When it comes to World Cup qualification, South American teams have clearly drawn the short straw. With a lot of talent on the continent and just a restricted number of spots, powerful footballing nations are guaranteed to lose out every time.
The World Cup in 2026 has been enlarged, and South America now has six direct qualification spots. Even yet, the process is far from over – Alexis Mac Allister, who joined Liverpool in the summer, is now abroad with the world champions, hoping to ensure they receive the chance to defend their championship.
Things got off to a good start, with Lionel Messi leading Argentina to a 1-0 home victory over Ecuador. Argentina is now on its way to Bolivia, where it will attempt to make it two wins in a row.
Bolivia, on the other hand, is distinct. Despite not being one of South America’s most well-known teams, it often trips up some of the big guns in World Cup qualifying due to the extreme altitude of its stadiums.
A FIFA regulation in 2007 targeted high-altitude venues, first mandating a 2,500-meter limit due to the additional strain on players functioning in lower-oxygen circumstances. This was later lifted to 3,000 meters, affecting only one capital city: La Paz, Bolivia.
The verdict was eventually overturned, and Bolivia now has an almost unequaled home advantage. As a result, Mac Allister will take the field at the Estadio Hernando Siles, which is 3,637 meters above sea level – less than four days before Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool team travels to Wolverhampton.
Klopp has already voiced his displeasure with his South American players while on international duty. In an interview with LFCTV, he stated:
“Now we’re on international break, and we’ll play Wolverhampton Wanderers 48 hours after our South Americans play somewhere on the other side of the world.”
But, with Mac Allister in such difficult circumstances, the burden will be considerably greater. Surprisingly, the Liverpool midfielder has been photographed carrying an oxygen tube ahead of the match, as Argentina attempts to acclimate its players to the demanding conditions.
Clearly, Klopp has no control over this. Given his constant defenses of player welfare, it would be interesting to hear his thoughts on Bolivia’s stadia — but it’s a tough problem since any move that prevents countries from playing in their main city is not a particularly acceptable consequence.
But it does mean that Klopp will have to make a decision for the Wolves encounter. Will he play Mac Allister so soon after such a grueling encounter?
Of course, he will be bothered by Darwin Nez and Luis Daz. But neither will be playing in such harsh conditions — indeed, there are rumors that Nez will not play at all, despite his performance against Chile. Mac Allister is the actual unwelcome surprise for Klopp, who may feel driven to change Liverpool’s winning midfield template after leaving Aston Villa.