Lionel Messi is 39 years old and still doing things nobody else his age has done at a World Cup. His hat trick against Algeria made him the oldest player to pull that off in tournament history, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo’s mark from 2018. Argentina looked every bit the defending champions, rolling to a 3-0 win with the kind of swagger that suggests they might not be done dominating international soccer just yet.
But for the rest of CONMEBOL, the opening round of group play was a mixed bag at best. Some teams looked legit. Others looked lost. And a few lucky ones walked away with points they probably didn’t deserve.
Colombia Arrives, Brazil Stumbles
Colombia might be the second-most dangerous team in this tournament. They handled Uzbekistan 3-1 in a game that felt more lopsided than the scoreline suggests. Luis Díaz scored, set up another goal and generally made Uzbekistan’s defense look like they were playing a man down. Jaminton Campaz added a stoppage-time goal just to make sure nobody got cute with the result. Colombia controls Group K after Portugal and DR Congo played to a draw, and with the fan support they’ve got in Mexico (the stadium was basically a home game), they’re a real threat to make a deep run.
Brazil, meanwhile, squeaked out a 1-1 draw with Morocco that felt more like a loss. The 4-2-3-1 formation Carlo Ancelotti installed didn’t spark much. Igor Thiago started up front and did almost nothing. Vinícius Júnior bailed them out with an equalizer after Ismael Saibari put Morocco ahead, but Brazil never really controlled the game. Morocco only had one shot on target in the second half, but Brazil couldn’t punish them for it. Next up is Haiti, who gave Scotland a real fight in their opener. Brazil should win, but they haven’t looked solid defensively all year.
Paraguay Gets Run Over, Uruguay Can’t Finish
Paraguay’s opener against the US went about as badly as possible. They came out pressing for one minute, then got absolutely taken apart. Damián Bobadilla scored an own goal in the 10th minute, and it just got worse from there. The US was faster, smarter and more aggressive everywhere on the field. Christian Pulisic and Sergiño Dest turned Paraguay’s fullbacks into traffic cones. By halftime it was 3-0, and it could have been worse. Paraguay pulled one back through Mauricio in the 73rd minute, but Giovanni Reyna answered in stoppage time to make it 4-1. Paraguay’s 4-4-2 formation never worked. They couldn’t get Antonio Sanabria or Miguel Almirón involved. Expect changes against Turkey, possibly swapping Bobadilla for Matías Galarza and bringing in Isidro Pitta to hold the ball up top.
Uruguay’s 1-1 draw with Saudi Arabia raised more questions about Marcelo Bielsa. Rumors before the game suggested some players have fallen out of love with his methods, and the first half did nothing to ease those concerns. Saudi Arabia scored first through Abdullah Al Ammari, and Uruguay looked lost without Giorgian de Arrascaeta pulling the strings. Maximiliano Araújo saved them with an 80th-minute equalizer, but Uruguay needed 22 shots and 75% possession to get a point. Bielsa made changes at halftime, pulling Darwin Núñez and Matías Viña for Agustín Canobbio and Juan Sanabria, and Uruguay looked better. But a winless streak that’s now at five games is hard to ignore. Spain is next, and both teams are desperate after Spain’s scoreless draw with Cape Verde.
Ecuador Pays for Missing Chances
Ecuador dominated Ivory Coast for most of their game. They hit the crossbar twice in the first half. They controlled possession. Their fans turned Philadelphia into a yellow wall that felt more like Quito than Pennsylvania. And they still lost 1-0 on a 90th-minute goal by Wilfried Singo. It’s the same problem Ecuador has had for years: they play pretty soccer but can’t score without a real number nine. John Yeboah and Alan Minda both hit the woodwork, but nobody finished. The loss ended a 19-match unbeaten streak, and with Curaçao up next after Germany blew them out, Ecuador needs to bounce back fast or they’re looking at another early exit.
The first round is over, and the storylines are already forming. Messi is chasing Miroslav Klose’s all-time World Cup goals record (he’s one away). Argentina looks unbeatable. Colombia looks dangerous. And the rest of South America has work to do.
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