SAO PAULO There will be no Lionel Messi for Argentina and no Neymar for Brazil in two decisive rounds of South American World Cup of games against tough rivals, coaches Lionel Scaloni and Dorival Junior are still wondering who will replace their champion Argentina, the leader with 25 points after 12 matches Julián Álvarez Jersey, could secure its place in the 2026 World Cup within days. It plays at second-place Uruguay on then hosts Brazil in Buenos Aires next Tuesday. The last time the two South American powerhouses clashed, Argentina won 1-0 at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Thursday, fifth-place Brazil hosts fourth-place Colombia. Also this week, Paraguay will host Chile, Peru will take on Bolivia, and Ecuador hosts top six teams will secure direct berths to the tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The seventh-place team among the 10 of the region will still have a chance to qualify through an international vs. ColombiaBrazil could end this month securing its spot in the next World Cup or lagging in seventh place. That means pressure on coach 's absence led Jnior to try out Savinho up front alongside Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior, with Raphinha behind them in Tuesday's training session. Brazil's coach hinted that would be the most likely lineup against Colombia on Thursday at the Man Garrincha Stadium in then local media reported another formation was tested Wednesday, with Joao Pedro as a target man up front and Vinicius Jnior as his pairing. Raphinha and Rodrygo trained right behind them to close gaps in the neither of those settings work, coach Jnior will still be able to move Raphinha up front on the wing or try out teenager Estevao, one of Brazil's biggest prospects https://www.argentina2026shop.com/collections/blank-jersey, in the same position. Then Rodrygo could play center forward, as in other occasions. am trying to keep players in the position they play at the clubs since the start, and I make changes according what rivals bring, Jnior said Wednesday during a press conference in which he did not reveal his starting Brazil players will miss the match against Argentina if they are booked against Colombia: defenders Danilo and Gabriel Magalhaes; midfielders Andre, Bruno Guimaraes; and strikers Matheus Cunha, Raphinha and drew against Venezuela and Uruguay in its two latest World Cup qualifying matches, with coach Jnior arguing he was tarting a recovery process by testing several players in different vs. ArgentinaWith Messi out due to a muscle injury, Scaloni hoped he could field a powerful duo up front in Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez at the Centenario Stadium in Montevideo. But on Wednesday he also lost Martnez the Inter Milan striker to a muscle fatigue problem.A win would make Argentina the first South American team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup. Alvarez has scored 23 goals for Atletico Madrid this season. But instead of an aggressive pairing with Martnez, he is more likely to have midfielder Thiago Almada in Messi's role and be all alone up injured his left thigh adductor muscle in Inter Miami's 2-1 victory over Atlanta United on Sunday in the players might want to be cautious in Montevideo to avoid risking suspension for the match against Brazil. Defender Nicolas Otamendi and midfielders Leandro Paredes, Enzo Fernandez, Rodrigo de Paul, and Alexis Mac Allister could miss the clash if they get a yellow against will play a friendly on Saturday against a local U-20 team at Huracn Stadium in Buenos Aires in a fundraiser for the reconstruction of a hospital damaged by a storm that killed 16 people in the region of Baha Blanca two weeks ago.e needed to do something within the international window, " Scaloni said.
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