With Messi in the XI, the doubts of Argentina's coach Scaloni to face Brazil

The Argentine National Team lost last Thursday for the first time in 2023. Since that defeat against Saudi Arabia in the debut of the Qatar 2022 World Cup, they had not lost any match, but Uruguay surprised them in Buenos Aires and beat them 2-0 with goals by Ronald Araujo and Darwin Nuñez.

Now Lionel Scaloni's team will have the opportunity to turn the page and recover. But they will have a difficult mission: they will face Brazil at the Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, for the sixth match of the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Like the world champions, Fernando Diniz's team also lost last Thursday, against Colombia 2-1 in Barranquilla.

Although the Argentine coach avoided confirming who will be the eleven players that will make up the team, there are some certainties. Emiliano 'Dibu' Martinez will be the goalkeeper; Nahuel Molina will play as right-back, Cristian Romero and Nicolás Otamendi will be the centre-backs and Nicolás Tagliafico will play as left-back. Rodrigo De Paul will play in midfield and Leandro Paredes will be the holding midfielder. And Lionel Messi, obviously, will be one of the forwards.

But there are some doubts about the others. It is possible that Alexis MacAllister or Enzo Fernández will be out of the starting lineup; while Angel Di Maria could replace Nicolás González. And it is not clear who will be the centre-forward: Lautaro Martinez or Julian Alvarez.

They want to make history

Argentina will have an unbeatable opportunity to break a historical record: Brazil never lost a South American qualifying match at home. But now things are not going well for them, as in their last three games they only got one point (they drew against Venezuela in Cuiaba and then lost against Uruguay and Colombia away from home).