Striker Jose Cardozo has been forced out of Paraguay's World Cup squad through injury and has been replaced by Dante Lopez.

Cardozo, 35, sustained a knock in the friendly with German regional side Bavaria last Saturday, and the Paraguay Football Association (APF) have revealed he tore his calf muscle.

An APF statement confirmed Cardozo had a "fibre tear in the left leg's soleus and a hematoma in the zone of the injury."

Cardozo had not been expected to start in Paraguay's World Cup opener against England, but the veteran was his country's leading scorer in qualification with seven goals and would have been a great asset to have on the bench.

Lopez, who used to play at Paraguayan giants Olimpia and is currently on the books at Genoa, is flying from Italy to Oberhaching to join up with the squad on Tuesday.