Brazil vs Venezuela
South America is one of, if not the most competitive region in the football world. Three of the six most successful World Cup nations—Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay—all reside in that fierce region, putting into perspective just how competitive it is there.
Baseball and the United States typically go together, just as basketball is to the Philippines and football is to Brazil. It is undeniable how important football is to the Brazilian people, and as a result of their shocking elimination from the 2022 FIFA World Cup, they are desperate to redeem themselves.
Brazil have been perfect in the World Cup 2026 qualifying matches so far, but Venezuela poses a real threat.
Talking Points
Vinicius Jr. joins the fray for Brazil
Brazil have so far been cruising in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign. They are currently the top seed in the CONMEBOL after winning their first two matches in dominant fashion. The reigning World Cup champions, Argentina are in close second, as these nations are tied by points and have only two goals separating them.
In the latest World Cup 2026 news, Brazil’s South American rivals might have to dig deeper if they hope to dethrone Brazil from the top spot because it has been reported that Fernando Diniz’s already in-form squad will only get better as Real Madrid star Vinicious Jr. will now suit up for the Canary Squad.
After missing the first two qualifying games due to an injury, the 2023 Ballon d’Or nominee will be joining his comrades when they host Venezuela at the Maracanã Stadium on Friday.
His teammates are certainly delighted with his addition to the squad. “He came back from injury scoring goals and helping Real win matches. He is just great.” Forward Jesus Gabriel said in a press conference. “Vinicius is important for his club, he is important for the national team. And he is only a boy,” he added.
Makoun to man the defence for Venezuela
It turns out that Brazil isn’t the only team with a buffed roster coming into Friday’s fixture, as Christian Makoun has been called up by the Venezuela Men’s National Team for their qualifying matches against Brazil and Chile.
The young Makoun shined for his country when he featured for La Vinotinto more than 20 times at the young international level. He earned the armband for the Venezuela under-20 squad nine times in his 14 appearances. Now, he has been making strides at the senior level, as he has already earned seven senior caps for Fernando Batista.
Makoun featured for La Vinotinto in their World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Colombia last month, where the New England Revolution defender showcased his versatility. The 23-year-old is evidently serviceable for Valenzuela every time he is on the pitch.
History
These two nations are very well acquainted with one another in the world of football. Given their geographical locations, it would make sense that these two proud countries would collide on the pitch ever so often.
Brazil and Venezuela have met each other on the pitch quite a number of times in the past. Out of their 12 head-to-head matches since 2005, Brazil had won eight, while Venezuela only came out as the victors once. Venezuela are winless against Brazil in their last 6 matches.
For Brazil, the competition was pretty fierce during their last five games, where Fernando Diniz and his team just had a slight upper hand against their adversaries. In those five games, the Canary Squad had won three and lost two.
Their last win came against a spirited Peruvian squad in the World Cup qualifiers. Brazil were surgical against La Blanquirroja, as they controlled the ball with purpose for most of the match. In true ginga style, they controlled the field and passed the ball beautifully.
The only goal of the match was headed in by Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Marquinhos in the 90th minute of the game. Neymar Jr. launched a corner kick, then Marquinhos leaped and towered over the sea of players as he headed the ball with force and precision.
Meanwhile, Venezuela are also coming OFF a win in their last World Cup qualifying match. La Vinotinto hosted a steady Paraguay squad last month, where they faced off in a competitive fixture that ended in a 1-0 Venezuela victory.
The two clubs were evenly matched all throughout. They evenly shared possession of the ball and passed with almost similar accuracy. Both teams had convincing attempts at the goal, but neither could find the back of the net, not until the Venezuelans were awarded a penalty in extra time. Striker Salomon Rondon took responsibility for taking the kick, and he delivered, as he scored the only goal of the match.
Betting Tip
With all due respect to the Venezuelan side, this match is expected to be a cake walk for the top-seeded Brazil. SBOTOP is on the money with their prices for this match. The World Cup 2026 odds have Brazil as the heavy favourites to win this one at 1.11, while Venezuela are at 9.50 as the underdogs.
Brazil scored six goals in their most recent two matches in the World Cup qualifying competition, and they look to keep it up against Venezuela. Given that, Brazil Asian HCP -2.00 @1.67 offers adequate excitement and value for bettors.
A SHORT EXPLANATION ON HOW OUR (⭐) BETS ARE WORTH:
⭐⭐⭐= €20 (HIGHLY CONFIDENT)
⭐⭐= €10 (CONFIDENT))
⭐= €5 (SOMEWHAT CONFIDENT)
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
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