Jan Novak
Dailysports's expert
As part of the South American World Cup qualifiers, Argentina and Colombia are set to clash in a high-stakes encounter. The match will take place in Buenos Aires on the night of Wednesday, June 11, with kick-off scheduled for 02:00 Central European Time. I'm offering a tip on both the outcome and goals in this fixture.
Match preview
CONMEBOL World Cup qualifying is entering its final stretch, and Argentina have already secured their ticket to North America. The reigning world champions are in stellar form and are dominating the qualification campaign.
Lionel Scaloni’s men have already played three games in 2025, winning each one. In March, the Albiceleste managed without Messi but still defeated Uruguay and then demolished Brazil.
This summer, the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner is back in the squad, although he only came on in the second half against Chile last match. By then, Argentina were already ahead and comfortably saw out the victory.
Against Colombia, Messi is likely to start. Despite missing a third of the qualifiers, the Inter Miami star remains the tournament’s top scorer.
Colombia missed out on the last World Cup in surprising fashion, losing crucial qualifiers to Peru and Argentina. This time, the path is easier, with more South American spots available at the finals.
Still, Colombia have struggled for consistency and their results have been underwhelming. With 21 points from 15 matches, fans expected more, but there’s still plenty to play for.
Colombia will wrap up qualifying against Argentina, Bolivia, and Venezuela—the latter hot on their heels in the standings. The main goal is a top-six finish, but the Copa America finalists are facing plenty of challenges.
It’s highly likely we’ll see Colombia at next summer’s World Cup, but the fight isn’t over yet. They’ll be banking on strong finishes in their last games, but measuring themselves against Argentina will be a stern test.
Match facts
- Argentina have won five matches in a row.
- At home, Argentina have only recorded wins since November 2023.
- Colombia are winless in their last five games.
- Colombia have not won an official away match in a year and a half.
- Argentina average 3.2 goals per home game, while Colombia score an average of 0.8 on the road.
Probable lineups
- Argentina: Martinez, Medina, Romero, Molina, Tagliafico, De Paul, Palacios, Paz, Alvarez, Messi, Martinez.
- Colombia: Ospina, Munoz, Mina, Sanchez, Borja, Castano, Lerma, Cucho, Rodriguez, Arias, Duran.
H2H
- In their last seven head-to-head meetings, Argentina have beaten Colombia in regulation only once.
- Colombia have not won an official match in Argentina since 1993.
Prediction
Colombia have dipped in form since a solid Copa America last year. Their qualifying campaign has lacked punch, and recent results show a clear decline. The world champions, meanwhile, keep racking up wins and can afford to play with freedom in their remaining matches. Messi’s presence should be a huge boost, and bookmakers have no doubts about a home win. I expect Scaloni’s men to take all three points, and my bet is on an Argentina win and under 4.5 total goals.
