This Thursday, Brazil heads to Maturin to take on Venezuela in a World Cup qualifier as both teams battle to secure a spot in the expanded 2026 tournament.
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Brazil, the only team to appear in every World Cup, faces a Venezuela squad hoping for their first-ever qualification. While Brazil rebounded in October with key wins, Venezuela’s recent struggles have shaken their promising start.
Match Preview and Team Form
Brazil’s inconsistent start to the qualifying rounds brought manager Dorival Junior under pressure, but two critical wins last month helped steady the ship. Brazil needed a late goal from Luiz Henrique to edge past Chile 1-0, breaking a three-game losing streak on the road. Their confidence grew with a dominant 4-0 home victory over Peru. Now level with Uruguay on points and four clear of Bolivia, Brazil remains in a solid qualifying position.
Despite Brazil’s historical dominance, with nine wins in nine previous away games against Venezuela, the current Venezuelan side has shown improvement. A historic 1-1 draw last year was only the second time Venezuela avoided defeat against Brazil. Yet recent losses away to Bolivia and Paraguay have undermined their standing, dropping them from an automatic qualification position to just outside the playoff spot. However, with only two points separating them from the final qualifying places, Venezuela is still very much in the race.
Venezuela’s Form at Home
Unbeaten at home in this qualifying cycle, Venezuela has held powerhouses Argentina and Uruguay to draws. However, their road form has consistently hurt their campaigns; in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, they lost all nine away games, finishing bottom. Coach Fernando Batista’s squad has improved but will need to replicate their strong home performances to contend with Brazil.
Team News
Venezuela
Venezuela’s defensive issues persist, with Yordan Osorio pulling out due to injury, joining Jhon Chancellor and Teo Quintero on the sidelines. Veteran striker Salomon Rondon remains a key figure for La Vinotinto. Now 35, Rondon has continued his scoring form in Mexico, recently netting a hat trick for Pachuca, and will likely lead Venezuela’s attack with Jefferson Savarino and Yeferson Soteldo providing support.
Projected Venezuela Lineup:
Romo; Gonzalez, R. Ramirez, Ferraresi, Aramburu; Martinez, Rincon, Herrera; Soteldo, Rondon, Savarino
Brazil
Brazil faces their own setbacks, with goalkeeper Alisson sidelined by a hamstring injury, giving Ederson the chance to start. Rodrygo and Eder Militao also suffered injuries in recent club games, with Militao ruled out for the season due to an ACL tear. Manager Dorival Junior has left out defenders Lucas Beraldo, Fabricio Bruno, and Alex Telles from the squad. Rising star Estevao Willian joins the team after missing October’s fixtures, but 17-year-old forward Endrick is not included.
Projected Brazil Lineup:
Ederson; Vanderson, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Abner; Lucas Paqueta, Bruno Guimaraes; Luiz Henrique, Raphinha, Vinicius Junior; Igor Jesus
Prediction and Key Insights
While Brazil has shown moments of inconsistency, their October wins should ease the pressure on Dorival Junior’s side as they head into this must-win fixture. Venezuela’s unbeaten home record in this qualifying campaign could make them a challenging opponent, but Brazil’s firepower and depth are likely to edge them ahead.
Venezuela will need to be at their best to challenge Brazil, whose attack, led by Vinicius Junior and supported by Bruno Guimaraes and Paqueta, should test Venezuela’s weakened defense.
