In their quest to secure a World Cup ticket, Argentina is set to face their arch-rivals Brazil on home soil.
Just 24 hours after a hard-fought win over Uruguay, Argentina found themselves back on the pitch for another match. However, coach Lionel Scaloni decided to rest his key players during the charity match against the Under-20 team. Ahead of the crucial clash against Brazil, Scaloni shared his thoughts on the challenge that lies ahead.
On Saturday morning (Bangladesh time), Argentina edged past Uruguay 1-0 in the World Cup qualifiers, bringing them within touching distance of the 2026 World Cup. A draw against Brazil in the next game would be enough to officially secure their place.
Interestingly, Argentina could even qualify before playing if Bolivia fails to beat Uruguay at home. However, Scaloni isn’t paying attention to those calculations just yet.
Despite losing key players like Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, and Paulo Dybala, Argentina remains confident after their resilient performance against Uruguay. Now, the World Cup and Copa America-winning coach is looking forward to another thrilling battle against their biggest rivals.
“Brazil is Brazil. They have some incredible players, a few of them among the best in the world. We know they will be a dangerous opponent. We respect them. We’ve analyzed their game, and we know the next match will be even tougher. There’s nothing more to say — they are an exceptional team.”
Argentina currently tops the table with 28 points from 13 matches, boasting 9 wins and 1 draw. They hold a 6-point lead over second-placed Ecuador.
Brazil sits third with 21 points from the same number of matches.
In their first meeting of the qualifiers back in November 2023, Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 on their home turf. Now, Scaloni’s team will host the five-time world champions on Wednesday (Bangladesh time) in the return leg.
