Gilberto Flores

Some careers announce themselves early; Gilberto Flores's has moved in pieces, one loan at a time. Born in Asunción, the defender came through Libertad, winning the Paraguayan Apertura twice with the club before he had established himself as a regular starter.

His breakthrough moment arrived away from Libertad, during a loan spell at Sportivo Trinidense.

FC Cincinnati signed Flores from Libertad on 31 January 2025 for a reported $2 million, using MLS's U-22 Initiative to bring him into the league. He split his first season between the first team and FC Cincinnati 2 in MLS Next Pro, gaining minutes at both levels as he adjusted to American soccer. An August 2025 match against Charlotte FC brought a difficult night: sent off in the 83rd minute for a second yellow card, with an own goal in a match Cincinnati lost 2-0.

Rather than staying to work through that stretch, Flores returned to Paraguay in July 2026, loaned back to Libertad until June 2027 with an option to buy.

At international level, Flores has represented Paraguay extensively at youth level without a senior cap. He scored twice in thirteen appearances for the under-20s, featuring at the 2023 South American U20 Championship and helping Paraguay to silver at the 2022 South American Games. He continued into the under-23 setup, earning a place in the squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics.