Celso Ayala

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Ayala and the second or maternal family name is Gavilán.

Celso Rafael Ayala Gavilán (locally [ˈselso rafaˈel aˈʝala ɣaβiˈlan]; born 20 August 1970) is a Paraguayan football manager and former player who played as a centre-back.

Celso Ayala

Personal information
Full name	Celso Rafael Ayala Gavilán
Date of birth	(1970-08-20) 20 August 1970 (age 54)
Place of birth	Asunción, Paraguay
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
Position(s)	Centre-back
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1990–1994	Olimpia Asunción
1994	Rosario Central	15	(0)
1995–1998	River Plate	140	(8)
1998–1999	Betis	17	(1)
1999–2000	Atlético Madrid	19	(1)
2000	São Paulo	8	(0)
2001–2005	River Plate	60	(3)
2006	Colo-Colo	6	(0)
International career
1992	Paraguay U-23
1993–2003	Paraguay	85	(6)
Managerial career
2012–2013	Carapeguá
2014	Independiente FBC
2014–2015	Guabirá
2015	Sport Boys Warnes
2015	Petrolero
2016–2017	Independiente FBC
2017–2018	Nacional Asunción
2019	Deportivo Capiatá
2019–2020	Sportivo Luqueño
2020	River Plate Asunción
2020–2021	Sol de América
2021	River Plate Asunción
2022	Sol de América
2023	Deportivo Santaní
* Club domestic league appearances and goals

Career

With 85 caps and six goals, Ayala one of the most capped players in the Paraguay national team.^[1] Ayala became a key player in Paraguay's outstanding defensive line in the 1990s, along with fellow defenders Francisco Arce and Carlos Gamarra. His characteristics were leadership in the field, good positioning and superb tackling and heading skills. Ayala made his international debut for the Paraguay national football team on 3 March 1993 in the Copa Paz de Chico match against Bolivia (1–0 win) as a substitute.

Honours

Olimpia Asunción

• Nehru Cup: 1990
• Supercopa Sudamericana: 1990
• Copa Libertadores de America: 1990
• Copa Interamericana runner-up: 1990
• Intercontinental Cup runner-up: 1990
• Recopa Sudamericana: 1991
• Torneo Republica: 1992 (undefeated)
• Copa CONMEBOL runner-up: 1992
• Paraguayan league: 1993 (undefeated)
• Supercopa Masters runner-up: 1994

River Plate

• Copa Libertadores: 1996
• Primera División Argentina: Apertura 1996, Clausura, 1997, Apertura 1997, Clausura 2002, Clausura 2003, Clausura 2004
• Intercontinental Cup runner-up: 1996
• Supercopa Sudamericana: 1997

Real Betis

• Ramon de Carranza Trophy: 1999

Colo-Colo

• Torneo Apertura: 2006

Paraguay U-23

• U-23 South American championship: 1992