World Cup 2026: Relentless Champions Welcome Uruguay

Argentina vs Uruguay

The top two in the CONMEBOL World Cup 2026 qualifying table meet on Friday when Lionel Scaloni’s Argentina welcomes Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay to the Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires.

The Argentina capital was engulfed by five million fans last December as Lionel Messi led the celebrations following La Albiceleste’s World Cup triumph in Qatar. And Argentina have started their defence in ominous fashion, yet to slip up

Uruguay come into this clash with two impressive results behind them, drawing away to Colombia and then beating Brazil, the FIFA ranked best team in the world. But now they come up against the best on current form; the World Champions have won all four of their qualifiers so far, winning 2-0 away to Peru last time out.

Scaloni’s team now faces its biggest test with back-to-back games against Uruguay and Brazil; win those two, and I’d say they can start packing their bags already.  

Talking Points

The Argentina Juggernaut keeps rolling

The World Cup 2026 betting odds make Scaloni’s team third favourites to retain their title, and Argentina have stormed away at the start of this qualifying campaign, winning four from four and topping the table on 12 points, with a five-point lead over the chasing pack. They are unbeaten in all eight of their games in this calendar year, following their penalty shootout win over France in the 2022 World Cup final.     

With three goals, Messi is top-scoring in the qualifiers, and he now has 106 goals in 178 appearances for Argentina. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has recovered from the injury he suffered at the end of Inter Miami’s MLS campaign, and he is fit and firing, ready to face Uruguay.

Messi will play a roving role, just behind the front men and while he may have lost a little of his pace, he still has the ability to leave a defender standing with an electric movement and his ever-brilliant ball control.

If La Celeste manages to keep Messi quiet, they still have two red-hot strikers to contend with if Scaloni opts to start with two up front. Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez has climbed out of the shadow of Erling Braut Haaland and is one of the most feared forwards in the Premier League with his clever movement and lethal finishing. Meanwhile, Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez is leading the race for the Serie A Capocannoniere with 12 goals from his first 12 league games.

Behind the front men, Atletico Madrid’s Rodrigo de Paul will be the key man in midfield, supporting the strikers and breaking up Uruguay’s possession.

Suarez back for Uruguay  

The visitors have drafted in an old favourite for this clash, and Luis Suarez, now 36, will hope to line up against his old Barcelona teammate, Messi. El Pistolero is now plying his trade in the Brazilian league with Gremio and is one of the top scorers with 14 goals in 29 matches this season. And now he’s ready to play his part against Argentina and Bolivia if he’s called upon.

I suspect Bielsa will use Suarez as an impact sub and start with Darwin Nunez, who has two goals already in the campaign. Alongside Mo Salah, Nunez has hit a good run of form as Liverpool climb up the Premier League table, and he’s a powerful runner with a rocket of a shot on him. Uruguay have two in-form players in midfield too. River Plate’s Nicolas de la Cruz has scored three goals in this campaign, while captain Federico Valverde is having another impressive season at Real Madrid.

But the busiest guys in the Uruguay team are likely to be Barcelona’s Ronald Araujo and Jose Gimenez of Atletico Madrid at the heart of the visitor’s defence.

There will be quality all over the pitch in this fascinating clash.   

History

Argentina have dominated head-to-head in this historic fixture. Since their first meeting back in 1930, La Albiceleste have won 11 of their 18 encounters with Uruguay, drawing three and losing four. Argentina have won the last three encounters without conceding.

The La Celeste are in good form, of course, and have won four of the last six, but they come across a team that has won the last eight.  

Betting Tip

At SBOTOP odds of 1.56, the hosts are heavily backed to make it five wins from five, with Uruguay priced at 4.17 and the draw at 3.74.

While Colombia have some talented attacking players, Argentina are devilishly difficult to break down; Scaloni’s team has yet to concede a goal in the qualifiers, has won its first two home games 1-0, and has beaten Uruguay by that margin in two of their last three encounters.

I think Argentina will keep up their perfect run of World Cup 2026 results, but by the finest of margins.

 

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