History is on the side of South American representatives every time the World Cup is held in North America. In the previous three World Cups held in this region, South American teams all won the championship. Brazil won in Mexico in 1970, Argentina repeated the miracle in Mexico in 1986 before Brazil once again raised the gold cup in the US in 1994.
However, the 2026 World Cup is predicted to be a much more difficult challenge. European teams currently possess superior quality compared to three decades ago, while South American representatives are also entering the tournament with different stories and ambitions.
Familiar advantage but no longer easy
Playing in North America brings certain advantages to South American teams. Many countries such as Brazil or Colombia can receive widespread support from the immigrant community living in the US.
In addition, teams that participated in Copa America 2024 in the United States have also accumulated valuable experience in competition conditions, climate and travel in this area.
However, history also shows that advantage is not a decisive factor. At the 1994 World Cup, Brazil could only defeat Italy in a penalty shootout to win the championship. Meanwhile, current European teams are considered much stronger than the generation of more than 30 years ago.
Since the 2002 championship, Brazil's journey at the World Cup has ended when they faced European opponents in the knockout round.
Colombia and Uruguay face question marks
Colombia once went through a 28-match unbeaten streak under coach Nestor Lorenzo, lasting from 2022 to the 2024 Copa America final. However, since that tournament, this team has not maintained the same stability as before.
The heavy defeat against France's reserve squad in March has somewhat reduced confidence in Colombia before the opening day of the World Cup.
Uruguay is also in a similar situation. Under Marcelo Bielsa, the blue shirt team once made a strong impression with victories against Argentina, Brazil and explosive performances at the Copa America.
However, after Luis Suarez left the national team, Uruguay's attacking ability decreased significantly. Recent difficulties, especially the 1-5 heavy defeat to the USA, show that this team still has many problems to solve.
However, Uruguay is always famous for its ability to overcome difficulties and is still an opponent that cannot be underestimated.
Paraguay and Ecuador emerge as "dark horses
Paraguay returned to the World Cup for the first time since 2010 with great confidence. Under the leadership of Gustavo Alfaro, this team has undergone a strong transformation after a period of crisis.
Not possessing many famous stars, Paraguay regained its identity with a solid defense and the creativity of Diego Gomez and Julio Enciso in attack.
Meanwhile, Ecuador is assessed by many experts as one of the most formidable "dark horses" of the tournament.
The maturity of stars like Willian Pacho and Piero Hincapie helps Ecuador possess a defense system that is among the most solid in South America. Before the World Cup, they were maintaining an impressive 18-match unbeaten streak.
Ecuador's biggest weakness lies in their scoring ability when they still depend quite a lot on veteran striker Enner Valencia.
Brazil and Ancelotti's problem
The focus of South America is still Brazil, the most successful team in World Cup history.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti entered the tournament with great pressure. Despite possessing a talented attacking squad, Brazil has not yet brought a truly stable feeling in the preparation process.
The 6-2 victory over Panama in the most recent friendly match does not completely reflect the reality. In the first half, Brazil's strongest squad played disjointedly and encountered many difficulties against the opponent.
Only when Ancelotti adjusted the tactical system after the break did Brazil completely control the game and create a rain of goals.
Selecao's biggest problem still lies in the midfield. However, if the Italian coach finds balance, the attack with many quality stars can completely become the most fearsome weapon of the tournament.
Argentina aims for a miracle to defend the throne
Unlike Brazil, Argentina entered the World Cup with almost absolute stability.
The current squad still retains most of the players who won the 2022 World Cup, and continues to dominate South America with the Copa America championship and a convincing qualifying campaign.
Coach Lionel Scaloni does not need to rebuild from scratch. What he needs is to maintain the stability of the team that has understood each other too well. However, question marks still exist. Lionel Messi is about to turn 39, while Argentina's defense sometimes still reveals fragility against opponents with good speed and fitness.
In return, the midfield of the reigning champion is still considered one of the most quality midfields in the tournament. This will continue to be the foundation for Argentina to aim to become the first team to successfully defend the World Cup title since Brazil in 1962.
