Roque Santa Cruz

This will be the fourth time in a row the nation has appeared at the finals of the tournament, their recent qualification record eclipsed only by the two powerhouses of South American football, Brazil and Argentina.

The Paraguayan league gets very few spectators coming to watch the games and matches are often played in front of just a few hundred people.

Despite the likes of Columbia, Chile and Peru having recognised leagues and as such more money to invest in their national team it is Paraguay who have somehow managed to turn out a decent side every four years in time for the World Cup.

In South Africa they will once again be up against nations with much better resources as they try to make a name for themselves.

Santa Cruz, speaking after scoring the winner for Paraguay in their 1-0 victory over North Korea, says it is miraculous Paraguay are able to compete with South American nations, let alone the world’s best.

“It’s a miracle, it’s something Paraguay has been blessed with and we are very proud, coming from such a small country, to be involved in such a great tournament,” Santa Cruz told reporters.

“It’s probably because we are so down-to-earth. The football is not the best, we don’t have a lot of resources, we have don’t infrastructure or stadiums like other countries have.”

The Manchester City forward will be leading his nation in South Africa this summer despite a difficult season back in England where injuries have restricted his participation.

The 28-year-old managed only three goals in the whole of last season as he struggled to hold down a first-team spot when he wasn’t in the treatment room.

However, Santa Cruz (100/1 Top Goalscorer) believes he is over his injury problems and is hopeful he will find the goal regularly enough to help Paraguay achieve their dream of reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.

“Fitness-wise I feel very good, and it’s good for me to have 90 minutes behind me,” he said.

“Paraguay have never been involved in the quarter-finals, that is what we want to achieve and see if we can go on from there,” he said. “It would be a good World Cup if we could do that.”

Paraguay will certainly fancy their chances of reaching the first knock-out round at the World Cup having been drawn alongside Italy, New Zealand and Slovakia.

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