A guide to 2018 World Cup qualifying in South America

The World Cup qualifying campaign in South America is regarded by Brazilian football expert Tim Vickery as the beautiful game's most competitive, and he's probably right.

Nowhere on the planet does such an exhausting cycle exist, as 10 national teams are forced to compete over the course of two years for four-and-a-half berths at football's most prestigious tournament. For an idea of just how massive the implications are for each qualifier, think of the campaign as a traditional European club season that is twice as long but only contains half the number of fixtures.

One slip-up can be detrimental to a South American national team's chances of reaching The Promised Land, and nowhere on the planet are players and managers subjected to the type of hostility that comes with missing out.

Against this backdrop, the two-year marathon that is South America's 2018 World Cup qualifying campaign will kick off Thursday, as five qualifiers take place across the continent, from the bustling seaport that is Barranquilla, Colombia, to the cosmopolitan Argentinian capital that is Buenos Aires.

Highlighting the first matchday is a long list of players who will be unable to take the pitch, due to either injury or suspension.

Most notably, Lionel Messi is in the process of recovering from a tear in the internal collateral ligament of his left knee, while Luis Suarez is still serving a nine-match suspension for his cannibalistic tendencies at last year's World Cup.

Elsewhere, Neymar has two games remaining in his four-match ban after he attempted to headbutt Jeison Murillo at this summer's Copa America, Charles Aranguiz is out for months due to a torn Achilles tendon, James Rodriguez is dealing with a thigh injury, and the extent of Enner Valencia's knee problem remains a mystery.

Here's a team-by-team breakdown of the 10 sides looking to book a place at the 2018 World Cup:

Argentina

Nickname: La Albiceleste

Manager: Gerardo Martino

Past Qualifications: 16 (1930, 1934, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014)

Argentina needs to forget its recent past and move on from an agonising defeat to Germany in the final of last year's World Cup, as well as an almost-as-devastating loss to Chile in the final of this summer's Copa America.

Qualification shouldn't be all that difficult for La Albiceleste, but an obstacle has already presented itself in the form of an injury to Messi. Until the Argentinian phenom is back, Carlos Tevez, a god in the streets of Buenos Aires since he returned to Boca Juniors, his boyhood club, will likely be called upon to help Angel Di Maria fill the void.

Bolivia

Nickname: El Verde

Manager: Julio Cesar Baldivieso

Past Qualifications: 3 (1930, 1950, 1994)

Mired in a political climate that continues to stunt its growth, Bolivian football is in a dark place as El Verde looks to qualify for its first World Cup in more than 20 years. The expectations surrounding Bolivia, in contrast to the altitude of La Paz, are extremely low, largely because the Federacion Boliviana de Futbol (FBF) is unable to get its act together.

Manager Mauricio Soria was sacked two months ago, and after he was unsuccessfully un-sacked, the appointment of Miguel Angel Portugal was blocked by local clubs. In the end, Baldivieso was named as Bolivia's manager and will do his best to ensure Bolivia's altitude trumps the problems Bolivian football is facing.

Brazil

Nickname: The Selecao

Manager: Dunga

Past Qualifications: 20 (1930, 1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1975, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014)

Having qualified for last year's World Cup by virtue of being the host nation, Brazil will be forced to secure qualification by actually playing games this time around.

The suspension of Neymar presents an immediate barrier, but it's hard to envision any scenario in which the only national team to qualify for all 20 of the past World Cups somehow misses out on Russia 2018, and the Selecao, playing a counterattacking style under Dunga, will be keen to erase any lasting memories of its humiliating elimination to Germany on home soil.

Chile

Nickname: La Roja

Manager: Jorge Sampaoli

Past Qualifications: 9 (1930, 1950, 1962, 1966, 1974, 1982, 1998, 2010, 2014)

Fresh off the most glorious moment in its footballing history, Chile, which won this summer's Copa America on home soil, is out to prove that what may be the best generation of players the country has ever produced is capable of going one further.

There are inevitably concerns over whether Chile will take a foot off the gas pedal following its recent success, but experience will be in La Roja's favour, as its crop of players - led by Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez - has essentially remained unchanged over the past five years.

Colombia

Nickname: Los Cafeteros

Manager: Jose Pekerman

Past Qualifications: 5 (1962, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2014)

Question marks hang over Colombia ahead of World Cup qualifying, as Los Cafeteros have experienced a bit of a decline in the aftermath of their colourful showing in Brazil.

Since reaching the quarterfinals of last year's World Cup, an accomplishment that marked its best-ever showing at the competition, Colombia has struggled to build on that success, scoring only one goal through four fixtures at the Copa America and failing to establish a crystal-clear starting XI beyond 'keeper David Ospina, its backline, and defensive midfielder Carlos Sanchez.

The injury to Rodriguez, of course, doesn't help either.

Ecuador

Nickname: La Tri

Manager: Gustavo Quinteros

Past Qualifications: 3 (2002, 2006, 2014)

Ecuador knows that there's a simple formula when it comes to qualifying for the World Cup, as La Tri is among the planet's most unbeatable national teams when taking the pitch at the fortress that is the Estadio Olimpico Atahualpa in Quito.

Simply put, if Ecuador can snatch three points in most of its qualifiers at home, then Quinteros' side should almost certainly qualify for Russia 2018. For an idea of just how gutless Ecuador is on home soil, consider that La Tri won seven of its eight qualifiers at the Estadio Olimpico Atahualpa in the qualifying campaign for last year's World Cup and drew the other match.

Paraguay

Nickname: La Albirroja

Manager: Ramon Diaz

Past Qualifications: 8 (1930, 1950, 1958, 1986, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010)

Paraguay was one of the feel-good stories of this summer's Copa America, reaching the semifinals when little was expected of La Albirroja, and eliminating Brazil en route.

However, it's more than likely that Paraguay will struggle to cement a place at the World Cup, as the country is still attempting to produce footballers capable of replicating its golden generation, which qualified for four successive World Cups between 1998 and 2010.

Peru

Nickname: La Blanquirroja

Manager: Ricardo Gareca

Past Qualifications: 4 (1930, 1970, 1978, 1982)

In search of reaching its first World Cup since 1982, Peru will undoubtedly enter qualification feeling confident about its chances after finishing third at this summer's Copa America.

The reality is, however, that Peru is not among South America's top three national teams and will struggle in its quest to qualify for Russia 2018. It should be noted that its most skilled players, forwards Paolo Guerrero and Jefferson Farfan, have both surpassed the age of 30, and replacements do not appear to be exiting the country's production line any time soon.

Uruguay

Nickname: La Celeste

Manager: Oscar Washington Tabarez

Past Qualifications: 12 (1930, 1950, 1954, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1986, 1990, 2002, 2010, 2014)

Perhaps the best example of a national team that never beats itself, Uruguay and its never-say-die attitude will be out to punch above its weight once again and remind the planet what a country with a population of just over 3 million can accomplish.

Suarez might not be there to get things going, but Uruguay - a country with two World Cup titles and a record 15 Copa America crowns - will survive because of its incredibly smart football culture and unparalleled versatility.

Venezuela

Nickname: La Vinotinto

Manager: Noel Sanvicente

Past Qualifications: None

The only of South America's national teams to never qualify for the World Cup, Venezuela will be out to make history under Sanvicente, who is embarking on his first qualifying campaign as a manager.

Venezuela has made massive strides over the past 15 years, and came within distance of reaching last year's World Cup before ultimately missing out. That campaign, unfortunately, may have presented La Vinotinto with a better chance of qualification than the upcoming adventure, since an extra spot was up for grabs with Brazil qualifying as the host nation.