Darwin Núñez and José María Giménez, players of the Uruguayan national team, warmed up before the match against Argentina in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. Núñez joked about superstition, avoiding looking at the Argentinians to not attract bad luck, and then expressed his enthusiasm for playing against the rival team and the importance of having the support of the local fans.
Regarding Lionel Messi's absence due to injury, Núñez pointed out that it is a significant loss for Argentina, but that his team is focused on making their best effort without getting distracted by it. For his part, Giménez humorously mentioned facing his teammate at Atlético de Madrid, Julián Álvarez, and joked about the intention not to hurt him if he had to mark him in the match.
The match between Uruguay and Argentina will take place on Uruguayan soil, and both Núñez and Giménez anticipated the competitive atmosphere and the importance of facing players from their own teams in a match of that magnitude. Both players highlighted the intensity of the duel and the determination to defend the colors of their respective national teams.
In this regard, Giménez stated: "We are clear that the jersey is defended with nails and teeth and you do not look at the face of the opponent." The players emphasized the quality of both teams and the equal conditions to compete, showing confidence in their abilities and the possibility of achieving a good result against the current world champions.
