The most surprising thing, really, is the powerhouses that may be left out of the world's greatest tournament. Portugal, who has arguably the world's most talented player, Cristiano Ronaldo, still have not guaranteed themselves a playoff spot in the UEFA qualifying, although they will probably end up getting at least that far. The real shocker, though, is Argentina.
Argentina has probably top 3 talent in the world, but they are still just 1 point clear of Uruguay and 2 points clear of Ecuador in South American qualifying. They lie in 4th place, the last guaranteed place in CONMEBOL. A 5th place finish would force them to a playoff with Honduras, while a 6th place finish would see them out. They basically have to beat Uruguay on Wednesday (after a miraculous 2-1 win, with a 90th minute goal against last-place Peru yesterday) to assure qualification.
The fact that they are even in this position is a joke, because they are so much more talented than Chile and Paraguay, who have already qualified. It really falls squarely on the shoulders of Diego Maradona, their former star player who scored probably the two most famous goals ever (Hand of God and Goal of the Century) but is now proving to be an atrocious coach. The Argentine team basically is running around on a field with no strategy at all. Worst of all was the 3-1 defeat at home to Brazil, a scoreline that humiliated and flattered the hosts. If Argentina do end up qualifying, it will be by sheer luck and raw talent, because their iconic, recovering cocaine addict coach doesn't know the first thing about soccer tactics or training.
-DM
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