IFFHS CONTINENTAL STATS - SOUTH AMERICA WORLD CUP 2026 QUALIFIERS
Picture : Luis Suárez (full namesake of great Uruguayan forward) became the first ever Colombian to score poker in a qualifier.
Statistics on WC 2026 qualifiers in South America (match-day 18)
Ecuador vs Argentina 1-0
*Ecuador have last beaten Argentina a decade ago (2-0 in October 2015, in the Qualifiers for WC 2018).
*Ecuador have beaten the reigning world champions for the 2nd time, after 1-0 against Brazil on 17 November 2004 in the Qualifiers for WC 2006.
*Ecuador is the first team in the history of South American Qualifiers to concede only 2 goals in a series of 15 consecutive matches.
The best record, until now, was shared by Brazil and Argentina (3 goals in 15 matches).
*With this loss, Argentina will lose their position as number one in the next FIFA Rankings, which they have held during almost 2.5 years, since 6 April 2023.
In the next update on 17 September Argentina will appear third, behind Spain and France.
*Lionel Messi finished the 2026 South American Qualifying as the top scorer for the first time in his career, though he took part in only 12 of 18 games.
Messi netted 8 goals for Argentina, one more than Miguel Terceros (Bolivia) and Luis Díaz (Colombia).
By the way, it is the lowest tally for a top scorer since the tournament began playing in its current format in 1996.
*Argentina have last suffered a red card and a penalty in the same qualifying match on that terrible afternoon in La Paz (1 April 2009), when Bolivia crushed Diego Maradona's team 6-1.
*Enner Valencia equaled Felipe Caicedo as Ecuador's second-highest scorer in the qualifying rounds (15 goals each).
The national record is held by Agustín Delgado (16 goals).
*Nicolás Otamendi (Argentina) became the 2nd oldest player sent off in the South American qualifying (aged 37 years 209 days), behind only
Ricardo Fontana (Bolivia) in 1989 (at 38 years 335 days).
The third on “podium” is William Martínez (Uruguay), sent off in 1965, aged 37 years 137 days.
Peru vs Paraguay 0-1
*Since Gustavo Alfaro took over Paraguay, they have earned 23 points in 12 qualifiers, which would put them joint-top of the South American Qualifiers with Argentina.
Bolivia vs Brazil 1-0
*It's been 16 years since Bolivia last led against Brazil, when they defeated them 2-1 in October 2009.
Chile vs Uruguay 0-0
*Chile finished their qualifying campaign in last place for the 2nd time under current format of 18 rounds (after 2002).
Their 11 points from 18 matches is new lowest mark (there were 12 in the campaign for WC 2002).
They failed to qualify for third time in a row (after 2018 and 2022).
Venezuela vs Colombia 3-6
*Colombia have scored 6 away goals in a single match for the first time in the history of the Qualifiers.
Overall, no one in South America has achieved this feat since Brazil's 6-0 away defeat in Venezuela on 8 October 2000.
*Venezuela have scored 2 goals as early as in the first 12 minutes of a qualifier for the 2nd time in their history.
This also happened on 10 November 2016, against Bolivia (when they scored twice in first 10 minutes).
*Luis Suárez (full namesake of great Uruguayan forward) became the first ever Colombian to score poker in a qualifier.
Before his feat, the Colombian strikers achieved only hat-tricks, Faustino Asprilla (vs Chile in 1996) and Víctor Aristizábal (vs Paraguay in 2001).
*With another 2 assists, Colombia’s James Rodríguez has equaled Chile’s Alexis Sánchez as the second-best assist maker in the history of the South American Qualifiers (15 for both), behind only Brazil’s Neymar (19).