When it comes to World Cup qualification, South American teams clearly get the harsh end of the deal. With so much potential on the continent but only so many slots available, powerful footballing countries are doomed to lose out every time.
As a result of expansion, South America will be allotted six automatic berths to the World Cup in 2026. However, this is by no means a formality; Alexis Mac Allister, who joined Liverpool during the summer, is now travelling with the world champions in an effort to secure a championship defense.
Things got off to a decent start with a 1-0 home win against Ecuador thanks to a goal from Lionel Messi. Argentina is now in Bolivia, where they will attempt to win their third straight match.
Except, Bolivia has its own special flavor. Although they are not among South America’s most famous teams, the high altitude of their stadiums sometimes causes upsets for the region’s heavy hitters during World Cup qualification.
Due to the increased difficulty for athletes performing in low-oxygen environments, FIFA issued a decision in 2007 that banned games played at stadiums higher than 2,500 meters in elevation. As a result, only La Paz, Bolivia, the country’s capital, is below the new standard of 3,000 meters.
In the end, the decision would be put on hold, and Bolivia’s home field advantage would remain almost unrivaled. Mac Allister will play at the Estadio Hernando Siles, 3,637 meters above sea level, less than four days before Jürgen Klopp leads Liverpool to the decidedly more ordinary Wolverhampton.
In a broader sense, Klopp has previously received criticism about the international performances of his South American players. While on LFCTV, he had this to say:
“Now, international break, and pretty much 48 hours after our South Americans play somewhere on the other end of the world, we will play against Wolverhampton Wanderers.”
Mac Allister’s presence in these trying situations will only increase the stress. Argentine players are attempting to acclimate to the challenging circumstances by taking extraordinary measures, such as having the Liverpool midfielder photographed with an oxygen tube before the match.
There’s obviously nothing Klopp can do to change this. Because of his consistent advocacy for players’ rights, I’m curious to hear his take on Bolivia’s stadiums. However, this is a nuanced topic, and no one wants to see a ruling that prevents nations from playing in their capital city.
Nonetheless, this leaves Klopp with a dilemma ahead of Saturday’s match against Wolves. Should he play Mac Allister right before what promises to be a brutal fight?
Of course, Darwin Nez and Luis Daz will also be a source of stress for him. Neither will be playing in such severe weather, and according to some rumors, Nez won’t even start despite his impressive performance against Chile. The true annoyance for Klopp is Mac Allister, and he may feel obliged to change Liverpool’s successful midfield template from Aston Villa because of Allister.
