Bolivia’s World Cup dream hangs by a thread, and everything now comes down to this night in La Paz. After a nightmare start to qualifying rounds with five defeats in six, the Green briefly found their spark again, putting together three straight wins to give their fans some hope.
But that momentum quickly went out, and just one win from their last eight has left them outside the play-off spots. The equation is brutally simple: beat Brazil, and pray Venezuela slip up against Colombia. It’s been 30 years since Bolivia last appeared at a World Cup, and the sense of desperation is almost palpable.
Yet, if there’s one thing Bolivia can cling to, it’s their home form. Playing at altitude in La Paz has always been their weapon, and this campaign has been no different,they’ve gone unbeaten at home so far, winning four and drawing two while keeping five clean sheets. They will need all of that tenacity, plus a sprinkle of magic from Miguelito, their top scorer, if they’re to pull off the kind of upset that would live long in memory of the bolivians.
Brazil arrive in La Paz without the pressure of qualification affceting them, but they know the importance of finishing strong. Their 3-0 win over Chile last time out was a timely reminder of what they can do when at their best, though it has been far from a perfect campaign.
Five defeats marked their most inconsistent qualifying run in the last two decades, though some will point out that the last time Brazil were this shaky was in 2002 were they ended up lifting the World Cup. History somehow has a funny way of repeating itself.
With Neymar and Casemiro missing, all eyes turn to the new generation. Teenage wonder Estêvão, who just scored his first international goal, has quickly become the name on everyone’s lips, hailed as Brazil’s brightest talent since Neymar himself. Add in the likes of Rodrygo and Raphinha, and there’s still plenty of firepower.
Brazil’s dominance over Bolivia in recent years has been total—they’ve won six of the last seven meetings, scoring 26 goals and conceding only once. On paper, it looks like a mismatch. But La Paz, with its altitude advantage, has a way of changing the script.
Team News
Bolivia are at full strength heading into this clash, which means Gustavo Costas can rely on his core group once more. The big burden will fall on Miguelito, who thrives at home—four of his six qualifying goals have come in La Paz.
However, according to the Brazilian football website, the team will be without Neymar, Éder Militão, and Casemiro, but the depth of their squad means carlo ancelotti still has plenty of options. Marquinhos and Alisson bringing leadership at the back, while Bruno Guimarães and Paquetá will look to control things in the midfield. Up front, the focus will be on Estêvão to deliver again.
Possible Line-ups
Bolivia (4-4-2): Viscarra; Ribera, Jusino, Quinteros, Fernández; Villarroel, Bejarano, Vaca, Arce; Moreno, Miguelito.
Brazil (4-3-3): Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, Renan Lodi; Bruno Guimarães, André, Paquetá; Raphinha, Rodrygo, Estêvão.
SoftFootball Prediction
This has all the makings of a tight affair, Bolivia will lean on the altitude, the crowd, and their fighting spirit, while Brazil will trust their quality and the spark of their younger stars. La Paz might slow Brazil down, but it won’t stop them.
SoftFootball predicts a 2-0 win for the Seleção, with Estêvão making headlines once again.
