‘Never felt comfortable’

After Argentina’s 0-2 loss to Uruguay, star forward Lionel Messi admits they couldn’t find their footing; Colombia stun Brazil 2-1 in comeback victory

Uruguay ended Argentina’s 14-match unbeaten streak with a 2-0 victory over the world champions in World Cup qualifiers on Thursday as Luis Diaz scored twice to fire Colombia to an emotional 2-1 win over Brazil. 

Defender Ronald Araujo fired Uruguay ahead on 41 minutes before Liverpool forward Darwin Nunez made the game safe with an 87th-minute goal on the counterattack to settle a hard-fought clash at the Bombonera Stadium in Buenos Aires. It was Lionel Messi and Argentina’s first defeat of the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign, and their first loss since they were stunned 2-1 by Saudi Arabia at the 2022 finals in Qatar.“We never felt comfortable,” Messi said after the defeat. “They’re a physical team that works well and on the counter-attack they were very dangerous,” added Messi, praising the work of Uruguay’s revered Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa.

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Colombia’s Luis Diaz celebrates his second goal against Brazil in Barranquilla on Thursday. Pic/Getty Images

“You can see his hand in the team. In all the teams or clubs he’s been involved in, including Argentina, you can see his hand,” said Messi.

In other South American qualifiers, Nunez’s Liverpool teammate Diaz scored two goals in five minutes as Colombia came from behind to stun Brazil 2-1 in Barranquilla. 

Diaz’s double capped a roller-coaster month for the forward, whose father was taken hostage by Colombian guerrillas at the end of October before being released last week. Diaz’s father was watching from the stands as his son scored in the 75th and 79th minutes to fire Colombia to a win. 

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