First World Cup after the Chilavert era…

Probably the most renown and important player of Paraguayan football history, at this moment, who football’s fan doesn’t know Jose Luis Chilavert? Born in July 27, 1965 in Luque, Paraguay “El Chila” is known as one of the world’s leading free-kick specialists and probably the most out-spoken goalkeeper ever. He has the all-time leading scorer among professional keepers, scoring 62 goals in his professional career, including eight in international matches. Four of his international goals were scored during Paraguay’s qualification for the 2002 World Cup. His most memorable goal was against Argentina in Buenos Aires, where he scored a free-kick against Burgos.

Chilavert made his debut as a soccer player at the age of 15, with the team Sportivo Luqueno, who were a second division team at that time. In 1989, he played for the Paraguayan national team for the first time. After playing for San Lorenzo in Argentina, he moved to Spain, where he played for Real Zaragoza.

Back in Argentina, he played with Vélez Sársfield, taking them to the Argentine championship three times as well as the Copa Libertadores and the Intercontinental Cup, both won in 1994. In 1999, he became the first goalkeeper to score a hat-trick in the history of football, while playing for Vélez against Ferro Carril Oeste. His goal from the middle of the field in a match against River Plate traveled around the world.

He was voted World Goalkeeper of the Year in 1995 and 1997. In 1998, he participated in the France World Cup, taking Paraguay to the second round, where the team lost against France. There he entered in the history of football as the first goalkeeper who kicked a free-kick during a World Cup match. In 2002 World Cup, he lost the first two games of the tournament because he received a previous sanction during the qualifying games.

He has 74 international caps for Paraguay and an impressive 8 international goals.
Chilavert announced his retirement from all football in December 2003, but decided to come out of retirement to return to Vélez. He finally retired permanently in 2004, playing his last match, a farewell testimonial, on November 11 of that year. Fittingly, he scored a goal.

This will be the first World Cup of the Paraguayan team after 2 consecutive appearance without the figure of “El Chila” or “The Great Captain”, although the goal is very secure in the hands of Justo Villar, we’ll miss the lead of this great player inside the field and the manner in which he carry all the team.