Argentina Secures World Cup Spot with Historic Win Over Brazil
Argentina has secured its place in the 2026 World Cup following a remarkable 4-1 victory over Brazil. This win not only highlights Argentina's dominance in South American qualifiers but also marks a historic achievement as they have now won both matches against Brazil in this qualifying cycle. With the absence of star player Lionel Messi due to injury, the team showcased their strength and resilience, igniting celebrations among fans. As Brazil faces mounting pressure, the focus shifts to their future matches. Read on to discover more about this thrilling encounter and its implications for both teams.
| Mar 27, 2025, 05:04 IST
Argentina Celebrates World Cup Qualification
Defending champions Argentina rejoiced on Tuesday after confirming their spot in the 2026 World Cup, just hours before achieving a remarkable 4-1 victory against their long-standing rivals, Brazil.
Their qualification was made possible by Bolivia's inability to defeat Uruguay, providing Argentina with a sufficient buffer in the South American qualifiers to claim one of the six direct spots available for the upcoming 48-team World Cup, which will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico.
Following Bolivia's goalless draw with Uruguay in El Alto, approximately 85,000 enthusiastic Argentina supporters ignited the celebrations at the Monumental de Nunez Stadium, even in the absence of Lionel Messi. The atmosphere in Buenos Aires was electric, with fans chanting late into the night, bolstered by newfound confidence in their team's ability to defend their World Cup title.
For Brazil, this defeat marked their largest margin of loss in South American World Cup qualifying history, intensifying the scrutiny on coach Dorival Júnior.
Currently, Brazil sits in fourth place in the South American qualifiers with 21 points, trailing Argentina by 10 points but only two points behind Ecuador, who drew 0-0 with Chile. Uruguay and Paraguay also have 21 points, while Colombia is just one point behind them in sixth place. Venezuela, after a 1-0 victory over Peru, has 15 points and occupies seventh place.
Brazil was without three key players—goalkeeper Alisson, defender Gabriel Magalhães, and midfielder Bruno Guimarães—and struggled to compete throughout the match.
This victory marks the first time Argentina has triumphed in both encounters against Brazil during a World Cup qualifying campaign. Additionally, it was Argentina's first home win against Brazil since the qualification for the 2006 World Cup.
Argentina has consistently led the South American qualifiers, experiencing few setbacks and achieving significant away victories against Brazil and Uruguay. However, doubts linger regarding the participation of the 37-year-old Messi, who has been absent from several matches due to an adductor injury and was not included in the squad for the latest games.
Striker Julián Álvarez remarked that Argentina's significant win is 'historic due to the rival, the context, the exceptional match we played, and because we are qualified for the World Cup.' He added, 'We approached our task with great humility.'
Argentina scored its first two goals within just 12 minutes, capitalizing on precise passing and some defensive errors from Brazil.
Álvarez opened the scoring in the 4th minute after Brazilian defenders Marquinhos, Murillo, and Guilherme Arana failed to intercept the ball, allowing him to shoot through goalkeeper Bento's legs from close range.
Eight minutes later, Enzo Fernández doubled the lead, finishing from close range after a low cross from Gonzalo Molina.
Brazil managed to pull one back through Matheus Cunha in the 26th minute, capitalizing on a mistake by Cristian Romero. However, Enzo Fernández quickly restored Argentina's two-goal advantage by assisting Alexis Mac Allister, who scored in the 37th minute.
During halftime, Brazil attempted to regain control by enhancing their midfield presence with Joao Gomes and substituting Murillo and striker Rodrygo, but their efforts proved futile. Giuliano Simeone sealed the match for Argentina in the 71st minute after Brazilian defenders failed to clear a low cross.
Brazil's coach expressed disappointment in a post-match conference, stating, 'Everything we planned from the first minute did not materialize. Argentina outperformed us in every aspect. I apologize to the fans; we anticipated a much different outcome.' Captain Marquinhos echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the responsibility lies not only with the coach but also with the players, urging them to focus and learn from their past struggles.
Argentine players celebrated with their supporters, even requesting 'a minute of silence' for Brazil. Since 2019, Argentina has remained unbeaten against their rivals.
The next round of South American World Cup qualifiers is scheduled for June.
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