Marcelo Allende’s Chile Future Fades as Sundowns Star Continues to Miss Out on National Team Call-Ups

Marcelo Allende’s hopes of reviving his international career with Chile appear to be slipping further away. Reports from Chile suggest that as long as the midfielder remains with Mamelodi Sundowns in South Africa, his chances of being recalled to the national team are minimal.

Allende, who joined Sundowns in July 2022, has been consistently overlooked by Chile’s national selectors despite his strong performances in the Betway Premiership. The latest snub came as La Roja announced their squad for an international friendly against Peru on Friday. The 26-year-old was left out once again, even though the squad includes several players with little or no senior international experience.

Chile finished bottom of the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, managing only two wins in 18 matches under three different coaches. The new-look squad for the friendly was expected to feature players capable of rebuilding the team, but Allende’s absence confirmed his continued exclusion from national plans.

Allende has only one senior cap for Chile, earned four years ago while playing for Montevideo City Torque in Uruguay. His international journey started brightly, having captained the Chile Under-20 team and represented the country at Under-17 level. However, his move to the South African league appears to have hurt his standing with national selectors.

According to sources in Chile, selectors do not view the South African top-flight league as competitive enough to warrant regular international consideration. The message is clear: for Allende to revive his Chile career, he will need to leave Sundowns and return to a league that carries more weight in South America or Europe.

The midfielder’s name did appear in the extended squad list for Chile’s recent qualifiers against Brazil and Uruguay, but he was ultimately left out of the final selection. This marked yet another missed opportunity for the player who was once regarded as one of Chile’s brightest prospects.

Since joining Mamelodi Sundowns, Allende has established himself as a consistent performer. He has made 140 appearances, contributing 26 goals and assists combined from central midfield. His time in South Africa has been decorated with success, including three consecutive league titles, an African Football League crown, and a runners-up finish in the CAF Champions League. He also represented Sundowns at the FIFA Club World Cup, adding valuable international experience at club level.

Despite these achievements, his performances in Africa seem to have little impact on his international prospects. Chilean selectors continue to overlook players based in lower-profile leagues, prioritizing those playing in Europe or South America.

Allende’s situation highlights a growing challenge for talented South American players who move abroad to leagues outside traditional football powerhouses. While he remains an integral part of a dominant Sundowns side, the trade-off appears to be his national team relevance.

For now, Marcelo Allende’s international career remains on hold. Unless he makes a move back to a more visible league, his lone cap for Chile could remain the only one of his career.