Cerro Porteño

Not to be confused with Club Cerro Porteño (Presidente Franco).

Club Cerro Porteño is a professional Paraguayan football club, based in the neighbourhood of Obrero in Asunción. Founded in 1912, Cerro has won 34 Primera División titles and is one of the most popular football clubs in Paraguay.^[1] Its president is Raúl Zapag and the manager is Carlos Jara Saguier. Cerro Porteño plays the Paraguayan derby with its main rival Club Olimpia. They play their home games at the 45,000-seat General Pablo Rojas Stadium, also known as La Nueva Olla (The New Boiler), the biggest in the country.

Cerro Porteño

Full name	Club Cerro Porteño
Nickname(s)	El Ciclón (The Cyclone) Club del Pueblo (The People's Team) La Mitad más Uno (The Half plus One) El Azulgrana (The Blue And Red)
Founded	1 October 1912; 112 years ago (1912-10-01)
Ground	Estadio General Pablo Rojas
Capacity	45,000
Chairman	Juan José Zapag
Manager	Diego Martínez
League	Primera División
2024	Primera División, 3rd of 12
Website	http://www.clubcerro.com/
Home colours Away colours
Current season

History

Diego Barreto was formed at the club's youth academy

Cerro Porteño was founded on 1 October 1912 by Susana Núñez and a group of young people looking to create a new football club. At the time of Cerro's foundation, the situation in Paraguay was tense with instability in the government caused by the fervent rivalries between the two leading political parties, the Partido Colorado (Crimson Party) and the Partido Liberal (Liberal Party).

Edgar Barreto graduated from the club's academy to the first-team in 2003

Because of the tensions, the founders of the club decided to use the colours of both parties, red (Colorados) and blue (Liberals), as the club's colours as a symbol of unity and friendship between Paraguayans. Later, white was used on the shorts to incorporate all the colours of the Paraguayan flag.

Diego Lugano joined the club in 2015

The club owes its name to the battle fought between the forces of Buenos Aires, Argentina (The Porteños) and the Paraguayan army, in the neighbourhood of the Cerro Mbaé (Mbaé Hill) – named after that battle as the Cerro Porteño (Porteño Hill) – on 19 January 1811. During that battle, the troops of Paraguay (at that time a Spanish colony) were abandoned by the Spanish governor but continued to be led by the Paraguayan officials, who led them to a great victory against the Porteño's troops. That battle is known as the "Battle of Cerro Porteño" and is a highlight of Paraguayan military history.^{[citation needed]}

Geremi Njitap played for the club during the 90s.^[2]

Over the years the club has won a significant number of national championships. However, to date, it has not won any international tournaments despite a few good runs in the Copa Libertadores including semi-final appearances in 1973, 1978, 1993, 1998, 1999 and 2011.

Julio dos Santos was formed at the club's youth academy

Osvaldo Ardiles joined the club as manager in May 2008, but was sacked in August of the same year after a string of poor results and was replaced by Pedro Troglio.^[3]

Marcelo Martins joined for club for the 2022 season

In 2014, Cerro Porteño president Juan José Zapag spoke in reference to the corruption in Paraguayan football that various persons had complained to him about not buying games and that if his club were to win then they would not do it by buying and doping players to become champions.^[4]

Stadium

Main article: Estadio General Pablo Rojas

Cerro Porteño's stadium, Estadio General Pablo Rojas, also known as "La Nueva Olla" or "La Olla", is located in Asunción's Obrero neighborhood. It has a seating capacity of 45,000, making it the biggest in Paraguay.

International record

• Copa Libertadores: 45 appearances

Best: 1973, 1978, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2011 (Semi-finals)

• Copa Sudamericana: 11 appearances

Best: 2009, 2016 (Semi-finals)

Honours

Cerro Porteño honours

Type	Competition	Titles	Seasons
National	Primera División	34	1913, 1915, 1918, 1919, 1935, 1939, 1940, 1941, 1944, 1950, 1954, 1961, 1963, 1966, 1970, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1977, 1987, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 2001, 2004, 2005, 2009 Apertura, 2012 Apertura, 2013 Clausura, 2015 Apertura, 2017 Clausura, 2020 Apertura, 2021 Clausura
	Torneo República	3	1989, 1991, 1995
	Plaqueta Millington Drake	2	1949, 1950

•   record
• ^S shared record

Ranking

World Club Ranking

As of 21 March 2024.

