Alexander Callens explained why he wasn't present for the double date of the Eliminatories.

One of the players who was absent in the matches played by the Peruvian National Team against Chile and Argentina, for matchdays 3 and 4 of the World Cup Qualifiers for Canada, United States, and Mexico 2026, was Alexander Callens. The AEK Athens FC defender responded to Juan Reynoso's call for this month's double-header, but he had a discomfort that prevented him from being 100 percent for the tough matches that were played. Now, prior to his trip to Greece, the player recounted what happened and why he was left out.

“I had a discomfort that prevented me from playing in the first match, then I had some training, but in the end, you have to use the player who is a hundred percent,” said the defender to the media who waited for him at the Jorge Chavez International Airport before returning to Europe.

Regarding the criticism that the national coach has been receiving for the poor results in the 2026 World Cup Qualifiers, Callens stated that “that shouldn't happen because we are the ones playing. Here, the coach only tries to field the best players. There's no need to make a big deal about it because we, the players, are the ones playing”.

It should be mentioned that when Reynoso was asked about the absence of Callens and Renato Tapia in the match against Chile, he stated that it was because both players had discomfort upon arriving in Lima, so he chose not to take them. However, in the press conference before the match against Argentina, the AEK Athens FC defender mentioned that he had done friction work but did not specify whether he would play or not.

Peru's Schedule in the Qualifiers

After the defeat against Argentina, the Peruvian National Team will play again next month when they visit Bolivia for matchday 5 of the South American Qualifiers 2026. The match is scheduled for Thursday, November 16, at 3:00 p.m., will be played at the Hernando Siles stadium, and will be broadcasted throughout Peru by ATV, América TV, and Movistar Deportes.

Afterwards, they will have a key match against Venezuela at the National Stadium in Lima. Venezuela arrives in great form after their excellent start in the tournament, where they not only drew against Brazil (as visitors) but also defeated Chile, putting them among the top positions in the standings.

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