Lionel Messi will come back from injury to play for Argentina in the next two rounds of South American World Cup qualifying, but many other key players will miss the upcoming matches.
Brazil, currently in fifth place in the 10-team round robin competition with 10 points after eight games, will have to deal with the loss of injured forward Vinicius Júnior, along with long-term injured Neymar.
Coach Dorival Júnior, who is under pressure, said on Wednesday that an unknown striker will replace the Real Madrid star in the starting lineup against Chile: 23-year-old Igor Jesus, who has spent most of his career at Al-Ahli in Dubai.
Brazil will also be without several other regular starters in Santiago and for the Tuesday match against Peru. Goalkeeper Alisson, defenders Éder Militão, Guilherme Arana, and Bremer are also injured.
Júnior said in a press conference on Wednesday in Sao Paulo that both Jesus and Abner, a left-back who will be making his first start for the national team, are ready for the challenge ahead.
“The training sessions showed good things. Everyone is very focused so we can play to matches in a different level from the one of the previous match, especially the first half,” Brazil’s coach mentioned, referring to his team’s 1-0 loss to Paraguay in October. “We all have this goal to reverse this momentary scenario (of being only in 5th place).”
Despite Messi’s return, World Cup champion Argentina will be missing several players for the games against Venezuela and Bolivia. The latest issue occurred during Wednesday’s training, when 19-year-old midfielder Valentín Carboni hurt his left knee.
Defender Marcos Acuña and strikers Paulo Dybala, Nico González, and Alejandro Garnacho have already been ruled out.
Goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez is suspended for the two matches due to his poor behavior in the last two rounds. Argentina is at the top of the standings with 18 points. The top six teams will earn automatic spots in the 2026 World Cup.
Second-placed Colombia, with 16 points, is also facing injuries ahead of their matches against Colombia and at home against Chile. First-choice defender Daniel Muñoz will not be playing.
