There is a renewed sense of belief surrounding <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/bolivia/">Bolivia</a>. Just as the nation prepares for a decisive intercontinental playoff in Mexico,&nbsp;great news has emerged: a CONMEBOL cult hero has come out of retirement in a bid to lead Bolivia to the 2026 FIFA World Cup. For a country that has waited decades for a return to football’s grandest stage, the timing could not be more symbolic, or more emotional.



Bolivia stands on the brink of opportunity. Having finished&nbsp;seventh in the CONMEBOL qualifiers, the nation secured a place in the Inter-Confederation World Cup Qualifying Play-offs. Now, one final push separates it from a historic return to the global tournament for the first time since 1994. The playoff journey will unfold in Mexico between March 23 and 31, 2026. Bolivia will <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/news/bolivia-defeat-brazil-and-move-closer-to-world-cup-qualification-when-are-the-playoffs-and-who-will-they-face/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">face Suriname in a single-leg semi-final</a> at the&nbsp;Estadio BBVA&nbsp;on March 26.



Victory would keep the nation in Guadalupe for a final showdown against Iraq on March 31. However, the format is unforgiving. Six teams — Bolivia, Suriname, Jamaica, Iraq, New Caledonia, and DR Congo — compete for just&nbsp;two remaining <a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/world-cup/">World Cup</a> spots. Each bracket winner qualifies. If level after 90 minutes, extra time and penalties will decide who survives. The stakes extend beyond qualification.



Should Bolivia prevail, it could enter a World Cup group alongside France, Norway, and Senegal, a daunting but historic prospect. La Verde has not appeared at a World Cup since the 1994 tournament in the United States. Before that, its only other participation came in 1950. Across three previous World Cup appearances (1930, 1950, 1994), Bolivia has never won a match, recording five defeats and one draw.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://media.worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/09/09180107/bolivia-1200x675-1200x675.webp" alt="Players of Bolivia pose for a team photo prior to the South American FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Colombia and Bolivia." class="wp-image-589730" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure><figcaption>Players of Bolivia pose for a team photo prior to the South American FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Colombia and Bolivia.</figcaption></figure>



Despite inconsistency on the road,&nbsp;nine away defeats in ten qualifying matches, Bolivia produced memorable home victories over Brazil and Colombia during the campaign. Those results reignited belief. The playoff berth now offers redemption.



<h2>Emotional return</h2>



In the midst of this tension comes the headline that has electrified supporters:&nbsp;<a href="https://worldsoccertalk.com/tag/marcelo-martins/">Marcelo Martins Moreno</a> has come out of retirement at 38. The nation’s all-time leading scorer and former captain, Moreno, last played in December 2023 for Independiente del Valle before announcing his retirement.



Two years later, he has signed for&nbsp;Oriente Petrolero, the club where his professional career began, and he will do so&nbsp;without receiving a salary, calling it a gesture of gratitude. His return is deeply personal.



<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><figure class="image"><img loading="lazy" width="1200" height="675" src="https://media.worldsoccertalk.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/2025/09/08140519/Marcelo-Morelo-1200x675-1200x675.webp" alt="Marcelo-Morelo" class="wp-image-589329" sizes="(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px"></figure><figcaption>Marcelo Martins Moreno of Bolivia</figcaption></figure>



<h2>What did Marcelo Martins Moreno say?</h2>



At his presentation, he explained the pain that drove him away from the game:&nbsp;“After my father’s death, I didn’t want to continue. But now I’m back and want to help Bolivia qualify for the World Cup.” He elaborated further:&nbsp;“I lost my hero, my father. He was my teacher, the one who taught me everything with the ball. And football left me in that moment, too, because I no longer had the joy of playing. I couldn’t continue. I had a very deep pain in my heart, and it wouldn’t let me train.”



Moreno made clear that his retirement was not impulsive:&nbsp;“I want you to know who hasn’t lost someone important in their life? We’ve all lost someone important. So, I want you to know why I retired; there was a reason. And I hope you respect that reason.”



<div class="ck-twitter"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">🇧🇴 A los 38 años, Marcelo Moreno Martins volvió del retiro, fichó por Oriente Petrolero con un objetivo claro: ✨️ “Deje el fútbol porque mi padre falleció, no tenía fuerzas. Ahora quiero regalarle la clasificación al Mundial”.<a href="https://t.co/ZoQlfJ5WAN">pic.twitter.com/ZoQlfJ5WAN</a>— Samuel Vargas (@SVargasOK) <a href="https://twitter.com/SVargasOK/status/2023385402111893800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 16, 2026</a></blockquote></div>



Now, however, the motivation has shifted. “Today, I’m returning to a very big challenge for my life, for my career, and at the club I wanted to be at. My father was always a positive person with a lot of faith… And no one is going to take this dream away from me. A World Cup qualification would be the greatest thing for me.”



Moreno’s pedigree is undeniable. He was&nbsp;the top scorer in the South American qualifiers before the 2022 World Cup, and he remains Bolivia’s all-time leading scorer. Even after two years without competitive play, his leadership and experience could prove decisive in a high-pressure playoff scenario. Bolivia will rely not only on his finishing but also on his mentality, the composure of a veteran who has faced the continent’s elite and thrived.

