Carlo Ancelotti’s home debut as Brazil manager sparked a celebration in Sao Paulo on Tuesday night local time as a Vinicius Junior goal fired the Selecao to the 2026 World Cup finals.
A 1-0 win over Paraguay was enough to take Brazil up to 25 points in the CONMEBOL Table, in third place and seven points clear of the play-off place in seventh, currently occupied by Venezuela. Ancelotti took over the Brazil nation team after a trophy-less final campaign at Real Madrid, but he remains one of the most decorated managers in football, and now his task is to win a World Cup with the Samba Boys.
His first outing as Brazil boss ended in a frustrating 0-0 draw away Ecuador last Thursday and Ancelotti took the initiative by bringing Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli in, alongside new Manchester United man Matheus Cunha, while the biggest news before this game kicked off was the return of Barcelona’s Raphinha from suspension. The flying winger has been a standout performer for the Blaugrana in both the Champions League and the Primera Division and he’s one of the players we can guarantee will be heavily featured in the World Cup 2026 news next year.
It was Cunha who crossed for Vinicius to fire home just a minute before the break and the Selecao held out comfortably. Vinicius, who has had a frustrating campaign with Real Madrid recognised just how important this victory was, saying: “We needed to win here for our people. Now we have more time to work, see what we can improve. We need to celebrate this. After September it is all about the World Cup.”
Ancelotti is a cool customer and never short of self belief, but this was an important win for him too and, with the World Cup 2026 betting odds pitching the Selecao as one of six or seven nations with a serious chance of lifting the trophy, it was vital Brazil qualified without too much anxiety.
Venezuela loss is good news for Bolivia and Colombia
Sixth placed Colombia picked up a valuable point away to already qualified Argentina in 1-1 draw, a result which leaves them four points clear of seventh placed Venezuela who lost 2-0 away to Uruguay. And that result also brought Bolivia into play-off contention after they beat Chile 2-0.
The SBOTOP odds of qualification are very much in Colombia’s favour now, as they cemented their sixth place with a battling point away to the runaway leaders. And it could have been even better after Los Cafeteros took a first half lead before Argentina went down to ten men. Liverpool ace Luis Diaz scored a wonderful opener at the Estadio Mas Monumental, on 22 minutes, as he drifted inside from the left wing, leaving three defenders in his wake before sliding a cool finish past Emiliano Martinez; and the visitors stayed ahead for over an hour. It really looked good for Colombia as Enzo Fernandez received a straight red card when he caught Kevin Castano in the face with a high boot. That was on 70 minutes but Colombia couldn’t hold out against the ten men of Argentina and, 11 minutes later, a determined Thiago Almada raced into the penalty area and hammered an unstoppable shot into the corner.
Uruguay are in fourth place and within a point of qualification after they beat Venezuela at the Estadio Centenario. The victory ended a four match winless streak and was very much deserved for the hosts who took a half time lead when Maxi Araujo swung over a corner which Rodrigo Aguirre met with a thumping header. And it was game over immediately after the break when Giorgian De Arrascaete hit a scorcher into the top corner. Uruguay are assured of a play-off place, but with two games remaining they should secure automatic qualification.
The big beneficiaries of Uruguay’s win were Bolivia who moved to within a point of Venezuela thanks to a 2-0 win over basement nation Chile, a defeat which cost the La Roja boss Ricardo Gareca his job. It was a bad tempered affair as, after Miguel Terceros had given Bolivia an early lead, Lucas Chavez was sent off with just 19 minutes on the clock. Chile have endured a shocking campaign and failed to make inroads against ten men and, when the numbers were evened up by Francisco Sierralta’s red card, Bolivia went on to double their lead through Enzo Monteiro.
So Chile are out while Bolivia are still fighting and, elsewhere, a 0-0 draw in Peru confirmed Ecuador’s place at the 2026 World Cup, alongside Argentina and Brazil, while their hosts stay ninth and need a miracle to challenge for a play-off spot.
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