The final international break of 2024 has seen us reach the 12-game mark in the CONMEBOL zone’s FIFA 2026 World Cup qualifiers with six more to come as the process has now reached the two-thirds mark. As ever, South American international soccer is the last place with involvement in the Mexico, Canada and USA event raising the stakes. Argentina continue to lead the way but are now trailing Uruguay and a five-point gap while Paraguay were arguably the big winners this November with a famous win over Lionel Messi’s Albiceleste and then a late draw with position rivals Bolivia.
Let’s take a look at the teams that didn’t fare so well.
Reputations
- Argentina, 25 points (+14 GD)
- Uruguay, 20 points (+8 GD)
- Ecuador, 19 points (+7 GD)
- Colombia, 19 points (+5 GD)
- Brazil, 18 points (+6 GD)
- Paraguay, 17 points (+1 GD)
- Bolivia, 13 points (-14 GD)
- Venezuela, 12 points (-4 GD)
- Chile, 9 points (-11 GD)
- Peru, 7 points (-12 GD)
Peru
Now bottom with seven points from 12 games, Jorge Fossati’s men are currently two points clear of upwardly mobile Chile when 2024 ends. The Bicolor is six points back on seventh place, which is the playoff spot and will miss a chance to gain ground on the Chileans with a 0-0 draw last week that could prove costly. Sure, the Peruvians only narrowly lost to Argentina 1-0 in Buenos Aires but there are no points for that — especially in a cut-throat zone like CONMEBOL. It might have been more respectable but Chile winning 4-2 against Venezuela now makes the Bolivia and Vinotinto clashes crucial for Fossati and his players. Even then, Paraguay is probably the Blanquirroja’s most winnable remaining game with Colombia, Ecuador and Uruguay also to come.
Panic meter rating: 9/10
Venezuela
Currently trailing in the race for a FIFA 2026 World Cup place are the Venezuelans who are in eighth which is one point behind Bolivia in a race for the finals place. However, a five-point gap to Paraguay in the last automatic spot means it’s basically a foot race between La Vinotinto and La Verde for that playoff spot. Peru and the Bolivians are probably the only games Fernando Batista’s men can really hope to win, so anything against Ecuador, Uruguay, Argentina or Colombia could prove decisive. A draw with Brazil this month was creditable, but a 4-2 loss to Chile was poor and erased that as soon as it was won.
Panic meter rating: 6/10
Colombia
The Cafeteros dropped to fourth after an unexpected pair of potentially damaging losses this month. The Colombians went down 3-2 to Uruguay in very late circumstances when a point seemed within reach and then a narrow 1-0 loss to Ecuador despite playing most of the game with 11 men against 10 did not please Nestor Lorenzo at all. . Down from second to be two points ahead of the last automatic spot, Colombia is at least six points ahead of the playoffs. However, they are also six points behind leaders Argentina now with Paraguay, Peru, Bolivia and Venezuela likely to see some points in the remaining games. It may be that Brazil and the Albiceleste results could shape the race for top spot as far as James Rodriguez and his teammates are concerned.
Panic meter rating: 3/10
Brazil
Ending the year in fifth after leveling with both Venezuela and Uruguay, the Selecao are five points clear of the finals, but now seven behind leaders and bitter rivals Argentina. Paris Saint-Germain’s Marquinhos has appealed to fans not to turn their backs on the Brazilian team, but Dorival Junior and his players are well and truly still against it after this. A tough opening run by Colombia, Argentina and Ecuador means it could get worse before it gets better for Vinicius Junior and his countrymen. There is nothing left but to hope that the final run of games including Paraguay, Chile and Bolivia ends up providing crucial points so as not to be dragged closer to the finals as the games go down.
Panic meter rating: 8/10
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