South American football expert Tim Vickery joins Raf Diallo on a bonus episode of the RTÉ Soccer Podcast to provide an in-depth insight into the six teams from CONMEBOL at the World Cup including holders Argentina, record champions Brazil and a Paraguay that bears similarites to Jack Charlton's Ireland.
TIMESTAMPS
01:40 Argentina's stable squad built around a Lionel Messi who will be making his swansong. But with little change from 2022, are the reigning champions looking a little stale?
11:15 Brazil struggled in qualifying and have tactical issues. But will Carlo Ancelotti's peerless man-management have an impact and how big a wildcard is Neymar whose injury record of late has not been great?
28:00 Colombia are perennial dark horses and are led by a potent Luis Diaz. But can they overcome tactical concerns that have sprung up in the interim.
31:45 Ecuador will have one of the best defences at the World Cup but will that be enough to compensate for shortcomings at the other end?
35:00 Paraguay are traditionally a tough nut to crack and come in with some optimism and an approach that harks towards the Ireland of Jack Charlton.
38:10 Two-time winners Uruguay are managed by the eccentric Marcelo Bielsa who is not loved by his players and has described himself as "toxic". But will Federico Valverde and co find a way to rise above that?
43:20 The South American players under the radar who will be worth keeping an eye on at this World Cup and how off-field matters with the host nations are being viewed in Brazil.
To watch or listen to Monday's World Cup preview episode with Kenny Cunningham and Alan Cawley, click here.
Listen to the RTÉ Soccer podcast on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.
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Watch every game of the FIFA 2026 World Cup live on RTÉ with highlights on RTÉ Sport digital platforms and live blogs on RTÉ.ie/sport and RTÉ News app