Lucas Quintana is a 20-year-old Paraguayan centre back who plays for Cerro Porteño in the Paraguayan Primera División. He is comfortable operating on either the right or left side of a defensive pairing. He has also shown versatility by filling in as a fullback on both flanks when required. Quintana represents Paraguay at the U-20 level, where he has captained them at the U-20 CONMEBOL Championship and the U-20 World Cup.
Quintana stands at 1.85 m (6’1”) with a lean, lanky frame. He demonstrates excellent pace over shorter distances, but struggles to maintain his speed over longer distances. His acceleration over short bursts is good, allowing him to recover quickly and close down danger. Aerially, he challenges well in the air. Quintana has a good vertical leap and does a good job of timing his jumps to get to the ball first. He suffered a cruciate ligament injury in December 2023, but he has had no reported injuries and appears to have remained healthy since returning.
Quintana is very comfortable in possession. He is comfortable using both feet to play passes. He remains composed, even when being pressed, rarely rushing passes. He displays excellent vision, playing passes in tight spaces or breaking lines to progress the ball consistently. Quintana always looks to play long balls to his forwards. He is very comfortable executing these long-range passes with either foot. In situations where the opponent presses Quintana, he still looks to find his teammates, rarely clearing the ball aimlessly. When playing short or medium-range passes, Quintana keeps them on the ground and well-weighted. He is very good at playing progressive passes due to his strong passing technique. Quintana is very confident on the ball and trusts his ability to execute difficult passes. This can occasionally lead to him forcing long switches into congested areas or attempting high-risk passes in areas where the opponent could counter if they were to intercept them. Despite this, he has shown the ability to execute these passes, rarely giving possession away.
Out of possession, Quintana is not very aggressive. He does a good job of positioning himself to support teammates, ready to anticipate if they were to get beaten in a duel. He displays strong defensive awareness and positional intelligence, regularly covering space behind the defensive line and anticipating dangerous passes. He often positions himself behind teammates, winning second balls. He shows good timing in tackles and rarely overcommits. He reads deliveries into the box well, consistently being first to crosses and clearing danger effectively. He consistently demonstrates good anticipation, intercepting passes and blocking shots. While he does not engage in many ground duels, he wins the majority of them. On occasions, he can be dragged out of position by following a marker, which can disrupt the defensive shape.
I definitely see Quintana making a move abroad soon. Especially after his performances at the U-20 World Cup, I would not be surprised if European clubs begin enquiring about him. A move to a possession-dominant side in a league outside the top 5 would be a good fit, but I can also see him fitting at a team in La Liga or Serie A.
Target Scouting 