BUENOS AIRES, Argentina — Argentina, the defending World Cup champion, had a moment of jubilation on Tuesday as the national team secured its spot at the 2026 World Cup. This victory came hours before an impressive 4-1 triumph over their archrival, Brazil, marking a significant achievement by sealing an early qualification.
The results came in part from Bolivia’s inability to overcome Uruguay, as their goalless draw ensured Argentina outpaced the competition in securing one of South America’s six direct entries to the 48-team World Cup, set to take place in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico next year.
Following Bolivia’s draw, approximately 85,000 enthusiastic Argentine fans gathered at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium, celebrating the path paved to defend their World Cup title – and all this occurred despite the absence of Lionel Messi. Chants and cheers echoed through the Buenos Aires night, as the national pride soared with confidence.
The defeat, however, placed Brazil under increasing strain, with coach Dorival Júnior facing mounting pressure in light of this significant loss—the worst in the history of their South American World Cup qualifying efforts. Currently, Brazil sits in fourth place, trailing Argentina by ten points but only narrowly behind other South American contenders such as Ecuador.
Brazil’s squad was hindered by the absence of key players, including goalkeeper Alisson, defender Gabriel Magalhães, and midfielder Bruno Guimarães, making their performance lackluster from beginning to end. The match marked Argentina’s first-ever sweep of both home and away matches against Brazil within a World Cup qualifying tournament, and also the first victory on home soil since their 2006 World Cup qualifications.
Argentina maintained its top position in the South American qualifying table since the beginning, punctuated by crucial victories against major opponents like Brazil and Uruguay. Despite this, coach Lionel Scaloni has refrained from playing 37-year-old Messi, sparking speculation regarding his participation in next year’s World Cup following his adductor injury that left him out of the latest matches.
SHOW OF ARGENTINE DOMINANCE
Julián Álvarez, Argentina’s striker, expressed the importance of the match, citing the context and rivalry, as well as announcing Argentina’s qualification to the World Cup. “Very humbly we did our work,” he remarked.
The Argentine side quickly asserted itself with two goals within the opening 12 minutes, exploiting defensive lapses by their Brazilian counterparts. Early on, Álvarez capitalized on Brazil’s defensive confusion, scoring the first goal in the 4th minute with a shot between the legs of Brazilian goalkeeper Bento. Enzo Fernández doubled the lead shortly afterward, capitalizing on a low cross delivered by Gonzalo Molina.
Brazil responded with a goal from Matheus Cunha, who seized on a mishandling of the ball by Cristian Romero in Argentina’s penalty area. Nevertheless, Argentina extended their lead as Enzo Fernandez set up Alexis Mac Allister, who found the net unchallenged.
Brazil’s mid-game adjustments, including substitute appearances by Joao Gomes and Rodrygo, failed to alter the game’s course, as Giuliano Simeone secured Argentina’s fourth goal in the 71st minute, overcoming Brazil’s defense once more.
Reflecting on the defeat, Brazil’s coach admitted to a stark inability to execute their initial game plan and offered apologies to fans, expressing his disappointment and expectations of a different outcome. Brazil’s captain, Marquinhos, acknowledged the shared responsibility, emphasizing that improvements were necessary for both coaching and players.
Brazil’s soccer confederation president, Ednaldo Rodrigues, refrained from confirming whether Dorival Júnior’s role would be a discussion topic and instead noted he would address the media in the coming days.
The Argentine team celebrated their achievement among thousands of jubilant fans, highlighting a streak of success against Brazil that has yet to be broken since 2019. As the region’s competitive landscape continues, excitement builds for the next qualifying matches set for June.