The Paraguay national football team has a strong history in world cup final tournaments. They have featured in eight in total, including the first ever world cup in 1930. They went to four consecutive championships between 1998 and 2010. Their appearance in 2010 saw their best performance to date. They recorded a quarter-final appearance and were only defeated 1-0 by eventual world champions Spain.
The Paraguay national football team played their first ever international back in 1919. They faced Argentina and were defeated at home 5-1. It was against the same nation that Paraguay suffered their biggest ever defeat. They lost 8-0 to them back in 1926. Their biggest win is a 7-0 victory which they have recorded on two occasions. Once against Bolivia back in 1949, and once more recently against Hong Kong in 2010.
Football is the most popular sport in Paraguay. The Paraguayan Football Association joined the South American Football Confederation in 1921 and became FIFA affiliated in 1925. There are over 1,600 teams playing in the Paraguayan league structure. The best recognised player for Paraguay is perhaps Oscar Cardozo. Rugby union, volleyball, basketball and tennis are also popular sports within Paraguay. They also have notable stars in golf and motor sport.