Brazil Faces Chile in World Cup Qualifier: New Era Under Ancelotti at the Maracanã
Critical World Cup Qualifier at the Maracanã
Brazil, having already secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, are now focusing on finishing second in CONMEBOL standings behind Argentina. The five-time world champions will face last-place Chile at the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro.
Teams in Contrasting Positions
The match marks a new chapter for Brazil under the stewardship of Carlo Ancelotti, in what is essentially a dead rubber after securing their World Cup spot in June. However, it has been a challenging campaign for the Seleção, who at times found themselves precariously close to missing out on the top six, currently sitting 10 points behind Argentina.
For Chile, this campaign has been nothing short of disastrous, with their hopes of World Cup qualification already mathematically ended. Under interim manager Nicolas Cordova, who replaced Ricardo Gareca, Chile’s road performance has been particularly poor, managing just one point and scoring only one goal in eight away qualifiers. The team is yet to score a competitive goal in 2025, and their historical record against Brazil – just eight wins in 76 previous meetings – doesn’t inspire confidence.
Team News and Expectations
In an interesting development, Ancelotti has chosen to leave several key players, including Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo, Eder Militao and Endrick, with their club Real Madrid. Despite this, Brazil are expected to handle the inexperienced Chilean side comfortably on home soil, especially given Chile’s poor away form. Ancelotti’s tenure has so far been marked by defensive solidity, with his team yet to concede under his leadership.
Match Details
Brazil will line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation with Alisson Becker in goal, protected by Wesley, Marquinhos, Gabriel, and Douglas Santos in defence. The attack will be led by Joao Pedro, supported by Estevao, Raphinha, and Gabriel Martinelli. Chile will counter with a 3-4-3 formation, featuring Lawrence Vigouroux in goal and Ben Brereton Diaz leading the attack.
