The Eternal Joke of the Qualifiers: Results and Curious Comments

The 17th round of the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, which took place over the past few days, brought some results to our column. While foreign media preferred to focus on the traditional teams and neglected to report on the other matches, we'll tell you what we saw.

Brazil 3-0 Chile: The Brazilian team played an exhibition game for the home crowd at the Maracanã stadium, showcasing fine football and, above all, demonstrating the team management skills of Italian coach Carlo Michelangelo Ancelotti. The Brazilian team, already qualified for next year's World Cup, played lightly and could have even scored more goals against the fragile and already eliminated Chilean team.

Argentina 3-0 Venezuela: Argentina, champions of the last Copa América and World Cup, the match was less of a showdown and more of a farewell show. After all, the 3-0 victory, featuring two goals from the genius Lionel Messi, felt like a Hollywood movie script. The atmosphere in Buenos Aires was festive, celebratory, and a slow-motion "bye-bye" to the beloved and talented little man. The game, supposedly for a spot in the 2026 World Cup, became a tribute to the star player, who, at 38, gave us the impression he was just going through the motions and saying a final "hello" to his fans.

Uruguay 3-0 Peru: Uruguay entered the field with the determination of those who needed to prove something and did what they had to do: they put 3-0 ahead of Peru, who, poor thing, seemed to have forgotten the ball at home.

Colombia 3-0 Bolivia: Colombia, already guaranteed a spot in the World Cup, decided to give a soccer lesson, showing that coffee isn't the only thing that lives in the land of Gabriel García Márquez. Bolivia, which tried, ended up getting real.

Paraguay 0-0 Ecuador: The match between Paraguay and Ecuador was so exciting that even the pitch was bored. A lukewarm, bland, and tasteless draw, which only the players' mothers enjoyed, as no one got hurt.

Football is Here and Now: News, Controversies and Relationships

While the ball is only rolling for the national teams, the news focuses on the controversies and behind-the-scenes dramas, which are, without a doubt, the spice of our football.

Corinthians: The Locker Room Drama and the Depay Controversy: The Dutch striker's situation at Corinthians is more like a Mexican soap opera than a soccer match. After being substituted in a match, the player, known for his controversial behavior, was seen leaving the locker room alone, even before his teammates. The young man's behavior adds to a series of turbulent episodes, including an unannounced absence from training amid a delay in the club's salary payments. But, like all good dramas, the story had a twist: the player met with the board, discussed his grievances, and apologized to the squad. And, if rumors are to be believed, he's motivated for the rest of the season, despite the political crisis raging behind the scenes at the club. Apparently, the striker's off-field performance is as good as the one he puts on.

Flamengo: The "Cold War" in Gávea: In Gávea, the only thing guaranteed is the circus. The political crisis has turned into a cold war, with management and the opposition exchanging barbs at every meeting. It's a typical case of "the more you fight, the less you play." It's as if the directors have banded together to show that, in times of trouble, they are more in tune than the team on the field. While the board fights, the news reports that Arrascaeta and Varela have been released from the Uruguayan national team and are expected to rejoin the club, a welcome respite amidst so much tension.