Paraguay went down by the same 1-0 margin in the second round of the last two FIFA World Cups™, losing first to eventual champions France and then to eventual runner-ups Germany.

At France 98, it took a golden goal from Laurent Blanc to deny them, while four years later Germany's Oliver Neuville did the damage with two minutes left on the clock. Unfortunately for the South Americans, their opponents went on to greater things while they went home empty-handed with just a measure of respect and a growing international standing as consolation. Having booked their place at Germany 2006, the Albirroja are out to make up for their previous disappointments and prove once and for all that they are a force to be reckoned with in world football.

Although Paraguay only made sure of their third consecutive appearance at the FIFA World Cup on 8 October 2005 in Maracaibo, Venezuela, those in the know never doubted their ability to make it through. Despite suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat against Peru in their opening game, Anibal Ruiz's side wasted no time in bouncing back and proving their worth with a series of big wins, both in Asuncion and away from home. On the downside, they were guilty of a lack of consistency in their performances, a failing that proved hard to bear for many fans, who voiced their frustration during the 1-0 home defeat by Colombia in their final qualifier.

A total of 28 points was two fewer than in their previous campaign, but enough to see them repeat their fourth-placed finish of 2001 behind the same three teams who led the way four years ago, Brazil, Argentina and Ecuador. The final standings showed eight wins, four draws and six defeats, with 23 goals for and the same number against. The highlights included a 1-0 victory over Argentina on 3 September 2005, which was their first ever qualifying win over the Albicelestes. Comprehensive defeats at the hands of Peru (4-1), Ecuador (5-2) and Brazil (4-1) were without doubt the low points.

After reaching three of the first six FIFA World Cups, Paraguay went into a decline and missed out on six consecutive final tournaments. When they finally emerged from the wilderness at Mexico 86, Julio Cesar Romero and Roberto Cabanas steered the team successfully through the group stages, only to suffer a resounding 3-0 defeat at the hands of England in the second round.

The next time they reached the finals, at France 98, they were captained by the outrageously talented goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert, who led the side to goalless draws against Bulgaria and Spain and a victory over Nigeria. Once in the second round, Blanc's goal ended their unlikely dream, but the brave Paraguayans left France with their heads held high. Four years later in Korea/Japan, Chilavert was no longer at the peak of his powers, but the team once again exceeded expectations.

A draw with South Africa, a loss to Spain and a win over Slovenia earned them a date with Germany in the second round. The charismatic goalkeeper and his veteran defence put on another brave display but again came up just short.

The man charged with leading Paraguay to success in Germany is Uruguayan coach Anibal Maño Ruiz. One of three coaches to survive the entire South American qualifying campaign, he took temporary charge of the team from Italian Cesare Maldini after Korea/Japan 2002 and was given the job on a permanent basis in April 2003. Ruiz had previously made his name in Paraguayan football with coaching roles at several first division clubs, including Asuncion giants Olimpia, and his polite, dignified approach stands him in good stead with the country's press.

On taking the reins, it was Ruiz's job to take the team forward by finding the right mix of experienced campaigners and young hopefuls. Few would argue that Ruiz has achieved what he set out to do. Between the sticks Justo Villar is proving himself more than capable of following in the giant footsteps of Chilavert, while Carlos Gamarra continues to lead the back line with aplomb. Midfielders Julio Dos Santos and Edgar Barreto, part of the side that finished runners-up at the 2004 Olympic Football Tournament in Athens, have earned their place in the starting XI on the back of a series of energetic displays.

Meanwhile up front, the likes of Roque Santa Cruz, the tireless Jose Cardozo and Paraguayan football's bright young thing, Nelson Haedo Valdez, are out to fire the team to glory. With the talent at their disposal, plus Ruiz's vast experience, Paraguay will be looking to improve on 1998 and 2002 when they ran into the formidable barrier of the eventual finalists in the last 16. The big question now for the South Americans is whether Germany 2006 could be third time lucky...