Paraguayan Footballer of the Year

José Cardozo, pictured here in 2006, is a three-time winner of the journalists' award.
Miguel Almirón, also a three-time winner of the journalists' award.

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

Year Player Club(s) Ref.
1997 Carlos Gamarra Portugal Benfica [1]
1998 Carlos Gamarra Brazil Corinthians [1]
1999 Roque Santa Cruz Paraguay Olimpia
Germany Bayern Munich[a] 		[1]
2000 José Cardozo Mexico Toluca [1]
2001 Roberto Acuña Spain Zaragoza [1]
2002 José Cardozo Mexico Toluca [1]
2003 José Cardozo Mexico Toluca [1]
2004 Justo Villar Argentina Newell's Old Boys [1]
2005 Julio dos Santos Paraguay Cerro Porteño [1]
2006 Óscar Cardozo Paraguay Nacional
Argentina Newell's Old Boys[b] 		[1]
2007 Salvador Cabañas Mexico América [1]
2008 Claudio Morel Rodríguez Argentina Boca Juniors [1]
2009 Óscar Cardozo Portugal Benfica [1]
2010 Lucas Barrios Germany Borussia Dortmund [1]
2011 Pablo Zeballos Paraguay Olimpia [1]
2012 Pablo Aguilar Paraguay Sportivo Luqueño
Mexico Tijuana[c] 		[1]
2013 Ángel Romero Paraguay Cerro Porteño [1]
2014 Fernando Fernández Paraguay Guaraní [1]
2015 Derlis González Ukraine Dynamo Kyiv [1]
2016 Rodrigo Rojas Paraguay Cerro Porteño [1]
2017 Miguel Almirón United States Atlanta United [1]
2018 Miguel Almirón United States Atlanta United [1]
2019 Roque Santa Cruz Paraguay Olimpia [2]
2020 N/A N/A
2021 Gustavo Gómez Brazil Palmeiras [3]
2022 Miguel Almirón England Newcastle United [4]

Public vote

Year Player Club(s) Ref.
2004 Justo Villar Argentina Newell's Old Boys [1]
2005 Julio dos Santos Paraguay Cerro Porteño [1]
2006 Óscar Cardozo Paraguay Nacional
Argentina Newell's Old Boys[b] 		[1]
2007 Nelson Valdez Germany Borussia Dortmund [1]
2008 Salvador Cabañas Mexico América [1]
2009 Salvador Cabañas Mexico América [1]
2010 Nelson Valdez Spain Hércules [1]
2011 Pablo Zeballos Paraguay Olimpia [1]
2012 Fidencio Oviedo Paraguay Cerro Porteño [1]
2013 Pablo Aguilar Mexico Tijuana [1]
2014 Fernando Fernández Paraguay Guaraní [1]
2015 William Mendieta Brazil Palmeiras [1]
2016 Rodrigo Rojas Paraguay Cerro Porteño [1]
2017 Miguel Almirón United States Atlanta United [1]
2018 Roque Santa Cruz Paraguay Olimpia [1]
2019 Roque Santa Cruz Paraguay Olimpia [2]
2020 N/A N/A
2021 Gustavo Gómez Brazil Palmeiras
2022 Miguel Almirón England Newcastle United [5]

Notes

  1. ^ Santa Cruz played the first half of 1999 for Olimpia, before being transferred to Bayern Munich in August 1999.
  2. ^ a b 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.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak "Almirón y Roque, los mejores del 2018". ABC Color (in Spanish). 21 December 2018.
  2. ^ a b "Roque, el mejor del año". ABC Color (in Spanish). 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. ^ "Miguel Almirón, elegido el Mejor Futbolista Paraguayo del 2022"". ABC Color.