Sao Paulo, Nov 15: Lionel Messi and Luiz Suárez, close friends and former teammates at Barcelona, will renew their on-the-field rivalry on Thursday in World Cup qualifying.
Messi, who appears to have recovered from a muscle injury in his leg, led Argentina to its third World Cup title last year and has his team in first place in the South American qualifying group for the 2026 tournament.
The 36-year-old Suárez has just returned to Uruguay’s national team as he nears the end of a high-scoring season in the Brazilian league.
The Argentines will take on two-time World Cup champion Uruguay in Buenos Aires.
Also Thursday, Brazil will travel to face Colombia in Barranquilla as it tries to recover from a home draw with Venezuela and a loss at Uruguay in its previous two qualifying matches.
Brazil coach Fernando Diniz, who recently won the Copa Libertadores with Fluminense, could use teenager Endrick after calling him up for the first time.
Argentina leads the 10-team South American qualifying group with 12 points from four matches. Uruguay, Brazil and Venezuela have seven points each and are separated by goal difference. Colombia has six points, while Ecuador, Paraguay and Chile have four each. Peru has one point and Bolivia has zero.
The next World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada will include 48 teams, meaning direct entry for the top six teams in South America. The seventh-place team will contest an intercontinental playoff for a berth. Messi will likely be playing his last two matches of the calendar year against Uruguay and then Brazil next week at the Maracana Stadium. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner finished his season with Inter Miami on October 21.
Suárez, a teammate of Messi at Barcelona from 2014-20, will return to Uruguay’s national team for the first time under coach Marcelo Bielsa. The veteran striker earned his place despite knee pain, which he doesn’t hide during every match for Brazilian club Gremio.
Both Argentina and Uruguay are expected to qualify for the next World Cup, but Messi and Suarez are not guaranteed to be with their national teams in 2026.
Argentina left back Nicolás Tagliafico, however, is hoping Messi will stay in the mix if the team defends its Copa America title next year in the United States. The 17-year-old forward is likely to join Vinicius Júnior and Rodrygo – both already playing for Madrid – up front.
Brazil has had a tough time winning in Colombia in recent World Cup qualifying campaigns, and facing Argentina in the next match on Tuesday could make it more difficult. (AP)
