Chile is set to visit the Argentine national team on Matchday 7 of the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, aiming to secure its first-ever victory in Argentina. Unfortunately, the squad list for the match is remarkable for the absence of Alexis Sánchez.
The former FC Barcelona forward, captain, and key figure of the Chilean national team, is not playing in tonight’s World Cup Qualifiers game due to a myofascial injury in the medial calf of his left leg.
The physical issue occurred during a training session, days before making his new debut with Udinese. Following confirmation of the injury, the Italian club decided not to include Sánchez in the roster of eligible players for Serie A and estimates he will recover by the end of October.
The absence of the former Arsenal player adds to the absences of veterans Gary Medel, Claudio Bravo, and Arturo Vidal. This is the first time in 19 years that the Chilean national team will be without all four of them in the roster for a World Cup qualifying match.
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Sánchez’s last game with Chile was a 0-0 draw against Canada on June 29, during the third group stage match of the 2024 Copa America. Ricardo Gareca’s team exited the tournament without scoring any goals, so the absence of the 35-year-old forward has a direct impact on the offensive phase.
Alexis Sanchez during the 2024 Copa America (Photo by Sam Hodde/Getty Images)
Alexis Sánchez’s struggles with the Chilean national team
Alexis Sánchez’s last goal with the Chilean national team, to date, was on March 27, 2023, one year and four months ago. On that occasion, the Udinese forward scored the second goal in Chile’s 3-2 victory over Paraguay in an international friendly.
In World Cup qualifiers, Sánchez’s dry spell is even longer. The most recent time he found the net was on February 1, 2022, when Chile defeated Bolivia 3-2 in La Paz. The forward scored twice in that match.
