Gustavo Caballero

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Caballero and the second or maternal family name is González.
Gustavo Caballero
Personal information
Full name Gustavo Rubén Caballero González
Date of birth (2001-09-21) 21 September 2001
Place of birth San Lorenzo, Paraguay
Height 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)[1]
Position(s) Winger
Team information
Current team
 Santos
Number 17
Youth career
Deportivo Capiatá
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2019 Deportivo Capiatá 7 (0)
2022 Sportivo Ameliano 12 (2)
2022–2025 Nacional Asunción 89 (17)
2023 → Sportivo Ameliano (loan) 8 (0)
2025– Santos 3 (1)
International career‡
2024– Paraguay U23 7 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15:41, 11 August 2025 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 20:43, 21 July 2025 (UTC)

Gustavo Rubén Caballero González (born 21 September 2001) is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Santos. Mainly a winger, he can also play as a forward.

Club career

Deportivo Capiatá

A Deportivo Capiatá youth graduate, Caballero signed his first professional contract on 1 July 2019.[2] He made his debut in the Paraguayan Primera División on 12 July, starting for in a 1–0 home win over Sportivo Luqueño.[3]

Caballero featured in seven league matches for Capiatá during the 2019 season, as the club suffered relegation, and also helped the side to reach the semifinals of the 2019 Copa Paraguay.

Sportivo Ameliano

After the 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Caballero also spent the 2021 campaign unemployed before going on a trial at Sportivo Ameliano in January 2022; initially a member of the reserve team, he impressed during the pre-season and earned himself a first team spot.[4] He scored his first professional goal on 20 March 2022, netting the opener in a 2–0 away win over Olimpia.[5]

Caballero contributed with two goals and two assists in 12 matches for Ameliano during the 2022 Apertura tournament.

Nacional Asunción

In July 2022, Caballero joined Nacional Asunción, who had been in irregular form and mid-table positions in the first half of the season.[6] In his second match for La Academia on 25 July, he scored his first goal in a 2–1 win at 12 de Octubre.[7]

On 28 February 2023, Caballero scored his first continental goal in the Copa Libertadores, albeit in a 5–1 loss away to Sporting Cristal of Peru, eliminating his side 5–3 on aggregate; he was soon afterwards demoted to the reserve team as a punishment for alleged tactical disobedience.[8]

Loan to Ameliano

In July 2023, Caballero returned to Ameliano for the second half of the season.[9] He only managed to make eight appearances for the side, with only three starts.

Breakthrough

Back to Nacional for the 2024 campaign, Caballero soon established himself as a starter. On 5 September of that year, he scored a hat-trick in a 5–0 Copa Paraguay away routing of Cristóbal Colón de Juan Augusto Saldívar.[10] His performances attracted the interest of Olimpia,[11] but nothing came of it.

Caballero was the top scorer of the 2025 Apertura tournament with nine goals (along with Juan Iturbe), which led to a move to Libertad on 7 July of that year.[12] Five days later, however, the deal collapsed amidst interest from foreign clubs.[13]

Santos

In July 2025, Campeonato Brasileiro Série A side Vasco da Gama made an offer to obtain Caballero on loan for US$400,000 with an option to purchase for US$2.2 million.[14] On 24 July however, Santos of the same league announced his signing on a four-year contract, paying US$1.6 million for 50% of his economic rights.[15]

Caballero made his debut for Peixe on 26 July 2025, being deployed as a right wing-back in a 2–2 away draw against Sport Recife.[16] He scored his first goal for the club on 10 August , netting the winner in a 2–1 away success over Cruzeiro; he also provided the assist to Guilherme's equalizer.[17]

International career

Caballero made his debut for the Paraguay national under-23 team on 8 June 2024, as a substitute in a 4–0 friendly loss to neighbours Argentina. He was named in the squad for the 2024 Olympic event in France, but was moved to standby after veteran Fabián Balbuena received late permission from Dynamo Moscow.[18]

Caballero was restored to the main team days later when Fabrizio Peralta was denied permission by his Brazilian club Cruzeiro,[19] and then dropped again as Julio Enciso was allowed to play by Brighton & Hove Albion.[20] On the day before the tournament, he was finally reinstalled in the squad when Diego González suffered an injury.[21] He played in all three matches in the group stage, but was an unused substitute in Paraguay's quarterfinal loss to Egypt.

Career statistics

As of 11 August 2025.[22]
Club Season League Cup Continental Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Deportivo Capiatá 2019 Primera División 7 0 3 0 — 10 0
Sportivo Ameliano 2022 Primera División 12 2 0 0 — 12 2
Nacional Asunción 2022 Primera División 18 3 3 1 — 21 4
2023 15 1 0 0 4[a] 1 19 2
2024 34 4 4 3 11[b] 1 45 5
2025 22 9 0 0 2[a] 1 24 10
Total 89 17 7 4 17 3 113 24
Sportivo Ameliano (loan) 2023 Primera División 8 0 1 0 — 9 0
Santos 2025 Série A 3 1 — — 3 1
Career total 119 20 11 4 17 3 147 27
  1. ^ a b Appearance(s) in Copa Libertadores
  2. ^ Five appearances in Copa Libertadores, six appearances and one goal in Copa Sudamericana


