| Hernesto Caballero | |
| Fullname: | Hernesto Ezequiel Caballero Benítez |
| Birth Date: | 9 April 1991 |
| Birth Place: | San Juan Bautista, Paraguay |
| Height: | 1.83m |
| Currentclub: | Libertad |
| Clubnumber: | 26 |
| Position: | Midfielder |
| Years1: | 2010–2016 |
| Clubs1: | Fernando de la Mora |
| Years2: | 2016 |
| Clubs2: | → General Caballero ZC (loan) |
| Caps2: | 37 |
| Goals2: | 5 |
| Years3: | 2017–2020 |
| Clubs3: | Olimpia |
| Caps3: | 40 |
| Goals3: | 1 |
| Years4: | 2017 |
| Clubs4: | → General Díaz (loan) |
| Caps4: | 16 |
| Goals4: | 1 |
| Years5: | 2021 |
| Clubs5: | River Plate Asunción |
| Caps5: | 17 |
| Goals5: | 5 |
| Years6: | 2022– |
| Clubs6: | Libertad |
| Caps6: | 83 |
| Goals6: | 3 |
| Nationalyears1: | 2023– |
| Nationalteam1: | Paraguay |
| Nationalcaps1: | 5 |
| Nationalgoals1: | 0 |
| Club-Update: | 16 June 2024 |
| Nationalteam-Update: | 28 June 2024 |
Hernesto Ezequiel Caballero Benítez (born 9 April 1991) is a Paraguayan professional footballer who plays as a midfielder for Libertad.
Born in San Juan Bautista, Misiones, Caballero began his career with Fernando de la Mora in 2010, making his senior debut in the División Intermedia. Ahead of the 2016 season, he was loaned to Primera División side General Caballero ZC.[1]
After being an undisputed starter as General Caballero suffered relegation, Caballero signed a four-year contract with Olimpia on 7 February 2017, being immediately loaned to General Díaz.[2] [3] On 15 June, he was recalled by his parent club.[4]
Sparingly used at Olimpia, Caballero rescinded his contract with the club on 10 November 2020, and announced that he would sign for a Brazilian club.[5] However, the move did not materialze,[6] and he spent the first half of the 2021 season without a club before signing for River Plate Asunción.[7]
On 28 December 2021, Caballero was announced at Libertad.[8]
In November 2023, Caballero was called up to the Paraguay national team for two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying matches against Chile and Colombia.[9] He made his full international debut on 16 November, coming on as a second-half substitute for Mathías Villasanti in a 0–0 draw against the former at the Estadio Monumental David Arellano in Santiago.[10]
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paraguay | 2023 | 2 | 0 | |
| 2024 | 3 | 0 | ||
| Total | 5 | 0 | ||
Olimpia
2018 Apertura, 2018 Clausura, 2019 Apertura, 2019 Clausura
Libertad
2022 Apertura, 2023 Apertura, 2023 Clausura, 2024 Apertura