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Argentina captain Lionel Messi was unperturbed by his side's defeat to Uruguay in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier in Buenos Aires on Thursday, November 16. The eight-time Ballon d'Or winner waved the defeat away as just a one off when speaking to journalists after the game.
Lionel Messi and Co. are ranked as the best team in the world, having won the FIFA World Cup in Qatar last year. They were on a 14-game unbeaten run before losing to Uruguay, having last tasted defeat in November 2022 to Saudi Arabia at the Mundial.
After the game, journalists surrounded Lionel Messi to comment on what had happened to his team and why they lost to Uruguay. The 36-year-old let out a chuckle before waving away any worries about the performance as a one-off thing.
“Well, didn't we just lose only one game? Nothing more.”
Under the tutelage of Argentine manager Marcelo Bielsa, Uruguay defeated La Albiceleste 2-0 thanks to goals from Ronald Araujo and Darwin Nunez. La Celeste ended their hosts' 55-game unbeaten streak at La Bombonera, the home of Boca Juniors.
Lionel Messi was impressed with the quality displayed by the Uruguayan team, attributing it to the work of Bielsa. He remains unperturbed about his side's performance in the game and is focused on their next match against Brazil.
Lionel Messi-led Argentina keen to bounce back against long-time rivals
There is hardly a better time for Argentina to face Brazil than right now, given the state of the Selecao. Both South American giants lost their last match, with a Luis Diaz brace condemning Brazil to defeat in Colombia.
Brazil are without long-term absentee Neymar and lost Vinicius Jr to injury against Colombia. On the other hand, La Albiceleste have a full-strength squad to pick from for the clash and could compound the woes of their rivals.
The Selecao have won just one of their opening four matches in the CONMEBOL 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers and none of their last three. They suffered back-to-back defeats to Uruguay and Colombia, and could now lose thrice in a row when Argentina comes to town.
Argentina and Brazil have not faced each other in a match since November 2021 when they played out a goalless draw in San Juan. Lionel Messi will be keen for his side to show their level as world champions and come away from their match against their rivals with a win.