References

  1. ^ "Gustavo Caballero" (in Spanish). Club Nacional. Retrieved 6 February 2025.
  2. ^ "El contrato que todo jugador desea firmar es la que suscribieron hoy los juveniles Gustavo Caballero y Fernando Bracho convirtiéndose así en jugadores del Deportivo Capiatá por 4 años y son integrantes del plantel principal!" [The contract which every player wants to sign is the one which the youngsters Gustavo Caballero and Fernando brach signed today becoming players of Deportivo Capiatá for 4 years and are members of the first team!]. Deportivo Capiatá (in Spanish). Facebook. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  3. ^ "Con gol de Sasá, Capiatá castigó a Luqueño" [With goal from Sasá, Capiatá punished Luqueño] (in Spanish). Versus. 12 July 2019. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  4. ^ Versus [@SomosVersusPY] (21 March 2022). ""Gustavo Caballero vino a prueba a la reserva, lo llevamos a la pretemporada y ayer hizo un gran partido" Humberto García, Técnico de #Ameliano en #VersusRadio @Universo970py @SomosGENAhora" ["Gustavo Caballero came on a trial for the reserves, we took him to pre-season and he played a great match yesterday" Humberto García, manager of #Ameliano at #VersusRadio @Universo970py @SomosGENAhora] (Tweet) (in Spanish). Retrieved 21 July 2025 – via Twitter.
  5. ^ "Gustavo Caballero, figura de Nacional, confesó su fanatismo por Olimpia" [Gustavo Caballero, Nacional's key man, confessed his fanaticism for Olimpia] (in Spanish). Versus. 5 October 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  6. ^ "Gustavo Caballero, el futbolista que sorprendió en Ameliano y ahora refuerza Nacional" [Gustavo Caballero, the footballer who surprised at Ameliano and now bolsters Nacional] (in Spanish). Versus. 13 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  7. ^ "Nacional se convierte en escolta y hunde al 12 de Octubre" [Nacional go defensive and sink 12 de Octubre] (in Spanish). D10. 25 July 2022. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  8. ^ "Gustavo Caballero, separado del equipo: "Supuestamente soy desobediente tácticamente"" [Gustavo Caballero, separated from the team: "Apparently I am tactically disobedient"] (in Spanish). Versus. 21 March 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  9. ^ "Altas y bajas de los 12 clubes de cara al torneo Clausura 2023" [Ins and outs of the 12 clubs ahead of the 2023 Clausura tournament] (in Spanish). Versus. 6 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  10. ^ "Nacional golea al Cristóbal Colón y clasifica a los octavos de final de la Copa Paraguay" [Nacional thrash Cristóbal Colón and qualify to the round of 16 of the Copa Paraguay] (in Spanish). Radio Nacional del Paraguay. 5 September 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  11. ^ "Olimpia también mira por barrio Obrero" [Olimpia also look to the Obrero neighborhood] (in Spanish). Versus. 11 December 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  12. ^ "Libertad: Caballero, fuerte apuesta del campeón" [Libertad: Caballero, high bet from the champions] (in Spanish). ABC Color. 7 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  13. ^ "Cambio de planes: Gustavo Caballero finalmente no será jugador de Libertad" [Change of plans: Gustavo Caballero will not be a Libertad player] (in Spanish). Versus. 12 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  14. ^ Cardoso, Leandro (17 July 2025). "Vasco oficializa proposta por atacante internacional" [Vasco confirm offer for international attacker] (in Portuguese). Terra. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Santos anuncia a contratação do atacante paraguaio Gustavo Caballero" [Santos announce the signing of Paraguayan attacker Gustavo Caballero] (in Portuguese). ge. 24 July 2025. Retrieved 16 August 2025.
  16. ^ "Gustavo Caballero tuvo un accidentado debut en el Santos" [Gustavo Caballero had a troubled debut at Santos] (in Spanish). Versus. 27 July 2025. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  17. ^ "Decisivo, Caballero exalta vitória do Santos: 'Mostrou nossa capacidade'" [Decisive, Caballero praises Santos' win: 'Showed our capacity'] (in Brazilian Portuguese). UOL Esporte. 11 August 2025. Retrieved 11 August 2025.
  18. ^ "Roberto Jr. Fernández y Fabián Balbuena, citados a París 2024" [Roberto Jr. Fernández and Fabián Balbuena, called up to Paris 2024]. ABC Color. 8 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  19. ^ "Gustavo Caballero, sustituto de Fabrizio Peralta en París 2024" [Gustavo Caballero, Fabrizio Peralta's replacement at Paris 2024] (in Spanish). ABC Color. 10 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  20. ^ "Refuerzo estrella: Julio Enciso está para jugar los Juegos Olímpicos" [Star addition: Julio Enciso will play in the Olympic Games] (in Spanish). Versus. 13 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  21. ^ "El sentido mensaje de Diego González tras quedar fuera: "Tenía muchas ganas"" [Diego González's heartfelt message after being cut: "I was looking forward so much"] (in Spanish). Versus. 23 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  22. ^ Gustavo Caballero at Soccerway. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
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