PARAGUAY COACH:Anibal Ruiz

He may be a Uruguayan by birth, but Aníbal Ruiz is an adoptive Paraguayan. Like many South American coaches, Ruiz has lived a gypsy existence on the continent and even in the Caribbean, bouncing from club team to club team and sometimes directing national teams. He hooked up with Paraguay in 2002 and guided the team to its third successive World Cup berth, an unprecedented feat in that country's soccer history. He was appointed caretaker coach in 2002, replacing the controversial Italian, Cesare Maldini.

Asked by FIFAWorldCup.com if he was surprised that he was named permanent coach, Ruiz responded: "Not really, but it was hugely satisfying nonetheless. We took it as just reward for all our hard work over the past few years. A coach thinks like a footballer: first he dreams of playing in the top division, then of being capped by his country. As far as we were concerned, our dream was to manage this team. You can imagine how surprised we were when we got the news by telephone. We were over the moon." When push came to shove and Paraguay had to play Uruguay, Ruiz knew where his bread was buttered and where his heart lay. "I love my country but I have a professional job to do," he told FIFAWorldCup.com. "I have a great deal of affection for Paraguay. I only coached twice in Uruguay, in 1981 and in 1988. Let's say I want Paraguay to beat Uruguay by playing some great football! "