Bolivia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup hopes reignited by shock return of fan-favorite as CONMEBOL cult hero quits retirement after two years

Bolivia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup hopes reignited by shock return of fan-favorite as CONMEBOL cult hero quits retirement after two years - World Soccer Talk

destacadas

I tend to get too excited about the young kids, when they move. I will often over-value the transfers of the the Zuculini, Sven Bender and Lewis Holtby’s of the footballing world. I will see Ralf Fahrmann’s move to Eintracht as the bargain of the century. But youth takes time to develop, so this year I am going to concentrate on the seven best transfers made so far this summer, in relation to how the players will aid their teams in the coming year. Please note, that while Hamburg have no player on this list, I think that as a collective they have had one of the best summers in the Bundesliga.
7. Hannover 96 
With the retirement of Michael Tarnat and Valerian Ismael and the realization that Frank Fahrenhorst was a Zweite level defender, Hannover needed a partner for the steady Mario Eggimann. Deiter Hecking replaced the old and the inept with Karim Haggui, a player who after a rough first year had settled into a solid defender in his second campaign at Leverkusen, only lose his place and patience as Bayer 04 went for a Henrique from Barcelona. The combatative defender should make a fine partner with Eggimann who can lead and read. Building a more solid defense around Enke should lead to a rise in the table for Hannover 96.
6. Wolfsburg 
Wolfsburg has a problem this year: lots of games. The grind of the Champions League is hard on new teams not used to all the extra fixtures. At no position were Wolfsburg feeling thinner than forward. An injury to their superstar pairing of Grafite and Dzeko and things could get tricky for the defending champions. Enter Obafemi Martins. While he could never replace the link place that Dzeko provides, he does provide a strong, quick alternative who can score on a dime and place a pass when needed. He gives Armin Veh options and backup, without much drop-off in quality.
5. Werder Bremen 
While the return of Borowski and the era of the Marin/Oezil partnership has made all the headlines, the transfer that should return Werder to a status of title challenger is Bolivian forward Marcelo Moreno from Shakhtar Donetsk. After scoring a goal 2 out of every 3 games in Brazil, the highly sought Bolivian of Brazilian stock joined Shaktar Donesk and scored 7 in 14 for the UEFA Cup Champions. He should make up for the loss of loanee Pizarro in spades.
4. Bayern Munich 
It’s hard to tell what Bayern have done. Have they strengthened by replacing Ze Roberto with Tymoschuk, a purchase Rafael Honigsteing worries might be three years late? Gomez is class, but buying for buying’s sake can leave you with an ill-formed squad. In this case, Gomez means that at least two of their collection of strikers will be disgruntled. And Edson Braahfield is an unknown who has to replace a massive presence in the back line and locker room in Lucio. The one player that does not bring a question mark is Croatian Danijel Prajnic from Hereveen. He has the technical skills so ingrained in all Croatian players, he reads the game well to help him compensate for his attacking mentality as a fullback and he can pass. He may be the best fullback in the Bundesliga before a ball is kicked. And he plays in an area that has been problematic for Bayern since a Basque player roamed that area.
3. Hertha Berlin 
Hertha Berlin had a forward problem. They couldn’t afford Voronin. Meanwhile, Marko Pantelic and Hertha had such a hate-hate relationship that they parted ways with their once talismanic striker. What to do? Buy back Arminia star forward Artur Wichniarek from the relegated side after his 3 year sojourn from the capital. Now with a proven forward to help foster the young guns of Chermiti, Domovchiyski and Raffael, Hertha’s forward problem seem absolutely solved. And with service he never received, the Polish international could challenge to be Torschützenkönig.
2. Gladbach 
Borussia Möchengladbach may have sold their biggest commodity only to get better at the same position. By swapping Marin for Venezuelan Juan Arango from Mallorca, they actually may have gotten better. There will be a settling-in period for Venezuala’s first superstar, but I have seen him tear Brazil apart, live. He is the real deal with pace and precision and this budding star should take the league by storm.
1. Hoffenheim 
The strengthening of Hoffenheim’s defense is undoubtedly the story of the season, even though nobody is discussing it. It’s one thing to pick up the most consistent defender in the Bundesliga for a pittance, but to get the best LB too. Hoffenheim have strengthened in defense by adding Karlsruhe’s Christian Eichner and Hertha’s Josep Simunic, to add to their winter pickup of Timo Hildebrand. Their defense may now be the best in the Bundesliga and sits behind a devastating counter. These moves don’t mean the village team will survive again. It means they will contend again.

The Set: The 7 Best Transfers of the Summer (so far) - World Soccer Talk

The Set: The 7 Best Transfers of the Summer (so far)

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Bolivia’s 2026 FIFA World Cup hopes reignited by shock return of fan-favorite as CONMEBOL cult hero quits retirement after two years

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The Set: The 7 Best Transfers of the Summer (so far)