Simon Dalton presents his prediction for the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers match.
Chile have endured a disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign. Should they take no more than a single point against the reigning world champions, there is a 99% chance they will miss out on direct qualification for the tournament with three matches still to play. While a play-off spot remains mathematically possible, overcoming Argentina—even on home soil—is an enormous challenge.
Chile
Chile have collected just 10 points from 14 matches—level with Peru, a team they have never wished to be compared with. A country often hailed as one of South America's economic success stories is struggling to replicate that narrative on the pitch. This squad features neither a ‘golden generation’ nor even a ‘silver generation’. No current Chile player features among Transfermarkt’s top 75 rankings. Their most valuable asset is Felipe Loyola of Club Atlético Independiente. The 24-year-old central midfielder only moved from the domestic league to Argentina last summer and currently holds a market valuation of €9 million.
Argentina
By contrast, Argentina possess a squad brimming with elite talent. Before finding Felipe Loyola at 79th in the rankings, one would encounter 21 Argentinian players—enough to fill nearly an entire tournament squad. Even Juan Foyth of Villarreal, who hasn’t featured competitively for the national team since a four-minute appearance in the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, is ranked higher than Felipe Loyola. Argentina have lost just two of their seven away matches in this qualifying campaign, and those defeats came narrowly—both by a 2:1 scoreline—against strong sides in Colombia and Paraguay.
Chile vs Argentina Prediction
Chile are unlikely to withstand such high-calibre opposition. A narrow defeat might be within reach, but even a draw seems remote—especially considering they are on a three-match losing streak, both home and away. A victory for Argentina stands out as the most probable result.
