Four days after the end of the first double date of South American qualification for the 2026 World Cup, Argentine Guillermo Barros Schelotto became the first coach to be fired. The Paraguayan Football Federation (APF) announced on Saturday that “Twin” is no longer coach of the Guaraní national team.
“The APF shares the culmination of the process led by coach Guillermo Barros Schelotto at the helm of the Paraguay senior national team,” said a short letter published on Saturday evening.
“We wish him and his entire coaching staff every success and thank them for the effort and commitment they have shown at the helm of Albirroja,” the APF said.
The dismissal of the “twin” comes after the 0-0 draw against Peru at home and the 0-1 away defeat against Venezuela in the first double date of the South American qualification for the 2026 World Cup in North America, in which the USA will organize. Canada and Mexico.
Argentinian Daniel Garnero, current coach of Paraguayan Clausura Championship leaders Libertad de Asunción, appears to be a possible replacement for the “twin” Barros Shelotto, according to the local press.
When Garnero was asked at a press conference about his team’s 4-0 win over Tacuarí in the local tournament on Saturday, he said: “If they called me, maybe I would say yes.” Being selected for the Paraguay national team is fulfilling with great pride. Today I feel ready to direct anything.”
The local press is betting on Garnero as the new technical director of the Paraguayan team, which is aiming for a return to the World Cup after failures in Brazil 2014, Russia 2018 and Qatar 2022.
Guillermo Barros Schelotto becomes the first coach to be sacked in the South American qualifier for the 2026 World Cup, leaving six places in the tournament and the seventh the possibility of a play-off with a team from another continent.
The “twin” led 17 games for the Paraguayan team, with 4 wins, 4 draws and 9 losses.
Paraguay has not qualified for a World Cup since South Africa 2010, where it reached the quarterfinals, its best historic performance.
In the next double date of the South American qualification, Paraguay will visit world champions Argentina in Buenos Aires on October 12th and will host Bolivia in Ciudad del Este on the 17th of the same month.
With two World Cup dates played, the Guaraní team is in sixth place with one point, along with Chile and Peru. (D)
