Paraguay names 23-man squad for Copa America Centenario

Paraguay has revealed the 23 men tasked with bringing home the nation's third-ever Copa America crown.

Manager Ramon Diaz named his squad for the centenary edition of the tournament, slated to begin in the United States on June 3, with a number of familiar faces from years past - particularly in attack.

Paraguay, slotted in Group A alongside the United States, Colombia, and Costa Rica, will once again be looking to the tenured legs of Roque Santa Cruz and Nelson Valdez to find the back of the net, with European-based attackers Derlis Gonzalez and seldom-used Bournemouth winger Juan Iturbe - who recently pledged his international allegiance to the Albirroja instead of the country of his birth, Argentina - also among the forwards.

The steady hands of captain Justo Villar, 38, will once again be between the posts as Paraguay looks to build on last summer's impressive tournament performance, which ended with a semi-final defeat (on penalties) to Argentina.

Here is the squad in full:

Goalkeepers: Justo Villar (Colo Colo), Antony Silva (Cerro Porteno), Diego Barreto (Olimpia)

Defenders: Paulo da Silva (Toluca), Gustavo Gomez (Lanus), Pablo Aguilar (America), Fabian Balbuena (Corinthians), Bruno Valdez (Cerro Porteno), Miguel Samudio (America), Blas Riveros (Olimpia)

Midfielders: Oscar Romero (Racing), Nestor Ortigoza (San Lorenzo), Celso Ortiz (AZ Alkmaar), Rodrigo Rojas (Cerro Porteno), Robert Piris Da Motta (Olimpia), Miguel Almiron (Lanus)

Forwards: Roque Santa Cruz (Malaga), Nelson Haedo Valdez (Seattle), Edgar Benitez (Queretaro), Derlis Gonzalez (FC Dynamo), Jorge Benitez (Cruz Azul), Dario Lezcano (Ingolstadt), Juan Iturbe (Bournemouth)

Paraguay's opening match of the competition, against Costa Rica, is slated for June 4.