CONMEBOL
Toluca’s Maxi Araújo decisive in Uruguay’s victory over Brazil
The Toluca player was one of the key men for Marcelo Bielsa’s side against Brazil.
Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguay defeated Brazil in a thrilling encounter on Tuesday night. Toluca’s Maxi Araújo stood out on the night as La Celeste recorded a 2-0 victory. Araújo played a key role in setting up the first goal, showing his skill and crossing for Liverpool striker Darwin Núñez to score in the CONMEBOL World Cup 2026 qualifier.
The 23-year-old has become one of Bielsa’s bright sparks over the last two South American qualifiers. He won a penalty in the match against Colombia that Núñez took to pick up a draw in Barranquilla, Colombia. Against Brazil, he displayed his speed, his one-v-one ability and his work ethic in a well-drilled Uruguay unit.
The Toluca man had one assist, six recoveries, and led in multiple key stats, including fouls won [5], duels won [14], and tackles made [4].
Beating Brazil
“I’m happy because I got to come to watch Uruguay against Brazil many times. I dreamed of being here and today I was able to do it,” said the Toluca player post-game.
“There was talk that we hadn’t managed to beat Brazil for a long time. We went out to do it from the first minute. We imposed ourselves and were convincing and deserved winners,” he added.