Not long ago, I was scrolling Facebook on my phone when I saw the platform proposing a suggested post from someone I do not know but might like. It was a post from Club Deportivo Paraguay. At first, I thought I knew all the important clubs in Paraguay – until I realised they were outside of South America. They are based in the northern part of Barcelona, Spain. As far as everyone knows, apart from one smaller organisation in Argentina, it is the only 100% Paraguayan football club outside of Paraguay. Wanting to know more about the team, as a former football coach, I chatted with Nestor Pereira, the club’s director.
Club Deportivo Paraguay was founded in Barcelona, Spain, on July 7, 2022. It was created by a group of Paraguayan football fans. They are recognised and part of the Catalan Football Federation, the Sports Council of Catalonia, and the Royal Spanish Federation. The club actually plays in the north of Barcelona, in the area of Sant Gervasi de Cassoles. The field is named Camp de Futbol de l’Àliga, in the interior of the Plaça Alfonso Comín. “The stadium might not be big, but there are enough places for us”, says Nestor. For those who know Barcelona well or intend to travel there in the near future, the closest metro station is Penitents, on the “Green Line.” It is also close to the highway “B-20.”
They were put in the 4th Catalan Football Division, which is the equivalent of the 10th level in Spain. Their first season was in 2022–2023, and they finished runners-up of the division. Based on European football rules, they were promoted to the 3rd Catalan Division of the Catalan League. They finished their season in 5th place in that division. Right now, they are playing the 2024–2025 season, which finishes in June. There are 16 teams in that league that play 30 games per season. After nine games played so far, they are leading the league!
You may wonder, it is a football club, they are winning, how much are they paid? I ask the question to the director, and he told me that none of the players have a salary. They are playing for the love of sports and for the love of Paraguay. The organisation has a budget of 35K euros, which is around 288 million Guaraníes, or just over 37K American dollars. Some of the budget’s money is covered with the help of sponsors and activities organised throughout the year. They also have around 50 members who give 10 euros per month to cover some of the expenses. Right now, everyone is united, like a family, to make everything work. After two full seasons and leading their third one, they have the potential to reach the 2nd Catalan Division, a feat that would be historic for a club founded by foreign residents in Spain.
You can follow Club Deportivo Paraguay on Instagram and Facebook, where they also show their game live, which means you do not need to travel to Europe to see them play. The live feed is provided by La Voz Extra Deporte, a Spanish company specialising in broadcasting these types of events. If you want to help the team in any way, such as giving some of your time while in Europe, donating, or being an official sponsor, you can contact them by private messages on social media.
Playing an exceptional season, we can only wish them the best, and we hope they will continue to be great ambassadors of Paraguay in Spain. ¡Viva el Paraguay!