Rank	Country	Team
45		Aston Villa
46		Panathinaikos
47		Cerro Porteño
48		Atlético Nacional
49		Monaco

South America Club Ranking

As of 21 March 2024.

Rank	Country	Team
12		Estudiantes de La Plata
13		Cruzeiro
14		Cerro Porteño
15		Atlético Nacional
16		Racing

Players

First team

As of 1 January 2025

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player 1 GK  ARG Alexis Martín Arias 2 DF  PAR Alan Benítez 3 DF  PAR Gustavo Velázquez 5 DF  PAR Jorge Morel 6 DF  ARG Abel Luciatti 8 MF  ARG Federico Carrizo 9 FW  BRA Chico 10 FW  PAR Cecilio Domínguez 11 FW  PAR Juan Iturbe 13 GK  BRA Jean 14 DF  PAR Lucas Quintana 15 DF  PAR Rodrigo Melgarejo 16 FW  PAR Édgar Páez 17 FW  PAR Gabriel Aguayo 18 DF  PAR Bruno Valdez (on loan from Boca Juniors) 20 MF  PAR Wilder Viera 21 FW  ARG Sergio Araujo

No. Pos. Nation Player 22 FW  PAR Derlis Rodríguez 25 GK  PAR Gatito Fernández 26 MF  PAR Robert Piris Da Motta 28 MF  PAR Alexis Fariña 29 DF  PAR Enzo Cabrera 30 DF  PAR Alan Núñez 31 DF  PAR Luis Vargas Zorrilla 32 DF  PAR Víctor Cabañas 36 FW  PAR Luis Olmedo 37 DF  PAR Diego León 38 DF  PAR Tobías Marecos 39 FW  PAR Tobias Portillo — GK  PAR Antonio Martínez — DF  ARG Matías Damián Pérez — DF  ARG Guillermo Benítez — MF  USA Alan Soñora — MF  PAR Gastón Giménez — FW  ARG Jonathan Torres

Out on loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Pos. Nation Player — DF  PAR Rodrigo Delvalle (at Sol de América until 31 December 2024) — DF  PAR Daniel Rivas (at Nacional until 31 December 2024)

No. Pos. Nation Player — MF  PAR Ángel Cardozo Lucena (at Libertad until 31 December 2024) — MF  PAR Antonio Galeano (at Nacional until 31 December 2025)

Notable players

To appear in this section a player must have either:

• Played at least 125 games for the club.
• Set a club record or won an individual award while at the club.
• Been part of a national team squad at any time.
• Played in the first division of any other football association (outside of Paraguay).
• Played in a continental and/or intercontinental competition.

1970s Secundino Aifuch (1976–78), (1982) 1980s Justo Jacquet (1981–88), (1990), (1992-1993) 1990s Francisco Arce (1991–94) Carlos Gamarra (1991–92), (1993–95) Faryd Mondragon (1993) Julio César Yegros (1994) Jorge Núñez (1996–99), (2002–03), (2007–08) Ricardo Bitancort (1997) Paulo da Silva (1998) Delio Toledo (1998–99) Fabián Caballero (1998–99) Diego Gavilán (1998–99)

2000s Julio dos Santos (2001–05), (2009–2014), (2019–) Édgar Barreto (2002–03) Diego Barreto (2002–07), (2008), (2009–15) Dante López (2003) Diego Cabrera (2003) Glacinei Martins (2003–2005)[5] Juan Cardozo (2005–06) Lorgio Álvarez (2005), (2007–08) Roberto Ovelar (2006–07) Marcelo Estigarribia (2006–08)(2016) Pablo Escobar (2006) Celso Ortiz (2007–10) Rodrigo Burgos (2007–12) Iván Piris (2008–11) Roberto Nanni (2009–13)

