Brazil will travel to Santiago on Thursday night to face Chile in a critical CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualifier. With Brazil facing increasing pressure and Chile battling their own struggles, both teams desperately need a win to improve their standing in the group.
Brazil, led by Dorival Junior, have underperformed in recent months and are at risk of missing out on the World Cup for the first time in their history. Meanwhile, Chile are in a downward spiral despite hiring Ricardo Gareca as their new head coach.
Brazil’s Struggles
Brazil’s form has been worrying, with the Selecao collecting only 10 points from eight matches. They are tied with Venezuela and sit just one point ahead of Paraguay and Bolivia, which is far from the lofty standards expected from the five-time World Cup champions. Recent losses to top teams like Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay have contributed to their current struggles.
Despite Brazil’s shaky form, they have an excellent record against Chile, having lost only once in their last 19 encounters. However, Dorival Junior’s side will need to improve quickly, as their World Cup qualification campaign has been far from smooth.
Brazil’s last match was a disappointing 1-0 loss to Paraguay, and the team has managed just two wins in their last nine competitive matches. Pressure is mounting on the manager, who will be desperate for a win to avoid further doubts about his leadership.
Chile’s Crisis
Chile’s situation is arguably worse. Gareca’s appointment has yet to spark the revival the team desperately needs. After back-to-back Copa America wins in 2015 and 2016, Chile has struggled to maintain their competitive edge. They exited the recent Copa America without scoring a single goal, and their qualification campaign has been disappointing.
Chile’s only victory in the qualifiers came against Peru, the bottom team in the standings. Their most shocking result came last month when they suffered a 2-0 home loss to Bolivia, ending a 30-year streak of not losing to Bolivia at home in World Cup qualifiers.
With just five points from eight matches, Chile sits in ninth place and are in serious danger of missing the World Cup for a third consecutive time.
Team News
Chile:
Coach Ricardo Gareca has made several changes following the humiliating defeat to Bolivia. Veterans Mauricio Isla and Gabriel Arias have been dropped, while Ben Brereton Diaz has been left out due to poor form. Alexis Sanchez remains sidelined due to injury, while Matias Catalan and Vicente Pizarro are also unavailable. Chile will need new faces to step up and deliver a much-needed boost.
Brazil:
Brazil will be without star goalkeeper Alisson, who suffered a hamstring injury playing for Liverpool. Ederson will start in goal. Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior is also unavailable due to a neck injury, but Rodrygo and teenage sensation Endrick are set to feature. Defensively, Brazil are dealing with several injuries, including Bremer, Eder Militao, and Guilherme Arana. Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes is expected to make his 10th appearance for the national team.
Predicted Lineups
Chile:
Cortes; Hormazabal, Maripan, P Diaz, Galdames; Valdes, Osorio, Echeverria, Pulgar; Vargas, Davila
Brazil:
Ederson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Alex Telles; Andre, Bruno Guimaraes, Lucas Paqueta; Raphinha, Endrick, Rodrygo
Prediction
Despite Brazil’s poor form, this fixture presents an opportunity for the Selecao to get back on track. Chile are in disarray, particularly after their embarrassing defeat to Bolivia, and their squad seems unlikely to compete at Brazil’s level. Dorival Junior’s side should be able to secure a win and ease some of the mounting pressure.
Prediction: Chile 0-2 Brazil
Brazil are expected to dominate, while Chile’s struggles are likely to continue unless they can produce a surprise performance.
