The Paraguayan Footballer of the Year is an award given to the best Paraguayan professional football player every year. The award began officially in 1997 and it is presented by Paraguayan newspaper ABC Color. Players that participate in this award can play in any professional football club in the world (although they do not necessarily have to be Paraguayan football clubs) and have to be either Paraguayan-born or Paraguayan-naturalised players.

A second award, voted by the public, was established in 2004. Justo Villar was the inaugural winner.

Winners

Journalists' vote

YearPlayerClub(s)Ref.
1997Carlos GamarraBenfica[1]
1998Carlos GamarraCorinthians[1]
1999Roque Santa CruzOlimpia
Bayern Munich[a]		[1]
2000José CardozoToluca[1]
2001Roberto AcuñaZaragoza[1]
2002José CardozoToluca[1]
2003José CardozoToluca[1]
2004Justo VillarNewell's Old Boys[1]
2005Julio dos SantosCerro Porteño[1]
2006Óscar CardozoNacional
Newell's Old Boys[b]		[1]
2007Salvador CabañasAmérica[1]
2008Claudio Morel RodríguezBoca Juniors[1]
2009Óscar CardozoBenfica[1]
2010Lucas BarriosBorussia Dortmund[1]
2011Pablo ZeballosOlimpia[1]
2012Pablo AguilarSportivo Luqueño
Tijuana[c]		[1]
2013Ángel RomeroCerro Porteño[1]
2014Fernando FernándezGuaraní[1]
2015Derlis GonzálezDynamo Kyiv[1]
2016Rodrigo RojasCerro Porteño[1]
2017Miguel AlmirónAtlanta United[1]
2018Miguel AlmirónAtlanta United[1]
2019Roque Santa CruzOlimpia[2]
2020N/AN/A
2021Gustavo GómezPalmeiras[3]
2022Miguel AlmirónNewcastle United[4]
2023Mathías VillasantiGrêmio
2024Diego GómezInter Miami[5]
2025Omar AldereteGetafe
Sunderland[d]

Public vote

YearPlayerClub(s)Ref.
2004Justo VillarNewell's Old Boys[1]
2005Julio dos SantosCerro Porteño[1]
2006Óscar CardozoNacional
Newell's Old Boys[b]		[1]
2007Nelson ValdezBorussia Dortmund[1]
2008Salvador CabañasAmérica[1]
2009Salvador CabañasAmérica[1]
2010Nelson ValdezHércules[1]
2011Pablo ZeballosOlimpia[1]
2012Fidencio OviedoCerro Porteño[1]
2013Pablo AguilarTijuana[1]
2014Fernando FernándezGuaraní[1]
2015William MendietaPalmeiras[1]
2016Rodrigo RojasCerro Porteño[1]
2017Miguel AlmirónAtlanta United[1]
2018Roque Santa CruzOlimpia[1]
2019Roque Santa CruzOlimpia[2]
2020N/AN/A
2021Gustavo GómezPalmeiras
2022Miguel AlmirónNewcastle United[6]
2023Mathías VillasantiGrêmio
2024Diego GómezInter Miami[7]
2025Omar AldereteGetafe
Sunderland[e]

Notes

  1. ^ Santa Cruz played the first half of 1999 for Olimpia, before being transferred to Bayern Munich in August 1999.
  2. ^ Cardozo played the first half of 2006 for the Nacional, before being transferred to Newell's Old Boys in the second half of 2006.
  3. ^ Aguilar played the first half of 2012 on loan to Sportivo Luqueño, and the second half of 2012 on loan to Tijuana.
  4. ^ Alderete played the first half of 2025 for Getafe, before being transferred to Sunderland in August 2025.
  5. ^ Alderete played the first half of 2025 for Getafe, before being transferred to Sunderland in August 2025.

References

  1. ^ "Almirón y Roque, los mejores del 2018" (in Spanish). ABC Color. 21 December 2018.
  2. ^ "Roque, el mejor del año" (in Spanish). ABC Color. 27 December 2019.
  3. ^ "Gustavo Gómez, el “Mejor futbolista paraguayo del año”". ABC Color
  4. ^ "Miguel Almirón, elegido el Mejor Futbolista Paraguayo del 2022”". ABC Color
  5. ^ "Diego Gómez fue elegido el “Mejor Futbolista Paraguayo” del 2024”". ABC Color
  6. ^ "Miguel Almirón, elegido el Mejor Futbolista Paraguayo del 2022”". ABC Color
  7. ^ "Diego Gómez fue elegido el “Mejor Futbolista Paraguayo” del 2024”". ABC Color