Vinícius back for Brazil and Martínez for Argentina in South American 2026 World Cup qualifying

Reals Madrid's Vinícius Júnior and Inter Milan's Lautaro Martínez have been recalled to the Brazil and Argentina squads respectively for next month's South American 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Vinícius, 22, has been in excellent form for Real this season, scoring 15 goals in all competitions. He was left out of the Brazil squad for the last round of qualifiers in March, but has been recalled by coach Tite for the upcoming matches against Uruguay and Paraguay.

Martínez, 24, has also been in impressive form for Inter this season, scoring 12 goals in all competitions. He was also left out of the Argentina squad for the last round of qualifiers, but has been recalled by coach Lionel Scaloni for the upcoming matches against Venezuela and Ecuador.

The South American 2026 World Cup qualifiers will be played over 18 rounds, with the top four teams qualifying automatically for the tournament in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The fifth-placed team will advance to an intercontinental play-off.

Brazil are currently top of the standings with 28 points from 10 matches, followed by Argentina with 25 points from the same number of matches. Uruguay are third with 22 points, followed by Ecuador with 20 points. Paraguay are fifth with 16 points, followed by Venezuela with 10 points.

The upcoming matches will be crucial for all six teams, as they look to secure their place at the 2026 World Cup. Brazil and Argentina will be confident of victory against Uruguay and Paraguay respectively, while Ecuador will be looking to close the gap on the top two when they face Venezuela.

The matches will also be a chance for Vinícius and Martínez to stake their claim for a place in the starting line-ups for their respective countries at the 2026 World Cup.