Sheffield United’s Ben Brereton Díaz should have been called up by Chile manager Ricardo Gareca for the upcoming international break.
That’s according to journalist Juan Cristóbal Guarello, and he told this to La Hora de King Kong, relayed by [Redgol](https://redgol.cl/seleccionchilena/guarello-desata-su-furia-con-ricardo-gareca-por-cortar-para-siempre-a-ben-brereton-ley-karin-para).
Chile face Paraguay and Ecuador in the two World Cup qualifiers later this month and Gareca left the Sheffield United player out of his squad.
Last summer, the forward joined Southampton permanently and failed to score a goal or register an assist from 12 games. His form didn’t help him to receive a call up from the national team for the past two international breaks.
The Saints let the 25-year-old join the Blades on loan in the winter market and this move has paid off. Ben Brereton Díaz has scored three goals and registered two assists from eight games for Sheffield United.
Gareca’s decision to overlook the attacker came as a surprise to some in his country, including Juan Cristóbal Guarello. The journalist has been critical of the manager and went on to insist Ben Brereton Díaz’s omission is not due to sporting reasons.
_“Ben’s situation is personal. Ben was taken out for being decent, for being a good guy,”_ he said.
_“It’s crazy what’s happening with Ben, last year he wasn’t doing well in the national team and Southampton, a team that is poor._
_“Gareca never put him in the starting lineup, he didn’t call him up anymore, he took him out after half an hour._ _He decided to cut him out definitively when he saw him crying on the bench, because he doesn’t accept that kind of sensitivity, that he is so fickle._
_“A smart guy like Sampaoli or Bielsa found a place to play him, but a stubborn guy like Gareca, who takes it personally, because it seems he has a problem with the English and that’s why he came up with the language thing, doesn’t call him up. Football-wise he should be there.”_
Ben Brereton Díaz’s last appearance for Chile was in the World Cup qualifiers against Boliva in September 2024. He [was in tears](https://www.adnradio.cl/2024/09/10/lo-hicieron-llorar-ben-brereton-destrozado-tras-desalmada-decision-de-gareca-en-caida-de-chile-ante-bolivia/) after Gareca replaced him after 35 minutes.