BRAZIL ENDS YEAR IN POOR SHAPE

The top six teams in the South American qualifying group will gain direct entry to the 48-team tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The seventh-place team can earn a berth in an intercontinental playoff...

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Until this year, Brazil's national soccer team had never lost three games in a row. The Selecao had never lost a World Cup qualifying match at home. It had never had anything but wins against a visiting Venezuela team, for many years the weakest in South America. Interim coach Fernando Diniz, however, has had to endure all those setbacks in only a few months on the job — all while Brazil hopes that Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti will soon take over. Diniz's troubles, and the lack of a confirmed answer from Ancelotti, have increased the pressure on the Brazilian team, even though qualifying for the expanded 2026 World Cup is still expected despite a 1-0 loss to Argentina on Tuesday.

The top six teams in the South American qualifying group will gain direct entry to the 48-team tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada. The seventh-place team can earn a berth in an Intercontinental playoff.