Ramon Diaz has announced a final 23-man Paraguay squad for the 2016 Copa America Centenario tournament in United States.
La Albirroja will play hosts United States, Colombia and Costa Rica in a very strong Group A at the tournament finals, and they clearly face an uphill task.
Paraguay national team coach has today announced his final squad for the Copa America Centenario, cutting 16 players from the provisional list.
Veterans Justo Villar, Roque Santa Cruz and Paulo Da Silva all made the final list and they will be expected to lead by example in the United States.
Ivan Piris, Victor Caceres, Raul Bobadilla, Antonio Sanabria and Lucas Barrios are some of the high-profile players that have been left out.
Deportivo Toluca midfielder Rodrigo Ortiz, who can also operate at left-back, had failed to make the provisional squad through a knee ligament injury.
Paraguay Copa America Centenario squad:
Goalkeepers: Diego Barreto (Olimpia), Antony Silva (Cerro Porteno), Justo Villar (Colo Colo);
Defenders: Pablo Aguillar (America), Fabian Balbuena (Corinthians), Paulo Da Silva (Toluca), Gustavo Gomez (Lanus), Blas Riveros (Olimpia), Miguel Samudio (America), Bruno Valdez (Cerro Porteno);
Midfielders: Miguel Almiron (Cerro Porteno), Nestor Ortigoza (San Lorenzo), Celso Ortiz (AZ Alkmaar), Robert Piris Da Motta (Olimpia), Rodrigo Rojas (Cerro Porteno), Oscar Romero (Racing Club);
Forwards: Edgar Benitez (Queretaro), Jorge Benitez (Cruz Azul), Derlis Gonzalez (Dynamo Kiev), Nelson Haedo Valdez (Seattle Sounders), Juan Iturbe (AFC Bournemouth), Dario Lezcano (Ingolstadt), Roque Santa Cruz (Malaga).