CONMEBOL

Ecuador fans can breathe again after the national team's spot in the 2022 World Cup has been confirmed. 

On Friday, FIFA Disciplinary Committee rejected a formal complaint from the Chilean soccer federation accusing Ecuador of fielding an ineligible player during the CONMEBOL qualifiers.

FIFA Disciplinary Committee passes decision on eligibility of Byron David Castillo Segura

FIFA decides on Friday, June 10, if Ecuador should be disqualified from the 2022 World Cup or not — all in the context of a formal complaint filed by Chile questioning the nationality of defender Byron Castillo.

After a resounding failure in the CONMEBOL qualifiers, Colombia is looking for a new coach to lead them on the process road to the 2026 World Cup. The list of candidates to replace Reinaldo Rueda is long and includes names like Ricardo Gareca, Marcelo Bielsa, Jorge Jesus and Juan Carlos Osorio, among others. 

All of them are reasonable options, and all of them are alive, something we cannot say about Alejandro Sabella, the coach proposed on live TV by ex-player and pundit Julián Téllez. 

After a mediocre qualifiers campaign on the field, Chile is now trying to get a spot in the next World Cup through a legal maneuver that will see Ecuador missing the tournament.

The Chilean soccer federation filed an official claim asking FIFA to investigate if Ecuador fielded an ineligible player in a series of games of the last CONMEBOL qualifying process, which ended a month ago. 

The player named in the complaint is Byron Castillo. His sin? According to the Chilean accusation, he is not Ecuadorian but Colombian. 

Deportivo Táchira became the first Venezuelan team to win a game in Bolivia for Copa Libertadores after beating Independiente Petrolero 2-1 on Tuesday night, in Sucre, at 9,219 feet above the sea level. Of course, all of Táchira's players need to be credited for the feat but especially the goalkeeper Christopher Varela who scored the first goal of the match from his own box. 

Brazilian fans are pretty confident about winning the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The team practically walked the CONMEBOL qualifiers without losing a single game, and supporters feel the squad is strong enough to grab its sixth trophy in the history of the competition. If you go to Brazil, you will probably smell the Hexa in every corner of the country.

The question is, what's going to happen after coach Tite leaves his post? And well, Pep Guardiola may happen. Or at least that's what Diario Marca is saying. 

Copa Libertadores and Copa Sudamericana started this week, giving us the healthy extra dose of soccer we all need. Tuesday night, there were 11 games across both competitions, with fabulous stories in each of them, like the fantastic 2-0 victory of Bolivian club Always Ready over Corinthians.

Agustín Urzi goal vs Santos

My favorite moment, though? The magnificent goal that allowed Banfield to beat Santos in Copa Sudamericana, a sweet volley from 21-year-old Agustín Urzi.

Uruguay and Ecuador secured the last two CONMEBOL direct tickets to the 2022 World Cup on Tuesday, joining already qualified Brazil and Argentina. The only thing left up for grabs now on the continent is the slot in the inter-confederation playoff against AFC (Asia). Those in contention are Perú, Colombia and Chile.