What is the disastrous statistic that Conmebol could repeat in Qatar 2022 if Uruguay is eliminated?

Four of the last four World Cups had a European team as monarch. A supremacy with which the UEFA teams arrived at Qatar 2022, which the South Americans want to end. However, it will not be an easy task due to the little representation they will have from the round of 16. This could be further reduced with the elimination of Uruguay, a possible scenario for the last day of Group H.

Since it was played with 32 participants (France 1998), the last time that Conmebol only classified two teams among the 16 best in the tournament occurred in Japan-Korea 2002. That championship only included Brazil and Paraguay for the next instance, after that Argentina, Uruguay and Ecuador are eliminated in the group stage. The most surprising elimination was that of the Albicelestes, something that had only happened twice in history. It should be noted that in the championship held by the two Asian countries the ‘Canarinha’ lifted the trophy. A fact not minor.

Brazil 2014 featured more teams from this part of the continent in the round of 16. Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia and Uruguay marked a milestone for South American football, which had never had such a presence in this instance of the world championship.

The Uruguayan squad will not only have to beat Ghana for the last date of Group H, but also hope that South Korea does not prevail over Portugal. This with the aim that South America adds three ambassadors in eighths. In the event that they are left out, we will only have a presence with Argentina and Brazil. Of course, these are two of the five favorites to win the title.

Misleading qualifiers?

It has often been said that the South American Qualifiers are the most difficult on the planet. Premise that is becoming less and less true. At least for Argentines and Brazilians, squads that in the last process almost did not have any shocks to reach the twenty-second edition of the world championship. They took 17 and 11 points from Uruguay, located in the third box.

The rest of the combinations are one step below. This can be verified with the difference of only five units between Uruguay (3rd) and Colombia (8th). This close distance will surely be maintained for the following qualifiers, where Conmebol has one more place.

Those of the Old Continent continue a step forward. Even more so with the creation of the Nations League, a tournament created for UEFA members to play friendlies among themselves. From the highest body of European football they consider that it is enough for them and on the level within their borders. Italy (2006), Spain (2010), Germany (2014) and France (2018) confirm this.

shortened distances

South America could have had five competitors on Qatari soil. The Peruvian National Team was able to keep that ticket, which ended up losing it in the playoff against Australia. It was believed that the classification was almost a fact and we ended up regretting the arrogance that was experienced on and off the field. The ‘Kangaroos’ have shown that that result did not occur by chance or the chance of the penalty shootout. This after sealing their qualification to the next stage of Qatar 2022, leaving out the powerful Denmark. What they lack in innate talent on the ball they make up for with tactical orderliness and efficiency in dealing damage at the right moments.

Argentina was also subjected to a team that plays its classification in Asia. Saudi Arabia gave Qatar’s first hit, after defeating the team led by Lionel Scaloni 2-1. A new lesson to show how football is growing in those latitudes. They know their limitations and based on them they propose very intelligent parties.

The case of Ecuador is to applaud, but they still ended up outside the World Cup party. Senegal overcame them with authority and exposed their shortcomings, those that very few teams in our qualifying rounds achieved. They will surely have their revenge in the short term. With the work of years that they have been carrying out, they want to shorten the gaps. His thermometer was given to him by the 2022 World Cup.