By Tim Vickery BBC Sport Online

In Europe it was the week of the little guy - the likes of Macedonia, Wales and the Faroe Isles.

So it is an appropriate moment to pay tribute to Paraguay, one of the minnows of South America.

Last Wednesday's 0-0 draw away to Spain continues their fine post-World Cup form - a run which few could have expected.

Paraguay is an impoverished nation with a population little over five million.

Chilavert is unlikely to play for Paraguay again

It was a huge achievement for them to qualify for both France 98 and this year's tournament in Japan and South Korea - the first time they had ever made it to consecutive World Cups.

But the group of players behind such success have grown old together. In fact, they peaked some 18 months before the action got underway in Asia.

A transitional period is now inevitable. And most people in South America had assumed that results would be poor while new players were introduced.

Instead of which, Paraguay opened the post-World Cup era with a 1-0 win away to champions Brazil.

Afterwards, using only home-based players, they travelled to Iran for a short tournament, where they beat South Africa 2-0 and then lost to the hosts in a penalty shoot out after a 1-1 draw. Then came last week's goalless draw.

Following the unhappy experiment with Italy's Cesare Maldini, veteran Uruguayan Anibal Ruiz took over as coach.

It was originally thought Ruiz would stand in only until next March but his progress could result in a longer term appointment.

Cesare Maldini has been replaced as coach

Whoever takes the team into World Cup qualifying faces a tough task.

Replacing or phasing out Paraguay's golden generation will not be easy, and encouraging displays in this year's friendlies will quickly be forgotten if results are poor when the serious stuff starts next August.

The good news is that Paraguay have a core of key players to build a team around.

Centre back Julio Cesar Caceres is 23, midfielder Carlos Paredes 26, and strikers Roque Santa Cruz and Nelson Cuevas 21 and 22 respectively.

It means that now is an excellent time to be a promising Paraguayan player. Good performances should quickly be rewarded with a senior international cap.

So there should be no lack of motivation for those who travel to Uruguay next January for the South American Under-20 Championships.

The squad have prepared well, and made a positive impression on a recent tour to Europe.

If they can do well in the heat of competitive action then some of them could find themselves on a fast track to the senior side - where they will be part of the historic quest to take Paraguay to a third consecutive World Cup.