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Argentina’s 4–1 Win Over Brazil Is a World Cup Warning
Argentina and Brazil faced off in another chapter of South America’s biggest soccer rivalry, but this time, it wasn’t even close. The reigning world champions overwhelmed Brazil 4-1 at El Monumental in Buenos Aires, delivering one of the most dominant performances in the history of this matchup.
With this result, Argentina secured its spot in the 2026 World Cup with games to spare, making Lionel Scaloni the first coach in Argentina’s history to qualify the squad for two World Cups through the South American qualifiers.
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Argentina wasted no time taking control. Just three minutes into the game, Julián Álvarez scored the first goal after intense pressure caused Brazil to slip up. Without Lionel Messi, who was out due to injury, coach Scaloni chose to pack the midfield with players skilled at handling the ball: Enzo Fernández, Rodrigo De Paul, Alexis Mac Allister, and Leandro Paredes. This strategy worked well, as Argentina dominated possession, leaving Brazil struggling to keep up.
The second goal was a masterpiece. After an impressive sequence of 33 uninterrupted passes, Enzo Fernández found himself in the box to tap in Argentina’s second goal at the 12-minute mark. The Argentine fans erupted, feeling that something special was unfolding.
For years, Brazil had players who tormented Argentina every time they clashed: icons like Neymar, Ronaldinho, Kaká, Ronaldo, Adriano, and Roberto Carlos. But this time, Argentina was the team firmly in control.
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However, a brief moment of hope arrived for Brazil in the 26th minute when Cristian “Cuti” Romero made a mistake in Argentina’s defensive third. Matheus Cunha capitalized, finishing past Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez to make it 2-1.
For a few minutes, it looked like Brazil could push for an equalizer. Vinícius Jr., Rodrygo, and Raphinha started attacking more aggressively. But just when Brazil thought they were back in the game, Argentina struck again.
At the 37th minute, Argentina won a corner. Enzo Fernández delivered a perfect cross, and Alexis Mac Allister rose to head it home, restoring Argentina’s two-goal lead at 3-1 before halftime.
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The second half was pure dominance from Argentina. Brazil’s coach, Dorival Junior, tried to change things up with three substitutions at halftime, but nothing worked. Brazil barely created any chances, and they only managed two weak shots on target in the entire second half.
Argentina kept the ball moving, frustrating Brazil with precise passing and total control of the game. Julián Álvarez was everywhere, pressing defenders, intercepting passes, and never stopping. His work rate was key to Argentina’s dominance.
Then, in the 78th minute, the moment of the night came. Giuliano Simeone, son of Atlético Madrid’s legendary coach Diego “Cholo” Simeone, came off the bench and scored his first goal for Argentina. Nicolás Tagliafico sent in a cross from the left, and Simeone finished it off calmly, sealing the 4-1 victory.
This wasn’t just a win, it was a historic statement. Argentina hadn’t beaten Brazil at home in 20 years, and it had been 61 years since they last defeated their greatest rivals by such a large margin.
Without Messi, Argentina played their best game in years, dismantling Brazil from start to finish. The reigning world champions showed why they are still the best team on the planet, and with their ticket to the 2026 World Cup already secured, they sent a clear message to the world: Argentina is here to stay.
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