After eight rounds of qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Argentina continue to lead the way despite losing to unbeaten Colombia in September.
With six, out of the ten, with another possible via intercontinental playoff the top South Americans are virtually guaranteed a place at the finals.
That should include Brazil who have that 100% appearance record to sustain.
Dorival Junior’s Selecao have lost half their qualifiers to date including defeats in Asuncion, steamy Barranquilla, and in Rio to Argentina.
But they will still be expected to get through, hopefully for them, prior to their visit to the heights of La Paz in September 2025.
Whilst the current table looks good for Argentina, Colombia, Uruguay, Ecuador, and probably Brazil and particularly bad for Peru the rest are likely to face a battle.
That is between Venezuela, Paraguay, Chile, and the Bolivians.
Upcoming matches that could help decide the positions include Chile v Brazil, Venezuela v Argentina, and Bolivia v Colombia.
As to the personalities featuring in the qualifiers it is the sometimes maligned Darwin Nunez who tops the goalscoring charts with another Liverpool player, Luis Diaz joint second alongside Brazil’s Rodrygo, Nicolas de la Cruz (Uruguay), and perhaps inevitably, one Lionel Messi.
With ten more rounds to play this South American WC qualifying process tends to go on (and on) with maybe only three countries missing out.
But, for some, the possibility of Brazil not making it has made it much more interesting that many would expect.
Analysis – John Bethell