World Cup 2026: Brazil Looking for a Bounce Back 

Uruguay vs Brazil

Fourth plays second when World Cup 2026: Uruguay vs Brazil kicks off on Wednesday and we’re hoping for fireworks at the Estadio Centenario when these two heavyweights clash.

Both teams come into the game on the back of a draw and it was a particularly frustrating result for the Selecao as they were held by Venezuela, while Uruguay picked up an impressive 2-2 draw away to Colombia. So Brazil are under pressure to show they can live with World Champions and World Number One team Argentina, and head coach Fernando Diniz will have his team fired up and ready to go.      

Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay are 17^th in the FIFA World Rankings, 14 places behind the Selecao, but they have dangerous players and come into the game in good nick. The latest Uruguay vs Brazil betting odds say that all three results are in play and we should be in for a CONMEBOL cracker.   

Talking Points

Nunez is the Uruguay threat

One player sure to feature heavily in the Uruguay vs Brazil highlights is Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez who has stepped up at Anfield in his second season with Jurgen Klopp’s team. He was a one goal in two striker at Almeria and Benfica and that’s what persuaded Klopp to spend heavily on him. And now he is starting the find his range in the Premier League, with 12 goals from 36 games, many of them from the bench. At 24 years of age Nunez is still an exciting prospect, a powerful figure with plenty of pace and a fierce finish with either foot.

Nunez kept his cool to earn La Celeste a point in Colombia, converting a late penalty in the 2-2 draw, while  Mathias Olivera was on target too and he will start again in defence. Bielsa has plenty of quality to call on in his squad with Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo alongside Olivera and, just behind strikers Real Madrid attacking midfielder Federico Valverde was one of his nation’s standout players at the Qatar World Cup.   

Brazil’s wastefulness cost them dear

Selecao head coach Fernando Diniz had every right to be frustrated after his side handed a point to Venezuela on Friday. It all looked to be plain sailing for Brazil, after Arsenal defender Gabriel head headed home a corner from Neymar but, despite having 15 shots and six on target the Selecao failed to hammer their advantage home.

And they were punished when Eduard Bello scored a spectacular overhead kick to snatch a point with just five minutes remaining, one of only two shots on target for Venezuela, and that was enough to drop Brazil to second in the table and two points behind Argentina. Vinicius Junior thought he had scored Brazil’s second but his strike was disallowed for offside and the Real Madrid man will be keen to consign that disappointment to history against Uruguay.

Of course Brazil have some wonderful creative players to call on. Neymar is now plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League but he remains a mercurial talent, one minute infuriating and the next mesmerising. And striker Gabriel Jesus is back to full fitness and he featured In Arsenal’s win over Manchester City last week. With Spurs striker Richarlison and Vinicius’ Los Blancos club mate Rodrygo in the mix, this is a team full of goals.

So 1-1 against Venezuela was a shocker!

History

With ten wins to one in all competitions since 1950, Brazil have totally dominated the Uruguayans. In the CONMEBOL qualifiers for Qatar 2022, the Selecao beat Uruguay 4-1 at home and 2-0 away; and that was a tasty battle, with Arthur and Richarlison on target while Edinson Cavani was sent off for La Celeste.    

But in terms of recent form the hosts have an edge. Uruguay have won four from their last six games, while Brazil have won three from six and the hosts have won their last six home games.   

Betting Tip

There is plenty of SBOTOP football action to come when the big domestic leagues get under way again next week, but in the meantime it doesn’t get much better than Uruguay against Brazil. Anything other than three points for the Selecao will probably see Argentina open up a gap at the top of the table, while La Celeste will want to prove they belong among the elite of South America. 

The hosts are at odds of 3.44 to win on Wednesday with the Selecao at 1.93 and the draw is priced at 2.97. For a correct score line 2-1 to Brazil is at 7.14. 

Five of Uruguay’s last six games have yielded three goals or more, while Brazil have had three or more goals in four of their six games over that period and I believe, with the attacking talent on show, we will see plenty of goalmouth action.  

 

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