Martino names Final World Cup Squad

June 1st, 2010 | by: Victor | Comments Off

Goalkeepers
Justo Villar (Valladolid, ESP)
Aldo Bobadilla (Independiente Medellin, COL)
Diego Barreto (Cerro Porteño, PAR)

Defenders
Denis Caniza (Leon, MEX)
Darío Verón (UNAM, MEX)
Julio Cáceres (Atletico Mineiro, BRA)
Antolín Alcaraz (Wigan Athletic, ENG)
Paulo Da Silva (Sunderland, ENG)
Claudio Morel (Boca Juniors, ARG)
Carlos Bonet (Olimpia, PAR)
Aureliano Torres (San Lorenzo, ARG)

Midfielders
Enrique Vera (LDU Quito, ECU)
Cristian Riveros (Sunderland, ENG)
Jonathan Santana (Wolfsburg, GER)
Néstor Ortigoza (Argentinos Juniors, ARG)
Víctor Cáceres (Libertad, PAR)
Edgar Barreto (Atalanta, ITA)

Forwards
Roque Santa Cruz (Manchester City, ENG)
Nelson Haedo (Borussia Dortmund, GER)
Lucas Barrios (Borussia Dortmund, GER)
Óscar Cardozo (Benfica, POR)
Edgar Benítez (Pachuca, MEX)
Rodolfo Gamarra (Libertad, PAR)

The excused players are Sergio Aquino (Libertad), Osvaldo Martinez (Monterrey), Julio Manzur (Olimpia), Marcos Caceres (Racing), Eduardo Ledesma (Lanus), Marcelo Estigarribia (Newell’s Old Boys), and Jorge Achucarro (Newell’s Old Boys).

Surprises
Rodolfo Gamarra’s inclusion over Osvaldo Martinez was a major surprise. Very few saw that coming. Martino had been relying on Osvaldo Martinez in the las 4 or 5 World Cup qualifiers and now he is out. I heard gossip on the radio today that the news did not go down well with the squad, some players got upset. I hope none of this is true!

Six of the seven excused players are going back to Asunción while Sergio Aquino will go to South Africa with the 23-man squad. Aquino still has a chance of taking Edgar Barretos place who is recovering from a knee surgery.

Martino must really have a lot of faith in Barreto who hasn’t played in six months. Is Martino really considering making Barreto return in an official game in a World Cup against Italy?

FUEEEERZA PARAGUAAAAY!!!!