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 |  Benfica
|
|
| 1998 | Carlos Gamarra |  Corinthians
|
|
| 1999 | Roque Santa Cruz |  Olimpia Bayern Munich
|
|
| 2000 | José Cardozo |  Toluca
|
|
| 2001 | Roberto Acuña |  Zaragoza
|
|
| 2002 | José Cardozo | Toluca
|
|
| 2003 | José Cardozo | Toluca
|
|
| 2004 | Justo Villar |  Newell's Old Boys
|
|
| 2005 | Julio dos Santos | Cerro Porteño
|
|
| 2006 | Óscar Cardozo | Nacional Newell's Old Boys
|
|
| 2007 | Salvador Cabañas | América
|
|
| 2008 | Claudio Morel Rodríguez | Boca Juniors
|
|
| 2009 | Óscar Cardozo | Benfica
|
|
| 2010 | Lucas Barrios | Borussia Dortmund
|
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| 2011 | Pablo Zeballos | Olimpia
|
|
| 2012 | Pablo Aguilar | Sportivo Luqueño Tijuana
|
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| 2013 | Ángel Romero | Cerro Porteño
|
|
| 2014 | Fernando Fernández | Guaraní
|
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| 2015 | Derlis González |  Dynamo Kyiv
|
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| 2016 | Rodrigo Rojas | Cerro Porteño
|
|
| 2017 | Miguel Almirón |  Atlanta United
|
|
| 2018 | Miguel Almirón | Atlanta United
|
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| 2019 | Roque Santa Cruz | Olimpia
|
|
| 2020 | N/A | N/A | |
| 2021 | Gustavo Gómez | Palmeiras
|
|
| 2022 | Miguel Almirón |  Newcastle United
|
|
| 2023 | Mathías Villasanti | Grêmio
|
|
| 2024 | Diego Gómez | Inter Miami
|
Public vote
| Year | Player | Club(s) | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Justo Villar | Newell's Old Boys
|
|
| 2005 | Julio dos Santos | Cerro Porteño
|
|
| 2006 | Óscar Cardozo | Nacional Newell's Old Boys
|
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| 2007 | Nelson Valdez | Borussia Dortmund
|
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| 2008 | Salvador Cabañas | América
|
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| 2009 | Salvador Cabañas | América
|
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| 2010 | Nelson Valdez | Hércules
|
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| 2011 | Pablo Zeballos | Olimpia
|
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| 2012 | Fidencio Oviedo | Cerro Porteño
|
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| 2013 | Pablo Aguilar | Tijuana
|
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| 2014 | Fernando Fernández | Guaraní
|
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| 2015 | William Mendieta | Palmeiras
|
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| 2016 | Rodrigo Rojas | Cerro Porteño
|
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| 2017 | Miguel Almirón | Atlanta United
|
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| 2018 | Roque Santa Cruz | Olimpia
|
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| 2019 | Roque Santa Cruz | Olimpia
|
|
| 2020 | N/A | N/A | |
| 2021 | Gustavo Gómez | Palmeiras
|
|
| 2022 | Miguel Almirón | Newcastle United
|
|
| 2023 | Mathías Villasanti | Grêmio
|
|
| 2024 | Diego Gómez | Inter Miami
|
Notes
- Santa Cruz played the first half of 1999 for Olimpia, before being transferred to Bayern Munich in August 1999.
- ^ Cardozo played the first half of 2006 for the Nacional, before being transferred to Newell's Old Boys in the second half of 2006.
- Aguilar played the first half of 2012 on loan to Sportivo Luqueño, and the second half of 2012 on loan to Tijuana.
References
- ^ "Almirón y Roque, los mejores del 2018". ABC Color (in Spanish). 21 December 2018.
- ^ "Roque, el mejor del año". ABC Color (in Spanish). 27 December 2019.
- "Gustavo Gómez, el "Mejor futbolista paraguayo del año"". ABC Color.
- "Miguel Almirón, elegido el Mejor Futbolista Paraguayo del 2022"". ABC Color.
- "Diego Gómez fue elegido el "Mejor Futbolista Paraguayo" del 2024"". ABC Color.
- "Miguel Almirón, elegido el Mejor Futbolista Paraguayo del 2022"". ABC Color.
- "Diego Gómez fue elegido el "Mejor Futbolista Paraguayo" del 2024"". ABC Color.
| Paraguayan Footballer of the Year | |
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| ABC Color award |
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| Public award |
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| Football in Paraguay | |||||||
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| Paraguayan Football Association | |||||||
| National teams |
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| League system |
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| Seasons |
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| National Footballer of the Year award (CONMEBOL) | |
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