Brazil take on the visitors Paraguay in round 16 match of qualification to FIFA World Cup 2026. The match will be played on Wednesday, June 11th at Neo Quimica Arena (Sao Paulo).
Brazil have finally secured Carletto. The Pentacampeões had been trying to land the veteran manager for over a year. Talks fell through initially, and the Italian chose to stay with Real Madrid — where he endured a disappointing season. In his absence, Brazil — already struggling after a poor start to World Cup qualifying (ending 2023 with three straight defeats) — continued their downward spiral at Copa América, scraping out of the group with just one win before being eliminated by Uruguay in the Round of 16 after a goalless draw and a penalty shootout. Results didn’t improve much after that either: they won just three of six matches in the autumn, including a loss in Paraguay, and in March they followed a narrow 2-1 win over Colombia with a heavy 1-4 defeat to Argentina. Carlo Ancelotti finally took charge last round, overseeing a disappointing 0-0 draw away to Ecuador. Expectations are high, and the fans now demand an immediate statement performance at home.
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Paraguay have long been viewed as solid mid-tier contenders, but haven’t qualified for a World Cup since their impressive quarterfinal run in 2010. Since then, their Copa América campaigns have also been mostly forgettable. At the latest edition, they crashed out of the group stage with three straight defeats and a goal difference of 3-8. That tournament marked a turning point, however, as Gustavo Alfaro took over and began rebuilding the side with great effect. Under him, Paraguay has gone unbeaten in qualifiers, climbing into the top six and reigniting real hopes of a World Cup return. Last Friday, they hosted Uruguay and put in a commanding performance, winning 2-0 and solidifying their momentum. The defense has looked sharp and disciplined — key traits when facing a Brazilian side under pressure to deliver.
Brazil went unbeaten in 10 consecutive matches against Paraguay, including three straight wins — until they lost 0-1 away in September of last year. It's time for Carletto to earn his first win in charge — back the hosts to cover a -1 handicap.
Prediction for the match: Brazil to win with -1.0 handicap.
