LIVE INFO
MATCH PREVIEW & MORE INFO
Argentina : possible starting lineup: Rulli; Molina, Otamendi, Romero, Tagliafico; De Paul, Fernandez, Mac Allister, Alvarez; La Martinez, Messi
Venezuela : possible starting lineup: Romo; Aramburu, Osorio, Ferraresi, Navarro; Bello, Casseres, J Martinez, Segovia, Soteldo; Rondon
Match Preview
Venezuela will host world champions Argentina at the Estadio Monumental in Maturín on Thursday in a crucial CONMEBOL World Cup qualifier. With both teams aiming for different goals—Venezuela chasing a historic first-ever World Cup appearance and Argentina looking to cement their place at the 2026 finals—this match holds significant stakes.
Argentina, sitting comfortably atop the standings with 18 points from eight games, are already closing in on World Cup qualification. Two wins in this international window would all but secure their spot. Despite a recent 1-0 defeat to Colombia, which marked their second loss in four qualifiers, Lionel Scaloni’s side remains dominant in South America, having conceded just seven goals in their last 19 qualifiers. With matches against Venezuela and Bolivia ahead, Argentina are heavily favored to continue their qualifying success.
Venezuela, on the other hand, is experiencing its most promising campaign to date. Level on points with Brazil after eight matches, Fernando Batista’s team currently occupies the final automatic qualifying spot with 10 points. Although Venezuela suffered a heavy 4-0 defeat to Bolivia in September, they showed resilience by holding Uruguay to a 0-0 draw in their following match. A strong performance against Argentina could be pivotal in keeping their World Cup hopes alive.
Team News:
Venezuela:
The hosts will be without defender Teo Quintero, who was set to make his international debut, but was sidelined due to injury. Veteran defender Jhon Chancellor is also out, meaning Venezuela’s back four could remain the same as the one that kept Uruguay scoreless in their last outing. Salomon Rondón, Venezuela’s all-time top scorer, continues to be a key figure for La Vinotinto, having scored two of their six goals in this qualifying campaign. His resurgence at Pachuca, where he has netted 20 goals in 33 games, has been vital to Venezuela’s success so far.
Argentina:
The return of Lionel Messi is the headline for Argentina, as he is expected to feature for the first time since their Copa America final triumph. However, Argentina will be without goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez, who is serving a two-game suspension. Other notable absentees include Paulo Dybala, Nicolas Gonzalez, and Alejandro Garnacho, all of whom withdrew due to injuries. Exequiel Palacios returns to the squad following injury problems, adding strength to Argentina’s midfield.
Form Guide:
Venezuela World Cup Qualifying - South America form: WDDLLL
Venezuela form (all competitions): DWLDLL
Argentina World Cup Qualifying - South America form: WWWLWL
Argentina form (all competitions): WWDLWL
Summary
Venezuela faces one of their toughest tests yet, but with their World Cup dreams still within reach, a strong showing against the reigning world champions could further solidify their chances. Argentina, meanwhile, are expected to continue their dominant form as they edge closer to securing a spot at the 2026 World Cup.