Lionel Messi has few barriers yet to break in soccer. One of them will be in reach Tuesday, when Argentina visits Brazil in a South American World Cup qualifying match.
The 36-year-old Messi has scored 31 goals for Argentina in World Cup qualifying encounters, but none of those came against Brazil, home or away. He has five goals against the archrival, all in friendly matches.
Brazil´s soccer confederation said all 69,000 tickets for the clash at the Maracana Stadium are sold. Both teams will play after defeats in the previous round; the locals lost 2-1 at Colombia and the World Cup champion was defeated at home 2-0 by Uruguay.
Many Brazilian fans are keen to watch Messi in a match that could be his last in Rio de Janeiro playing for Argentina. In the same arena, the star lost the 2014 World Cup final to Germany, and beat the host in the decider of the 2021 Copa America.
Argentina leads the 10-team South American qualifying group with 12 points from five matches. Uruguay is second with 10 points. Colombia has nine and Venezuela eight. Brazil will host the World Cup champions in fifth position, with seven points.
Ecuador, Paraguay and Chile have five points each. Bolivia has three and Peru one.
Argentina’s Lionel Messi controls the ball during a qualifying soccer match for the FIFA World Cup 2026 against Uruguay at La Bombonera stadium in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Thursday, Nov. 16, 2023.
The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada will include 48 teams, meaning direct entry for the top six teams from South America. The seventh-place team can earn a berth in an intercontinental playoff.
Related Posts
“[Greg Norman] Would Go Absolutely Apesh*t at Me”: Ex-Caddie, Who Claimed Tiger Woods Treated Him Like a “Slave”, Once Revealed
You might know Steve Williams as a former caddie for Tiger Woods. He was on Woods’s bag from 1999 to 2011. During their time together, Woods won 63 PGA…
Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s golf league announces new recruit who will play defining role
TGL, the tech-infused golf league being pioneered by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, will launch in just a few months and fans have been given a glimpse…
Amanda Balionis reveals she was left shaking over Tiger Woods interview which caused her to lose sleep
Amanda Balionis revealed that she was visibly shaking when she first interviewed Tiger Woods early into her days as a reporter for the PGA Tour. Speaking to Links Magazine, Balionis…
Tom Kim issues apology after criticism from golf fans for breaking unwritten PGA Tour rule
Tom Kim has issued an apology after the PGA Tour star was criticized for hitting his putter into a green during the final round of the FedEx…
‘Losing to [Phil Mickelson] Doesn’t Feel Very Good’: Tiger Woods Exposed Tense Equation With LIV Golfer Years Before Their Rift
In the field of golf, there is no doubt that one of the most exciting rivalries that has been witnessed is that between Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Their rivalry…
Oregon football head coach Dan Lanning receives Tiger Woods text about hole-in-one
Dan Lanning recently made his first hole-in-one at the Pebble Beach Par-3 course. Dan Lanning and his Oregon football team will begin their 2024 season on August 31st at home…