World Cup Qualifying - South America | Group Stage

Mar 21, 2025 at 11.30pm UK

Estadio Campeon del Siglo

Uruguay vs Argentina

Match preview

Former Argentina boss Marcelo Bielsa has overseen 12 wins, five draws and four defeats since taking charge of Uruguay in May 2023.

Uruguay won four of their first six World Cup qualifiers under Bielsa, but have since lost some of their momentum, winning just one of their last six qualifiers.

However, La Celeste would have been pleased with their efforts in the last international window in November, when they recorded a narrow 3-2 home win over Colombia and a 1-1 draw away to Brazil to finish second, seven points clear of seventh-placed Bolivia.

The result puts Uruguay on course for automatic qualification for next year's tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico.

Bielsa is now preparing to take on Argentina for the fourth time in his coaching career, having faced them twice as Chile coach (W1, D1) and in the reverse fixture as Uruguay coach.

Back in November 2023, goals from Ronald Araujo and Darwin Nunez gave Uruguay a 2-0 away win over Argentina, their first head-to-head victory since October 2013.

Argentina sit five points clear at the top of the standings, having won eight, drawn one and lost three of their 12 qualifying matches.

As a result, La Albiceleste look set to continue their run of reaching every World Cup final since missing out at Mexico 1970.

While they will be pleased with their current position, the reigning world champions may have been underwhelmed by the fact that they won just three of their six qualifiers following their Copa America triumph in the USA last summer.

All three of those victories came on home soil, while they picked up just one point from their last three away matches in the build-up to 2024, meaning they have not won a World Cup qualifier on the road since beating Brazil 1-0 in November 2023.

Argentina return to action for the first time since a 1-0 home win over Peru in November, their third successive home win without conceding a goal.

Messi provided the assist for the winner on that occasion, but Argentina will be without their talisman for Friday's clash after he was left out of Lionel Scaloni's squad through injury.

La Albiceleste may have lost to Uruguay in the reverse fixture, but they can take heart from the fact that they have won three of their last four games against Friday's opponents, including a 1-0 victory in the last away meeting in November 2021.

Recent Performance

Uruguay World Cup Qualifying - South America form:DDLDWD

Argentina World Cup Qualifying - South America form:WLDWLW

Team News

Bielsa has taken the unusual decision of naming a 38-man squad for the next two games against Argentina and Bolivia, meaning there are likely to be a number of players who will have to settle for training time rather than game time.

Man United midfielder Manuel Ugarte is among those selected, although he will be suspended for Friday's game due to an accumulation of yellow cards.

Araujo is set to make his first international appearance since July after missing Uruguay's last six qualifiers through injury.

Liverpool's Nunez, who has admitted he is struggling for form, will be hoping to regain his confidence over the course of the international period, with the striker hoping to score his first international goal since the second group game of last year's Copa America.

Meanwhile, Argentina's all-time leading scorer Messi is sidelined with an adductor injury sustained in Inter Miami's 2-1 win over Atlanta United on Sunday.

Scaloni will also be without the services of Gonzalo Montiel, Giovani Lo Celso and Paulo Dybala due to injury.

Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez has been added to Argentina's list of absentees after withdrawing from the squad with a hamstring problem.

In Messi's absence, Atletico Madrid's Angel Correa will get the chance to wear Argentina's iconic number 10 for the next two games.

Possible starting lineup

Uruguay possible starting lineup:

Rochet; Nandez, R. Araujo, Gimenez, Saracchi; Valverde, Bentancur; Pellistri, Aguirre, M. Araujo; Nunez

Argentina possible starting lineup:

Martinez; Molina, Romero, Otamendi, Tagliafico; De Paul, Mac Allister, Fernandez; Correa, Gonzalez, Alvarez