Gustavo Rubén Caballero González

Gustavo Caballero made his mark in Paraguayan football with his finishing rather than his passing range. In 2025 he shared the Apertura's top scorer honour with Juan Iturbe, netting nine goals — a return that stands out for a player whose position is listed as midfield.

Caballero broke through at Deportivo Capiatá, debuting for the club in 2019. His career since has moved in loops rather than a straight line: he joined Sportivo Ameliano as a free agent in January 2022, switched to Nacional Asunción that same year, then returned to Sportivo Ameliano on loan in July 2023 before rejoining Nacional. The pattern points to a player who kept being pulled back to clubs that had already shown faith in him.

The move to Santos in 2025 marked his step up to South American football's bigger stage, with the Brazilian club taking a 50 per cent economic stake in him. That spell was brief. On 2 February 2026, Santos sent him to Portsmouth on loan for the remainder of the season, with no option to buy attached.

His involvement with the Paraguay national team has come late and in flashes. He debuted on 27 March 2026 against Greece, coming on as a substitute in the 68th minute of a 1-0 win, and scored his first international goal just four days later, converting in the 88th minute of a 1-2 friendly defeat to Morocco. He has also featured for Paraguay's under-23 side, appearing seven times without scoring.

At Portsmouth, he arrives as a loanee still searching for a settled home after several fast-moving transfers — his goal against Morocco offering the clearest sign yet of the finishing instinct that made him the Apertura's joint top scorer.