2010s Pablo Zeballos (2010) Fredy Bareiro (2011) Nelson Cuevas (2011) Luis Núñez (2011) Jonathan Fabbro (2011–13), (2014–16) Walter López (2012) Rodrigo López (2012–13) Fidencio Oviedo (2012–) Williams Martínez (2013) Paul Ambrosi (2013) Miguel Almirón (2013–15) José Ortigoza (2013), (2014–2017), (2020-) Jonathan Santana (2014–) Mauricio Sperduti (2014–15) Diego Lugano (2015) Fernando Amorebieta (2019–2020) 2020s Marcelo Martins Moreno (2022–)[6]

Non-CONMEBOL players

• Adriano Custódio Mendes (1988)^[7]
• Jerry Laterza (1994–95)
• William Inganga (1996)^[8]
• Tobie Mimboe (1996)
• Geremi Njitap (1997)
• Cyrille Florent Bella (1998)
• Kenneth Nkweta Nju (2000–01)^[9]
• Nozomi Hiroyama (2001)
• Froylán Ledezma (2001–02)
• Diego Madrigal (2011)
• Daniel Güiza (2013–15)
• Luís Leal (2016–17)

Managerial information

Cerro Porteño coaching history from 1913 to present
Dámaso Ávila (1913) Eduardo Jara (1914) Unknown (1915–1918) Humberto Camperchiolli (1919–20) Clemente Talavera (1920) Espiridón Galeano (1921) Clemente Talavera (1921) Roque J. Medina (1922) Unknown (1923) Eduardo Jara (1924–25) Antonio Castagnino (1926) José A. Caso (1927–28) Luis Laterza (1929) Alejandro Delgado (1930–31) Fausto Menchaca (1932) None (1933–34) Alejandro Delgado (1935–36) Manuel Recalde (1936) Inocencio Agüero (1936) Pedro P. Cazal (1937) Inocencio Agüero (1937) Jacinto Villalba (1937–39) Benjamín Laterza [es] (1939–40) Clemente Talavera (1940) Manuel Recalde (1940) Athuel Velázquez (1941) None (1942) Juan P. Parodi (1943) Jacinto Villalba (1944) Alejandro Delgado (1944) Garibaldi Bougermini (1944) José G. Vinsac (1945) Pedro Osorio (1946–47) Espiridión Galeano (1947) Casiano López (1948) Benjamín Laterza [es] (1948) Gerardo Buongermini (1948) Héctor Vidal (1949)	Benjamín Laterza [es] (1950) Pedro Osorio (1950–51) Julio Ramírez (1952) Atilio Mellone [es] (1952) Luis Benítez Chilavert (1952) Julio Ramírez (1953) Benjamín Laterza [es] (1953) Luis Benítez Chilavert (1953) Rogelio Negri (1954) Luis Benítez Chilavert (1954) Grégorio Juan Esperón (1954) Benjamín Laterza [es] (1955) Grégorio Juan Esperón (1955) Miguel Cabrera (1955) Antonio Fernández (1955) Rogelio Negri (1956) Gabriel Calonga (1956–57) Luis Benítez Chilavert (1957) Atilio Mellone [es] (1957) Benjamín Laterza [es] (1958) Luis Benítez Chilavert (1958) Isidoro García (1959) Sinforiano García (1960) Luis Benítez Chilavert (1960) Rogelio Negri (1960–61) Vessilio Bártoli (1961–62) Mario Fortunato (1963) Modesto Bria (1964–65) Mario Fortunato (1966–67) Egidio Landolfi (1967–69) Salvador Breglia (1969) Sinforiano García (1969) Marcos Pavlovsky (1970–71) Darío Jara Saguier (1971) Gradim (1971) Salvador Breglia (1972) Néstor Rossi (1972) Salvador Breglia (1972)	Marcos Pavlovsky (1973–74) Salvador Breglia (1974) Sinforiano García (1975) Mario González Benítez (1975–76) Egidio Landolfi (1976) Salvador Breglia (1976) Eliseo Báez Riveiro (1976–77) Salvador Breglia (1977–78) Egidio Landolfi (1980) Hugo González (1980) Egidio Landolfi (1980) Hugo González (1981) Robustiano Maciel (1981) Hugo González (1982) Ramón Rodríguez [es] (1983) Oscar Malbernat (1983–84) Silvio Parodi (1984) Saturnino Arrúa (1984) Hugo González (1984) Cayetano Ré (1985) Saturnino Arrúa (1985) Peter Mucha (1986) Ferenc Puskás (1986–87) Valdir Espinosa (1987–88) Carlos Kiese (1988) Otacílio Gonçalves (1989) Sergio Markarián (1990–91) Paulo César Carpegiani (1991–92) Valdir Espinosa (1992) Paulo César Carpegiani (1993–94) Gerardo González Aquino [es] (1994–95) Antônio Lopes (1995–96) Carlos Kiese (1996) Jorge Fossati (1997) Carlos Báez (1998) Julio Carlos Gómez Cáceres (1998) Jair de Jesús Pereira [es] (1999) Carlos Báez (1999)	Saturnino Arrúa (2000) Luis Cubilla (2000) Mario César Jacquet (2001–02) Carlos Báez (2002–03) Gerardo Martino (2003–04) Gustavo Costas (2005–07) Estanislao Struway (2007) Valdir Espinosa (2007) Javier Torrente (2007 – Dec 31, 2007) Blas Marcelo Cristaldo (2008) Osvaldo Ardiles (2008) Pedro Troglio (July 1, 2008 – June 5, 2010) Blas Marcelo Cristaldo (2010) Javier Torrente (Jan 28, 2011 – Feb 14, 2011) Blas Marcelo Cristaldo (2011) Leonardo Astrada (March 1, 2011 – Sept 26, 2011) Ernesto Corti (2011) Mario Grana (Sept 25, 2011 – April 12, 2012) Hugo Caballero (2012) Jorge Fossati (July 1, 2012 – Feb 23, 2013) Francisco Arce (March 4, 2013–Aug 14) Leonardo Astrada (Aug 28, 2014–15) Roberto Torres (2015) César Farías (2016) Gustavo Morínigo (2016) Leonel Álvarez (2017–18) Luis Zubeldía (2018–2019) Miguel Angel Russo (2019) Víctor Bernay (2019) Francisco Arce (2019–2023) Facundo Sava (2023) Diego Gavilán (2023) Víctor Bernay (2023-2024) Manolo Jiménez (2024) Carlos Jara Saguier (2024-)

