Brazil suffered a humiliating 4-1 defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Argentina in Tuesday's CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying match at the Estadio Mas Monumental. Lionel Scaloni's reigning World Champions outclassed the Selecao in every aspect of the game, leaving Dorival Junior's side with serious questions to answer as they continue their road to the 2026 World Cup.
The nightmare began early for Brazil when Julian Alvarez found the back of the net just four minutes into the match. Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez doubled Argentina's lead in the 12th minute, putting the hosts firmly in control. Brazil briefly showed signs of life when Matheus Cunha scored from a difficult angle midway through the first half, bringing them within one goal.
However, any hope of a comeback was quickly extinguished as Alexis Mac Allister restored Argentina's two-goal advantage before halftime, making it 3-1. Despite Dorival making three changes at the interval, bringing on Leo Ortiz, Endrick, and Joao Gomes, Brazil continued to struggle against a dominant Argentine side.
The humiliation was completed in the 71st minute when Giuliano Simeone scored Argentina's fourth with an exquisite strike from a near-impossible angle close to the touchline. The Atletico Madrid forward's effort hit the roof of the net, leaving Brazilian goalkeeper Bento completely powerless.
After 14 matches in the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifying campaign, Brazil sits fourth in the South American standings with 21 points. Their recent victory over Colombia proved crucial, but this defeat against their bitter rivals exposed significant weaknesses in Dorival Junior's setup.
In goal, Bento received a 5/10 rating, having been "thrown into a tough situation due to Alisson's injury." While not directly at fault for the goals, he failed to inspire confidence as the backup goalkeeper. The defensive line struggled throughout, with Guilherme Arana particularly poor (4/10), as he "could not deal with Argentina's width at all."
Captain Marquinhos (5/10) "never gave up" but had his flaws exposed, while center-back partner Murillo (5/10) was substituted at halftime. Wesley (5/10) was "worked to the bottom of his boots by Argentina's pace and counter all evening long."
The midfield fared little better, with Joelinton (5/10) "really struggling in the center of the park with possession and Argentina's press" before being withdrawn at the interval. Andre (6/10) managed a few decent tackles but "struggled with forward progression."
In attack, Raphinha (7/10) showed "promising moments throughout the match" and was "the leader in the attack all game," though his final ball was lacking. Vinicius Junior (6/10) had "some really bright periods on the ball," but "as the match grew, he was overwhelmed by the immediate press of Argentina."
Goalscorer Matheus Cunha (7/10) "took his finish really well" with a "fantastic shot," but was "largely absent otherwise." Rodrygo continued his poor form with a 4/10 performance and was substituted at halftime.
Of the substitutes, teenage sensation Endrick was particularly disappointing, receiving a 5/10 rating and described as a "complete ghost" who played "like he wasn't even on the pitch." Leo Ortiz (6/10) and Joao Gomes (5/10) made minimal impact, while Savinho and Ederson had too little playing time to receive ratings.
However, the harshest criticism was reserved for manager Dorival Junior, who received a damning 3/10 score. The report noted he "ran out of ideas in the attack again" and was "out-coached by Scaloni." Despite the progress Brazil has made since his appointment, the attacking play "continues to be an area where he struggles." The assessment concluded his performance was "just not good enough from a manager of his stature."
With the World Cup looming in 2026, this result serves as a stark reminder that despite Brazil's storied football history, significant improvements are needed if they hope to challenge for their sixth world title.
