Paraguay player misses international games after passport damaged in washing machine

Andres Cubas was able to obtain a new passport but could not complete the visa process to leave Canada

Japan's Ritsu Doan (L) fights for the ball with Paraguay's Andres Cubas during the international football friendly match between Japan and Paraguay at Panasonic Stadium in Suita, Osaka prefecture on October 10, 2025 (AFP via Getty Images)

Paraguay midfielder Andres Cubas went through a scenario every traveller fears when he left his passport inside a pair of trousers which ended up in the washing machine, causing him to miss matches against the United States and Mexico.

Cubas, who plays for Canada's Vancouver Whitecaps, missed both Paraguay's friendlies in a 2-1 loss to the U.S. on Saturday and a 2-1 win over Mexico on Tuesday.

"He messed up, he forgot it in his trousers. And well, the lady who works there didn't notice either and they put them in the washing machine. He's really annoyed," the player's father Francisco Cubas told Paraguay's ABC TV this week.

Andres was able to obtain a new passport but could not complete the visa process to leave Canada in time for the matches, his father added.

World champions Argentina were the first South American team to qualify by guaranteeing a top-six finish back in March and they finished top of the 10-team CONMEBOL group, nine points ahead of second-placed Ecuador.

The top six – which also includes Colombia, Uruguay, Brazil and Paraguay – sealed automatic qualification, while Bolivia snatched the play-off place, by finishing seventh after beating Brazil 1-0 in their final qualifier.

Venezuela, Chile and Peru miss out, while Bolivia enter a six-team play-off, which includes two from CONCACAF and one apiece from the AFC, CAF, CONMEBOL and OFC.