World Soccer - UK (2020-11)

the team has options. The strength
is now in midfield, and not having to
play both strikers gives a release from
4-4-2 and the chance to play wingers.
It would be a major surprise if they
fall short of qualification.

THE NEXT RUNG
With the second-biggest population in
the continent, Colombia have immense
potential – outside the traditional trio
they are the South American side most
likely to win the World Cup. Vastly
experienced Portuguese Carlos Queiroz
is a fascinating choice of coach. Results
have been mixed so far, with goals hard
to come by and a lack of inspiration
wheneverJames Rodriguez is missing.
But they look good bets to qualify.
Ricardo Gareca’s Peru may find it
hard to give continuity to their surprise
qualification for Russia 2018, especially
as centre-forward Paolo Guerrero has
suffered a long-term knee injury. Few

youngsters of real quality are emerging

• also a problem for Chile as they try
  to work out how, and even if, they can
  move beyond the golden generation
  that won them the Copa America in
  2015 and 2016. Colombian coach
  Reinaldo Rueda is a smooth operator,
  but the task of renewal is tricky – as
  Paraguay found after reaching the 2010
  quarter-finals. The Paraguayans are

The ten teams vying for South

America’s four automatic World

Cup qualifying berths

Argentina

Bolivia

Brazil

Chile

Colombia

Ecuador

Paraguay

Peru

Uruguay

Venezuela

THE CONTENDERS

usually competitive. But do they have

enough quality? And is Argentine coach

Eduardo Berizzo, an ex-assistant to

Marcelo Bielsa, a good fit for a team

typically happiest in deep defence?

THE OTHERS

Ecuador seemed right on course for

Russia 2018 until the wheels fell off,

both on and off the field – and things

have not improved. The return of coach

Hernan Dario Gomez did not work out,

an ambitious project withJordi Cruyff

failed to get off the ground, and

Gustavo Alfaro from Argentina is a

late replacement. He has a good track

record with modest teams, though,

which could fit Ecuador’s counter-

attacking style.

Venezuela’s huge hopes of making

their World Cup debut are largely based

on the 2017 Under-20 team, although

the resignation of coach Rafael Dudamel

is a blow. His replacement,Jose Peseiro

from Portugal, has yet to get together

with his players. A canny Venezuelan,

Cesar Farias, has taken charge of

Bolivia. His Under-23 team at the start

of the year were refreshingly bold, and

he will work hard at using the altitude of

La Paz, 3,600 metres above sea level, to

their advantage – part of the challenge

that makes World Cup qualification in

South America so intriguing.

WORLD SERVICE

Midfield maestros...

Uruguay’s Rodrigo

Bentancur and

Federico Valverde

Talent...Manchester

City’s Yangel Herrera

is Venezuela’s big hope

U p d a t e