Argentina and Brazil will face crucial World Cup qualifying matches without their biggest stars—Lionel Messi and Neymar.
As they prepare for challenging fixtures, coaches Lionel Scaloni and Dorival Júnior are still evaluating their best options to fill the void.
Defending champion Argentina leads the standings with 25 points after 12 matches and has a chance to secure a spot in the 2026 World Cup in the coming days. The team will face second-place Uruguay on Friday before hosting Brazil in Buenos Aires next Tuesday. In their last encounter, Argentina secured a 1-0 victory over Brazil at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Meanwhile, Brazil, currently in fifth place, will host fourth-place Colombia on Thursday. Other fixtures this week include Paraguay vs. Chile, Peru vs. Bolivia, and Ecuador vs. Venezuela.
The top six teams will qualify directly for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, while the seventh-place team will enter an intercontinental playoff.
Brazil’s Lineup Dilemma
Brazil’s position in the standings remains uncertain—it could secure qualification this month or risk slipping to seventh place, putting added pressure on coach Dorival Júnior.
Without Neymar, Júnior has experimented with Savinho in attack alongside Rodrygo and Vinicius Júnior, with Raphinha positioned just behind them. However, reports suggest he also tested a different lineup with João Pedro as the central striker and Vinicius Júnior alongside him, supported by Raphinha and Rodrygo in midfield.
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If those strategies fail, Júnior has additional options, including moving Raphinha to the wing or deploying teenage sensation Estêvão in that role, allowing Rodrygo to play as a central forward.
“We try to keep players in their club positions, adjusting based on our opponents,” Júnior said in a press conference, without confirming his starting lineup.
Several Brazilian players, including Danilo, Gabriel Magalhães, André, Bruno Guimarães, Matheus Cunha, Raphinha, and Rodrygo, are at risk of suspension for the Argentina match if they receive yellow cards against Colombia.
Brazil’s recent qualifiers saw them draw against Venezuela and Uruguay, with Júnior emphasizing that he is still refining his squad.
Argentina’s Challenge Without Messi
With Messi sidelined due to a muscle injury, Scaloni had hoped to start Julián Álvarez and Lautaro Martínez as Argentina’s attacking duo against Uruguay. However, Martínez also withdrew on Wednesday due to muscle fatigue.
A victory in Montevideo would make Argentina the first South American team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Álvarez, who has netted 23 goals for Atlético Madrid this season, is now expected to lead the attack alone, with Thiago Almada filling Messi’s playmaking role.
Messi sustained a left thigh injury during Inter Miami's 2-1 win over Atlanta United in Major League Soccer.
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Several Argentine players—including Nicolás Otamendi, Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernández, Rodrigo de Paul, and Alexis Mac Allister—must also be cautious, as another yellow card against Uruguay would rule them out of the Brazil clash.
Argentina will play a charity friendly on Saturday against a local U-20 team at Huracán Stadium in Buenos Aires to raise funds for rebuilding a hospital damaged by a recent storm in Bahía Blanca that claimed 16 lives.
“We wanted to do something meaningful during the international break,” Scaloni said.
Source: With input from agency