Brazil captain Thiago Silva has called for a change in the way Latin American teams organize World Cup qualifiers. Silva said the current system is too strict for players and it is difficult for players playing in Europe to come to Latin America and play in another climate.
Currently ten Latin American teams play home away matches in a group and the top four finishers qualify to play in the World Cup. The fifth-place finishers also have the opportunity to qualify for the play-offs with the Asian team. Silva questions whether a team has to play 18 matches to qualify for the World Cup.
“There are a lot of difficulties involved, including the weather. The climate is very different from Europe. It was a tough experience for me and my team to train in Teresopol. It’s a colder area than Rio de Janeiro, and it affects the team’s performance.”
“If we can somehow find a balance during this journey it will help our stay and performance. In my opinion these are definitely unnecessary difficulties.” Thiago Silva speaks to Brazilian media outlet Globosport Said.
Brazil, who won the match against Chile by four goals to none, prepare to face Bolivia in the next match at a stadium 3,500 meters above sea level. As the 2026 World Cup will feature 48 teams, Silva wants to change the nature of qualifying matches.
On Instagram for the latest football news 90min മലയാളം Follow the account.
