Brazil book World Cup spot, Luis Diaz stunner against Argentina 💎 | OneFootball

Big night in the South America zone!

The qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup continued on Tuesday night into Wednesday, for the South America zone. It was a night full of lessons, notably seeing Ancelotti’s Brazil secure their ticket.

Mission accomplished for Ancelotti

This wasn’t Real Madrid, but Brazil. For his second match in charge of the Seleção, the Italian coach earned his first victory thanks to a goal from Vinicius (44th minute).

This result officially allows Brazil to book their ticket for the 2026 World Cup. Their 23rd participation in 23 editions, simply put. Mission (already) accomplished for Mister Ancelotti, who was satisfied with his team’s performance, despite a lack of efficiency against a very solid Paraguay.

Argentina delivers, Colombia gets closer

Arguably the most spectacular and interesting match of the night. The clear leaders of the qualifiers, Argentina hosted a hungry Colombian side after their recent struggles (no wins in their last 5 matches, last victory in October 2024).

Back from suspension, Liverpool winger Luis Diaz set the tone by scoring a gem (24th minute), notably flooring Rodrigo De Paul and weaving through the defense with a series of dribbles. He is currently the top scorer (7) in these qualifiers.

Despite Enzo Fernandez’s red card (70th minute), Argentina came back late in the match thanks to Lyon’s Almada (81st minute). A heated end to the match, marked by scuffles, especially between maestros Messi, James Rodriguez, and the inevitable Otamendi.

Argentina thus comfortably holds the lead, while Colombia needs just one more win to qualify for the World Cup. They have two matches left to do so, next September.

Results and standings

The results of the other matches, including Uruguay’s victory, who are now almost certain to qualify.

Also read:

- World Cup 2026: A new country qualifies

- Cherki’s emotional farewell to OL

- PSG’s official squad for the Club World Cup

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇫🇷 here.

📸 NELSON ALMEIDA - AFP or licensors