Brazil has 35 points and Argentina 27. If the Qatar 2022 Qualifiers ended tomorrow, they would be classified mathematically. And that gives them the right to boycott the tournament?
This is how the strategy of both teams to use substitutes for the last four games of the tournament has been interpreted, which would allow them to rest the stars and even see some alternatives for the World Cup. That at least is what they say.
What they are silent about is that, because of the League of Nations, they were left without the required training against the European powers, which now only measure themselves against each other and then, in the World Cups, easily surpass the South American teams. What they do not count is that, if they played FIFA on those dates in the Old Continent, they would bill millions facing the stars from both sides of the world, as was the case before, and they would avoid traveling that always generates opposition from the clubs.
Who was the plan for, besides Argentina and Brazil? To those who are still looking for a place in the World Cup, including Colombia (17 points)! Rueda’s team will have to visit Argentina on February 1st and doing it without Messi and other stars would not be bad at all. But it is not the most favored team because Ecuador (third, 23 points) and Chile (16 points) have crosses against Argentines and Brazilians at the end of the Qualifiers and they were interested in having alternate teams.
The issue is others. Because Peru (17 points), for example, will be measured against Colombia, Uruguay, Ecuador and Paraguay. And Uruguay (16 points) will face Paraguay, Venezuela, Peru and Chile. How is it going to help them that their direct rivals for the classification face a Nehuén Pérez instead of Messi or Cunha instead of Neymar? That is the discussion in sports terms. But on the economic issue, doing without the stars would be a direct blow to the coffers of Brazil and Argentina and even to those of their opponents, since no one would pay expensive tickets to see substitutes.
Do Argentina and Brazil have the right to use substitutes at the end of the Qualifiers?
For all this, according to O’ Globo from Brazil, FIFA would block this possible boycott attempt and would not authorize the double call that Tite was planning: a local team for the Qualifiers and a ‘European’ one to gain experience for the World Cup with those who are in the Old Continent, read all the stars. Infantino remains like a prince with the South American federations who fear that the tournament will lose its level and incidentally with the clubs, who would not be forced to give up their stars, although this time they will avoid crossing the ocean to come to play the Qualifiers.
However, Brazilians and Argentines feel that they have the right to choose how to finish the qualifying contest, which is thanks to the fact that they have already made the necessary points that they can rotate or look for alternatives or give their figures a rest or, finally, do what they please. . And that ignites, of course, an interesting debate: can they really make decisions freely or the risk of unbalancing the competition and giving advantages to their lucky rivals requires that Conmebol put them in line? Does this situation make them ‘victims of its success’?
The truth is that, due to injury, Neymar is not in the Brazilian call-up and that PSG’s statement about Messi, who in theory is not available even though he has already passed covid 19, suggests that he will not be with Argentina either. In the end, Tite and Scaloni can do what they want. Is that fair? And Colombia, how is it going there?
What would it serve Colombia with Brazil and Argentina using substitutes?
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