Messi urges Argentina to 'get back up' for Brazil clash after surprise defeat to Uruguay

Lionel Messi has urged Argentina to recover quickly ahead of their next 2026 World Cup qualifier against rivals Brazil after the world champions saw their 14-match unbeaten run ended by Uruguay on Thursday.

Entering the match at La Bombonera top of the South American qualifying group after four straight wins, Argentina fell to a 2-0 defeat to Uruguay following goals from Barcelona defender Ronald Araujo in the 41st minute and Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez in the 87th.

It was Messi and Argentina's first defeat since they were stunned 2-1 by Saudi Arabia at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.

"We never felt comfortable," Messi said after the defeat.

"They're a physical team that works well and on the counterattack, they were very dangerous," added Messi, praising the work of Uruguay's revered Argentine coach Marcelo Bielsa.

"You can see his hand in the team. In all the teams or clubs he's been involved in, including Argentina, you can see his hand."

The Argentina captain meanwhile challenged his teammates to bounce back in next week's qualifying battle with Brazil, who have had a stuttering start to their qualifying campaign and sit fifth in the table after a defeat to Colombia on Thursday.

"Today it was our turn to lose. It's a test," Messi said. "We have to get back up and play a great game in Brazil."

Argentina remain on top of the standings with 12 points from five matches. Uruguay's win leaves them in second place on 10 points.

In other South American qualifiers, Nunez's Liverpool teammate Luis Diaz scored two goals in five minutes as Colombia came from behind to stun Brazil 2-1 in Barranquilla.

Diaz's dramatic double capped a roller-coaster month for the forward, whose father was taken hostage by Colombian guerrillas at