La Verde is committed to renewal at a key moment
Óscar Villegas announced the list of 28 players for the semi-final of the playoffs towards the 2026 World Cup. The team will face Suriname on March 26 in Monterrey, Mexico, with a clear mission: to return to a World Cup after 30 years.
And there is an absence that speaks louder than many presences.
Marcelo Martins is not there. The national team’s historic scorer, 38, was left out of the squad despite having resumed training with Oriente Petrolero. Villegas was direct in explaining the decision.
“It is difficult to call him up now. He must train more and play 90 minutes,” said the coach.
Martins, for his part, had made his desire to help clear: “If you need one more worker, I am here eager to help.”
Youth and experience for a distant dream
The list mixes players who competed in the South American qualifiers with new faces. Among the new additions, Juan Godoy (naturalized Paraguayan striker), Jesús Maraude (17 years old) and Dieguito Rodríguez, all from Always Ready, stand out.
Of those called up, 16 play abroad. Miguel Terceros and Marcelo Tórrez, both from the Brazilian Santos, are part of the group that will begin to concentrate this Monday.
The path is complicated but clear: beating Suriname would open the door to a probable final against Iraq. Graham Arnold, Iraqi coach, has asked to postpone the playoffs due to the conflict in his country.
Meanwhile, Bolivia plays a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago in Santa Cruz this Sunday. It will be the last test before the match that can bring them closer to the World Cup dream.
Martins will continue training, waiting for his opportunity. La Verde is betting on a mix that seeks to write a new page in its history.
