LA PAZ, March 11 (Xinhua) -- Bolivia midfielder Moises Villarroel said his team sees the upcoming World Cup playoffs in Mexico as a defining moment in their careers as they chase a place at the 2026 finals.
The South American team is vying for its first appearance in the tournament since 1994 after finishing seventh in the CONMEBOL qualifying group.
"Expectations are very high," Villarroel told reporters on Wednesday. "We are playing the most important match of our careers because we are playing for a place at the World Cup."
Bolivia's first playoff match will be against Suriname in Monterrey on March 26, with the winner to face Iraq five days later.
The team will finalize its preparations with a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago in the eastern Bolivian city of Santa Cruz on Sunday (March 15).
"We know there's no time to relax," said Villarroel, who plays his club football with Bolivian top-flight side Blooming.
"We have to be switched on and every player's focus must be on our goal of qualifying," the 27-year-old added.
The World Cup finals will be played in the United States, Mexico and Canada from June 11 to July 19. ■
