This Thursday, Lionel Messi’s final World Cup qualifying match for Argentina. At the same time, four teams from South America are still in the running for the last few spots to automatically qualify for the 2026 World Cup. This makes for an exciting and tense finish to the qualifying rounds.
The 38-year-old leader of Argentina’s football team is getting ready to play Venezuela at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. He considers this match to be very special, especially since his family will be there to support him, including his wife, kids, parents, and siblings.
“This is my final qualifying match, so it’s really important for me. I’m not sure if I’ll have any exhibition games or other matches after this,” said the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner last week.
Argentina’s coach, Lionel Scaloni, shared his thoughts with reporters on Wednesday, describing the upcoming event as “emotional, special, and beautiful.”
“We need to make the most of it if this is truly our final qualifying match,” he said.
South American World Cup Qualifying Standings
Argentina has already made it to the World Cup because they won the South American qualifying tournament with 35 points. However, there are still three spots left for other teams to secure their place in the tournament. These final spots will be decided during the matches on Thursday and the last game day on September 9.
Brazil and Ecuador are both going to the World Cup because they both have 25 points. Close behind them are Uruguay and Paraguay, both with 24 points, and Colombia with 22 points. Venezuela, with 18 points, is still in the race and looking to qualify for their first-ever World Cup.
Ecuador’s impressive comeback is one of the most inspiring stories of the campaign. Despite facing a setback of losing points due to a player eligibility issue, they managed to rally and qualify successfully.
World Cup Qualifier Highlights and Key Matches
Brazil’s path has been quite challenging, especially with changes in coaching. Dorival Junior was let go after the team suffered a heavy 4-1 loss to Argentina. Following this, Carlo Ancelotti took over as coach and led the team to a draw against Ecuador, with no goals scored by either side.
The qualifying rounds for the World Cup have given us some unforgettable moments. One highlight was when Colombia achieved their first-ever win against Brazil in World Cup qualifying. In November 2023, they achieved a huge 2–1 win in Barranquilla.
Uruguay said an emotional goodbye to their team captain, Luis Suarez, who announced his retirement from international soccer during a match against Paraguay that ended in a 0–0 tie in September 2024.
On Thursday, there are several exciting soccer matches scheduled. In the other games, Paraguay will play Ecuador, Argentina will play Venezuela, Uruguay will play Peru, Bolivia will visit Colombia, and Brazil will play Chile.
If everything isn’t already decided, the last matchday on Tuesday will decide which teams automatically qualify for the big tournament happening next June and July. This exciting event will take place in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
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