Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Colombia, Ecuador

Not to be confused, the five from the title are going to the World Cup. We are constantly asked who sorts. They are going. Sixth…? Maybe it’s between Paraguay and Venezuela. “But the date has just been played and there are eighteen of them…” they answer. Yes, but it is the perception that the previous friendly matches and the first day leave us, the game of each of them, the team they have, their coach. The most beautiful tournament has begun, with the greatest competitive tension, the only one that does not bring the title to the winner. And the hardest in the world: South American qualifications What did we see at the beginning of the qualifications…?

* Abundance. The one from Brazil. Without Vinícius (injured), Antony (reported for assaulting an ex-girlfriend) and Paquetá (under investigation for irregular betting), he fielded Rodrygo, Raphinha, Neymar and Richarlison. They beat Bolivia: 5 to 1. And Gabriel Jesús and Gabriel Martinelli, both from Arsenal, remained in the hall. These are six strikers with goals, creativity and strength. When you have such an endowment, it is impossible not to get a ticket. Behind, Eder Militão and Thiago Silva were missing, but Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes were there. Ederson went to goal, and Alisson to the bench.

Brazil is waiting for a tie with the interim coach. Even if he played without a coach, it’s the same, it’s always Brazil.

* Revolution. That of Marcelo Bielsa in Uruguay. He’s tearing down a wall worse than the Berlin Wall: 120 years of watching, playing and interpreting football. Far from the historically sharp, defensive and revolutionary game of Uruguayan football, the coach left out Suárez, Cavani and other references from the Tabárez era, assembled a very young team, with an average age of 23, and left his stamp on them. “My style is to attack,” the man from Rosario once said. And Uruguay came out with a fixed bayonet. Quick start from the back, quick passing with long passes in the middle, opening towards the ends and arriving with a lot of people. The blue guys got hold of the idea and swept Chile 3:1. A few new names will soon be known in Uruguay.

* Unusual. A small crowd at the Centenario Stadium to witness what could be a new era, that of Bielsa: barely 28,000 spectators. If Uruguay is already the most expensive country in South America, the tickets were too expensive and people abstained. However, the team has caused enormous enthusiasm, even in the media, so the next home match will certainly be full.

* Revolution II. The one from Colombia, with Néstor Lorenzo. We predict that they will have a good World Cup and that calm souls will reach the finish line. It won’t be Colombia with superheroes. No more Valderramas, Asprillas, Willingtons, Valencias, Falcaos. Instead, it will be a team marked by efficiency. More defensive security, also quick passing through the middle and mobility. There are no bright names and they still lack shooters, through development they will surely score and it could be anyone. Borré was in the 1-0 over Venezuela, he could be the second on Tuesday. Colombia played nine games with Lorenzo, eight friendly games and this one for points. He leaves undefeated. Numbers don’t say everything, but they do say something.

* Extremely. It is clear that a different player from Colombia is Luis Díaz, crack really in Liverpool. However, he lacks the sanctifying match in the national team, the one that breaks everything. Against Brazil or Argentina, one with three goals, one who wins on his own, one who reverses. Something like that. He plays well, he has changed, he misses that. And he has already worn the yellow jersey for 40 years.

* Once more… Messi. It’s incredible that a player shines for 19 years and scores goals twice a week, football has never seen it before. Neither with Maradona nor with Pelé. Without it being his crowning night, he redefined a game that was complicated for Argentina. As Nico Estévez, the Spanish coach of Dallas FC in the United States, pointed out: “A free kick for Messi is equal to a penalty for the other players.” The barrier seemed like a crowd, but he still placed it near the post and Argentina won 1 to 0. Maradona told him in 2010, when he encouraged him to take set pieces: “In a free kick, if the ball passes between the heads of the first and second types of barriers is the goal.” That’s where the ball went. At 36, he’s game-defining even walking. And it was his 12th game in 48 days, with travel in between, no preseason done, country, club, tournament. What doesn’t change is his brutal efficiency.

* Weight. The one Moisés Caicedo will have to endure from now on, the record transfer in the entire history of the Premier League: $144.5 million for a blocking midfielder. Something that seems completely unreasonable. Every time he goes to the field, he will look at it and evaluate it according to that value. It is an element that plays forty-fifty meters from the goal, there is neither a goal nor a pass-goal, it does not stand out for its finish. He was in charge of controlling Messi. And he didn’t do it badly. But towards the end he made a mistake, a needless foul on Lautaro Martínez on the edge of the box when Martínez made a backward pass. He was late and stepped on. Messi scored from the free kick and Argentina won. It has already happened to him in two games at Chelsea.

* Approved. Despite the defeat, Ecuador once again showed the emotional strength of its soldiers, physical strength and quality of defense. And it should be noted that the best of those at the back was missing: Piero Hincapié. He played a very decent game against Argentina, although he didn’t finish in goal, he lacked offensive volume. But it has the prerequisites for a good team. Lionel Scaloni was highly complimentary of the Tricolor: “Let’s not believe that Ecuador is a normal team, because it is one of the best.” And that’s how the whole continent sees it. Likewise, you must pick up the 3 points less you have as a sanction. And now comes the very optimistic Uruguay.

* Well deserved. The triumph of Argentina. It was difficult, but he was looking for it from start to finish. He had six scoring chances – plus a goal – against none of his rivals, who were waiting behind him. He wanted to win and please the 85,000 fans who came to see the champion. But the Albiceleste didn’t shine, it’s hard to do that against a team that is so physically strong from the middle to the back and they succumb. Although attacking does not hurt. At least not this time.

* Chopsticks. “Golden point”, “Notable tie”, “Con ten”… The headlines in the Lima press referred to the Peruvian team. Very effusive. And they don’t lie. But they are hiding. They hide the storm that was Paraguay. Six shots on goal and five or six miraculous blocks from Gallese (or very miraculous), eleven corners against against one in favor of Peru, 60% possession by Paraguay (which seemed more than that…), 19 Guarani shots to 5 from Peru. .. Juan Reynos’ new team arrived in Ciudad del Este – where they played – without six starters: Lapadula, Cueva, Aquino, Callens, Zambrano and Édison Flores. Anyway, it was very crowded. And on Tuesday they host Brazil…

* Push. Paraguay, it should be emphasized, transferred to the field an indomitable desire to start winning and thus end the series of three missed world championships. And he did everything for it, except the goal. It was his sin. But sometimes it was of unbearable intensity. La Albirroja looked like Johan Cruyff’s Clockwork Orange, attacking from air, sea and land. We will see how Paraguay compares to other rivals. And a player to follow: young left winger Ramón Sosa (Talleres de Córdoba will get many millions for him). The left was driving Advíncula crazy. The bottle dealt him two terrible blows and he was sent off. (OR).

South American qualifiers 2026