After Brazil and Argentina, the two biggest football nations in South America, Uruguay and Ecuador sealed their slots at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on the penultimate matchday. La Tri were in Paraguay. Piero Hincapie and Co. went behind to an early goal (10’) and an own goal from the Leverkusen player in added time in the first half ensured a 2-0 deficit at half-time. The third goal was conceded just after the restart with Ecuador scoring a consolation goal towards the end of the game.
As Peru failed to gain any points on this matchday, Hincapie and Co. are certain of a place in the top four. Congratulations, Piero.
The final qualifier is a home game against Argentina with Werkself player Exequiel Palacios in the squad. While La Albiceleste are already certain of finishing second, Ecuador can finish third or fourth. The kick-off on 30 March is at 01.30 CEST.
Chile including Werkself player Charles Aránguiz suffered a setback in the race for qualification for the World Cup: La Roja lost 4-0 to group leaders Brazil and slipped down to seventh place as a result. The Werkself midfielder was in the starting line-up and was substituted with Chile 3-0 down.
With just one game to play, the chances of Aránguiz and Co. qualifying for the play-off position of fifth are rather low: They are currently two points behind. Chile face already qualified Uruguay on the final matchday. The kick-off in the game overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday is at 01.30 CEST.
Amine Adli and the France U21 team secured a 2-0 victory in a friendly against the Faroe Islands. And it was the Leverkusen player who set up Real Madrid's Eduardo Camavinga to score the opening goal in the middle of the first half (23'). The 21-year-old had to go off injured on 64 minutes. Get well soon, Amine.
Burkina Faso with Werkself player Edmond Tapsoba also played in a friendly against Kosovo. The 23-year-old defender led his team out as captain and he played the full 90 minutes – although he did miss a penalty on 65 minutes with his team 3-0 down. The second friendly in the current international break is against Belgium on Tuesday 29 March the game kicks off at 20.45 CEST.
Iran had already qualified for the World Cup finals ahead of the current international break with Sardar Azmoun and Co. playing in the big match in the Asia Group A. However, the visitors lost 2-0 in South Korea and dropped down to second place. With the Werkself winter signing in the starting line-up, Iran conceded the first goal just before half-time – the former Leverkusen player Heung-min Son netted the opener for South Korea. The game was settled just after the hour mark. Azmoun went off on 88 minutes. Iran play fourth-placed Lebanon in the tenth and final group match in the World Cup qualifiers. The kick-off on Tuesday 29 March is at 13.30 CEST.
Werkself youngster Iker Bravo made a successful start to the U17 European Championship qualifiers with Spain. The 17-year-old striker, who signed for Leverkusen from Barcelona last summer, was in the starting eleven in the 4-1 win against Bosnia and Herzegovina. He was substituted on 78 minutes.
In the other match in Group 4, the Belgium youngsters secured a convincing 8-1 victory over Estonia. Bravo and Co. play Belgium in the top match on Saturday 26 March and three days later is the final game against Estonia. The matches kick off at 15.00 with the games being played in the east of Bosnia-Herzegovina.
Jonathan Tah (Germany):
Saturday 26 March: Germany vs Israel (Friendly)
Tuesday 29 March: Netherlands vs Germany (Friendly)
Moussa Diaby (France):
Friday 25 March: France vs Ivory Coast (Friendly)
Tuesday 29 March: France vs South Africa (Friendly)
Lukas Hradecky (Finland):
Saturday 26 March: Finland vs Israel (Friendly)
Tuesday 29 March: Finland vs Slovakia (Friendly)
Exequiel Palacios (Argentina):
Saturday 26 March: Argentina vs Venezuela (World Cup qualifier)
Wednesday 30 March: Ecuador vs Argentina (World Cup qualifier)
Charles Aránguiz (Chile):
Wednesday 30 March: Chile vs Uruguay (World Cup qualifier)
Piero Hincapie (Ecuador):
Wednesday 30 March: Ecuador vs Argentina (World Cup qualifier)
Odilon Kossounou (Ivory Coast):
Friday 25 March: France vs Ivory Coast (Friendly)
Tuesday 29 March: England vs Ivory Coast (Friendly)
Edmond Tapsoba (Burkina Faso):
Tuesday 29 March: Belgium vs Burkina Faso (Friendly)
Sardar Azmoun (Iran):
Tuesday 29 March: Iran vs Lebanon (World Cup qualifier)
Amine Adli (France U21):
Monday 28 March: France U21 vs Northern Ireland U21 (Friendly)
Mitchel Bakker (Netherlands U21):
Friday 25 March: Bulgaria U21 vs Netherlands U21 (Euros qualifier)
Tuesday 29 March: Netherlands U21 vs Switzerland U21 (Euros qualifier)
Iker Bravo (Spain U17):
Saturday 26 March: Spain U17 vs Belgium U17 (Euros qualifier)
Tuesday 29 March: Estonia U17 vs Spain U17 (Euros qualifier)
Four Bayer 04 players are in action at the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations being played in Morocco from 21 December to 18 January 2026: Eliesse Ben Seghir for the hosts, Edmond Tapsoba with Burkina Faso, Ibrahim Maza for Algeria and Christian Kofane with Cameroon. Updates on the AFCON matches involving Werkself players...
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Two Saturdays, one Friday and one Sunday: The dates for the Bayer 04 Women's team games on matchdays 16 to 19 have been finalised. Three of the four matches scheduled by the German Football Association (DFB) on Tuesday will be played at home at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium.
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Bayer 04 currently have a number of promising young talents on loan to various clubs in Europe with the aim of gaining match practice and furthering their individual development. Francis Onyeka and Farid Alfa-Ruprecht, for example, play for VfL Bochum 1848, while Artem Stepanov is a striker with 1. FC Nürnberg, coached by World Cup winner Miroslav Klose. Tim Oermann is a defender in the Austrian Bundesliga at top club SK Sturm Graz and Abdoulaye Faye is playing in France for FC Lorient, promoted to Ligue 1 this season. Bayer04.de reviews the first six months for the Leverkusen players out on loan.
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Werkself-TV shows the highlights of the Bayer 04 women's 0-3 loss against FC Bayern on the 14th matchday of the Google Pixel Frauen-Bundesliga 2025/26.
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