“There is a renewal that is not happening”: South America sees La Roja as the great disappointment

After the first two dates of South American Qualifiers, You can now take stock of the teams competing to access the 2026 World Cup. La Tercera analyzed this beginning as well as 10 historical events, one for each country in the region, in which several conclusions are drawn. Perhaps the most surprising is the bad start of the Chilean team, which added only one point out of six, and from which the experts expected much more.

Because renewal is not coming to the team led by Eduardo Berizzo. A national team in which older players still predominate, as diagnosed by former international footballers. As long as The majority places the Creole team in a third group of teams with Paraguay, Peru and even Venezuela; who should compete for the last place and the playoffs to access the North American event.

“Chile left quietly. It has a renovation that is not coming. We continue to rely on experienced players. It’s important, but it’s good to mix it with youth. These experienced players will make it to the World Cup, but there will be almost 40 of them, no matter how good they are,” he warns. Nestor Clausen, champion with Argentina in 1986.

The Uruguayan’s comment is more direct Antonio Alzamendi who thinks that “That was one of the big disappointments. He will have to look for successful young people within the team. Some of the more experienced ones need to see if they can last the whole game. He lost speed with the ball.

Even the celestial player of the World Cup of 86 and 90 confirms that “Chile was not the expected team. We went from very experienced players to younger players, who failed to establish themselves in the national team. “He has to adapt a lot to get into the top seven.”

An opinion very similar to that of the Colombian coach Jorge Luis Pinto who directed the destiny of his national team between 2006 and 2008, in addition to leading Costa Rica to the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, where he reached the quarter-finals.

“Chile can’t find the team or the players. This was felt in these first two matches. He has to rethink things at this start, the players who should replace him are not appearing,” says the former Honduras coach.

For the Ecuadorian Eduardo Hurtado the team led today by Eduardo Berizzo has lost the characteristic seal that led it to win two Copa América titles and a few participations in the World Cup.

“Chile was one of the teams that was wrong in these first two dates. This is not the image I was used to in South America. We are far from this team which exerted constant and absorbing pressure. They are trying to make a replacement. But he still has a long way to go,” says Tank, who played for Colo Colo in 1993.

In the same spirit, the Chilean Fabien Estay adds that “La Roja can’t find a football idea and we don’t see what Berizzo expects from the team.”

Like so many times, Argentina and Brazil started on top of the qualification rankings. The Transandins won at home by the minimum against Ecuador and beat the Bolivians in La Paz. Scratch, for its part, crushed the highlands of Belem de Pará and won on the hour mark in Peru, in Lima.

“Argentina and Brazil win their two matches and already have a certain advantage. The usual ones present their candidacy as favorites, they share first and second. Of course, the transandines were more energetic, the Canarinha had big problems with the decimated Peruvian team,” he analyzes. Paulo Silas, World Cup with Brazil in Italy ’90.

History repeated according to the opinion of the Venezuelan Renny Vega. For the former Los Albos goalkeeper, the superiority of his players prevails over the rest of the rivals. Situation which will mark the future of the tournament.

“Brazil and Argentina show clear differences. In a way, they show what the path will be until the end of the Qualifiers. In addition, these are the teams that have the best numbers,” warns the former Vinotinto.

Clausen concludes: “Both candidates started well. I believe that the two powers will lead the elimination process again. There is no doubt about it. They have already shown their hierarchy during these first two dates and, if they continue this way, it will be very difficult to lower them. But these Qualifiers seem crazy to me. There are seven with options and that’s why this start has been exciting. So far, Argentina and Brazil have the advantage. The others will fight him and it will be very even.

After the two world champions, the most repeated names are Uruguay and Ecuador, in addition to Colombia, to a lesser extent. The presence of Marcelo Bielsa in the Celeste brings confidence. Those of Guayas, despite the three-point penalty, have a generation of footballers who are already showing quality.

“Ecuador, despite three points less, showed itself to be a solid team. They have a very good squad, with many substitutes, young people and some with experience. “Uruguay also has a certain advantage, it has a good generation of footballers,” believes the Bolivian. Marco Sandy.

Likewise, Peru Julius Caesar Uribe explains that “Uruguay has started quite well, a new generation is emerging, but it takes time to consolidate. “Ecuador has good players and is a tough rival.”

Under the same parameter, the Paraguayan Rogelio Delgado states that “Uruguay is starting a process, but it has little working time and still has a lot to give. He made a misstep, but he leaves aside experienced players to make way for younger players. “Ecuador has strong and powerful footballers, with a high turnover.”

Estay, for his part, recognizes that “I liked Colombia, where we understand that there is a certain change. Uruguay also started very well against Chile. Also Ecuador, which was very solid against the Charrúas. “These three have created a trend, I understand that it is a very long qualification and it all depends on the moments of the players.”

Concerning the weakest rival, the ten former players consulted agree on the bad moment in Bolivian football. “The lowest was Bolivia. He did not find the volume of play desired by the coach and obviously suffered the worst results. It wasn’t a good start,” Sandy says.

Similar opinion to that of Pinto, who states that “this is the weakest team at the start. “I don’t know if it’s because of the lack of work at the clubs or if it’s because of the crisis in his football, but he didn’t show much intention.”

Lionel Scaloni repeatedly repeats himself as the best coach of the 10 currently in the playoffs. Not only because he is the last world champion, but also because the team’s performance has not slackened, despite the success.

“It’s the one that stands out the most. Not only because he is the current world champion, but because he was able to form a team that has a very dominant game, with few weak points,” explains Delgado.

Paulo Silas adds that “Scaloni stood out from the rest of the technicians. Not only because he won with authority at the top, but because he did it without Lionel Messi. He has a team with very high morale, he can change one or two players, but the essence is the same.

As for outstanding players, the transandean Ángel Di María is named half of the time. “What Ángel di María did caught my attention. He is 35 years old and played like a boy at the top of La Paz, constantly blocking the Bolivian exit,” says Clausen.

Alzamendi agrees: “I have always been a fan of Di María and I think he showed that, although he is an experienced player, he performs excellently in qualifying, in a team full of stars.”