Argentina and Brazil, without their injured players Lionel Messi and Neymar, both lost in Tuesday’s World Cup qualification match.
Brazil, the record winners, are in disarray following their 1-0 loss in Paraguay, while world champions Argentina remain atop South American qualifying for the 2026 event despite their 2-1 setback to Colombia.
After five World Cup qualifying matches, Brazil has lost four of them and is currently ranked fifth. The ten-team group’s top six countries advance to the US, Canada, and Mexico expanded finals.
The squad in seventh place is required to compete in the international playoffs.
The defender for Brazil, Marquinhos, stated, “We don’t have great confidence right now.” “We’re trying our best, but there are a lot of changes in our game at the moment.” Even without Neymar, Brazil’s offense still included Vinicius Júnior, Rodrygo, and Endrick from Real Madrid, but it was insufficient against a strong Paraguay squad that is currently ranked seventh.
In the end, the class of the returning James Rodríguez defeated Argentina. After Nicolas Gonzalez leveled the score, the 33-year-old assisted Yerson Mosquera in his first goal and then scored a penalty for the home team.
“It’s a great win for us against Argentina, who have won everything recently,” Rodríguez, whose team Argentina defeated in the Copa America final in July, said.- BERNAMA
