Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 7/5
Bookmaker: ZetBet
Argentina continue their 2026 World Cup qualifying journey with a trip to Montevideo for Friday’s meeting with Uruguay.
The reigning 2022 World Cup champions currently lead the table with 25 points, while Uruguay sit in second place, trailing by five points.
Uruguay
Former Argentina coach Marcelo Bielsa has recorded 12 wins, five draws, and four defeats since taking charge of Uruguay in May 2023.
Under Bielsa, Uruguay won four of their first six World Cup qualifiers, but their form has dipped slightly, with only one victory from their last six qualifiers.
Nevertheless, La Celeste will be pleased with their performances in the previous international window in November, securing a narrow 3-2 home win over Colombia and drawing 1-1 away to Brazil, leaving them second in the table, seven points clear of seventh-placed Bolivia.
As things stand, Uruguay are well on track to clinch automatic qualification for next year’s tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico.
Bielsa is preparing to face Argentina for the fourth time in his managerial career, having previously faced his home nation twice as Chile boss (one win, one draw) and once with Uruguay in the reverse fixture.
In that November 2023 encounter, Uruguay earned a 2-0 away victory over Argentina, with Ronald Araujo and Darwin Nunez finding the net, marking their first win over Argentina since October 2013.
Team News
Bielsa has made the unusual choice of naming a 38-man squad for the upcoming matches against Argentina and Bolivia, meaning many players are expected to feature only in training without seeing game time.
Manchester United midfielder Manuel Ugarte is among those included but will miss Friday’s clash due to suspension after picking up too many yellow cards.
Araujo is set to return for his first international appearance since July, having missed Uruguay’s last six qualifiers through injury.
Liverpool striker Nunez, who has admitted to struggling with form, will be eager to regain confidence during this international break and is aiming for his first Uruguay goal since the second group match of last year’s Copa America.
Argentina
Argentina sit comfortably at the top of the standings, holding a five-point lead after recording eight wins, one draw, and three defeats from their 12 qualifiers.
As a result, La Albiceleste are on course to extend their impressive streak of qualifying for every World Cup final since missing out on the 1970 edition in Mexico.
Despite their strong position, the reigning world champions may feel slightly disappointed, having managed just three wins from six qualifiers following last summer’s Copa America triumph in the USA.
All three victories came at home, while they earned only one point from their last three away matches in 2024, leaving them without an away win in World Cup qualifying since their 1-0 victory over Brazil in November 2023.
Argentina are set to return to action for the first time since November’s 1-0 home victory over Peru, marking a third straight home win without conceding a goal.
Messi assisted the decisive goal in that match, but Argentina will be without their iconic star on Friday, as he has been left out of Lionel Scaloni’s squad due to injury.
Although La Albiceleste were beaten by Uruguay in the reverse fixture, they can still take encouragement from winning three of their last four meetings with Friday’s opponents, including a 1-0 away win in November 2021.
Team News
Argentina’s all-time leading goalscorer Messi is sidelined with an adductor injury he picked up during Inter Miami’s 2-1 victory over Atlanta United on Sunday.
Scaloni also has to deal with the absence of Gonzalo Montiel, Giovani Lo Celso, and Paulo Dybala, who are all unavailable through injury.
Inter Milan forward Lautaro Martinez has added to Argentina’s injury concerns, having withdrawn from the squad with a hamstring problem.
In Messi’s absence, Atletico Madrid’s Angel Correa will have the opportunity to wear Argentina’s famous number 10 shirt for the upcoming two matches.
Conclusion
Uruguay have already secured home victories over both Brazil and Colombia in this qualifying campaign. With Argentina missing key players like Messi and Martinez, the hosts look well placed to seize this chance and take all three points, particularly given that the visitors have lost two of their last three away qualifiers.
Verdict: Home win
Best odds: 7/5
Bookmaker: ZetBet
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