Records

Most appearances for the club (in all competitions):

1. Julio Dos Santos: 267
2. Jorge Achucarro: 257
3. Aldo Bobadilla: 265
4. Estanislao Struway: 227

Most goals for the club (in all competitions):

1. Virgilio Ferreira: 90
2. Julio Dos Santos: 88
3. Erwin Ávalos: 70
4. Saturnino Arrua: 88
5. José Vinsac: 58

Most appearances for the club (in league):

1. Salvador Breglia: 225
2. Jorge Achucarro: 215
3. Julio Dos Santos: 212
4. Blas Marcelo Cristaldo: 201

Most goals for the club (in league):

1. Virgilio Ferreira: 67
2. Erwin Ávalos: 64
3. José Vinsac: 58
4. Saturnino Arrua: 55

Most appearances for the club (in international cup):

1. Aldo Bobadilla: 67
2. Estanislao Struway: 64
3. Virgilio Ferreira: 61
4. Blas Marcelo Cristaldo: 57

Most goals for the club (in international cup):

1. Virgilio Ferreira: 23
2. Santiago Salcedo: 15
3. Celino Mora: 14
4. César Ramírez: 13

Other disciplines

Women

The women's team has won the Paraguayan women's football championship four times, in 2007 and 2012 to 2014.^[10] The team then played in the Copa Libertadores Femenina.

Youth

One of the club's youth teams played at the 2006 Torneo di Viareggio.^[11]

Futsal

The club's futsal division is the best club in the Liga Premium de Futsal, the premier professional futsal clubs league of the country, having won all of its seven editions as of 2023, for which they are known as "Los Dueños del Futsal" (The King of Futsal).^[12]