Chile to reach the second round of the 1998 World Cup Finals.  It was their best finish since 1962.  Zamorano was La Liga Best Foreign Player for the 1994-95 season.  He also helped Chile to win a bronze medal at the 2000 Olympics. He formed a famous attack with Michael Laudrup in Real Madrid in the early 1990's.  His hattrick against Barcelona in 1995 was one of the greatest individual performances in El Clasico's history.  Marcelo Salas was widely considered to be one of the greatest players ever from Chile.  The IFFHS ranked him as the 31st best South American player of the 20th century, the 19th best South American forward of the 20th century and the 3rd best South American forward of the 1990s behind Ronaldo and Romário.  Salas and Zamorano were a famous duo back in the 1990's.  Zamorano usually served as the provider while Salas was the main scoring threat.

Marcelo Salas with Ivan Zamorano

-- Alexis Sánchez was one of the best players in the Premiership during his prime.  For his country, he was their second-most capped player and all-time top goalscorer. He led Chile to their first victory in a major tournament by winning the 2015 Copa América.  He again captained them to win the Copa América Centenario a year later, winning the Golden Ball for Best Player.

-- Raúl Toro Julio was sometimes listed as the greatest striker from Chile.  The old-timers ranked him ahead of the younger strikers.  He was the top scorer in the 1937 South American Championship.  Carlos Caszely also appeared in many greatest players from Chile list.  He was an All-Timer for Colo-Colo. He helped to reach the Final of Copa Liberatadores.  For the national team, he was named the best player at the 1979 Copa America. I could not drop neither of them.
-- George Robledo was added to Honourable Mention after a suggestion from a poster here.  He was a pioneer for South American players playing in Europe. He was a hero of Newcastle United in the 1950's.  He was capped by Chile, in which he should be considered to be an early player who were capped through the "grandfather" rule.  I could not find spaces for him because the selected players had done more for Chile. 

-- Carlos Campos, Eduardo Vargas, Ivo Basay, Esteban Paredes, Osvaldo 'Pata bendita' Castro, Humberto Suazo and Pedro González were some of the more famous forwards.

Starting lineup
Formation: 4-4-2
Claudio Bravo is the most decorated keeper ever in Chile's history, winning two Copa Americas through his heroic effect in a penalty shootout.  Marcelo Salas, Iván Zamorano and Alexis Sanchez playinhg on the same lineup might leave the team unbalanced.