Will Brazil not be invited to the World Cup?
Brazil lost its sixth South American qualifying match for the 2026 FIFA World Cup North and Central America 0-1 against Argentina on June 22.
Brazil has lost three consecutive World Cup qualifiers for the first time in its history. South American qualifying is a home-and-home between 10 nations with no groupings. The top six finishers will advance directly to the knockout rounds, while the seventh-place finisher will play a playoff.
Brazil lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Gabriel Jesus led the line with Gabriel Martinelli, Hodriguez, and Hapinha in the second line. Bruno Guimarães and Andre coordinated the attack from the back, while the defense was formed by Carlos Augusto, Gabriel Magalhaes, Marquinhos, and Emerson Royal. Alisson was in goal.
Argentina went with a 4-4-2. Lionel Messi and Julian Alvarez formed the top two, while Giovani Lo Celso, Alexis McAllister, Enzo Fernandez, and Rodrigo de Paul formed the midfield. The defense was made up of Marcus Acuña, Nicolas Otamendi, Cristian Romero, and Nauel Molina, with Emiliano Martinez in goal.
The match was not played as normal. After both teams’ national anthems, the crowd became agitated and bloodshed broke out between Brazilian and Argentine fans.
Argentine fans threw objects at the police, who returned fire with batons, and a confrontation ensued.
Brazilian and Argentine captains Marquinhos and Messi approached the crowd to try to calm them down, but to no avail. Some spectators were even taken to the hospital, bleeding.
The seemingly uncontrollable situation was brought under control after more police were called in. The crowd was reduced to tears.
The game finally started after a 30-minute delay.
The game started with some rough play. In the fifth minute, Argentina’s De Paul stepped on a bright soccer shoe while trying to steal the ball from Jesus.
Jesús punched him in the face as he tried to shake it off, earning him a yellow card. De Paul had a bloody nose. The fouls continued. Another yellow card in the 14th minute of the first half. Hapinha punched De Paul in the face while trying to stop him from dribbling. In the 17th minute, a foul was called on De Paul for a hard shove on Guimarães.
There was also a red card for Brazil. In the 19th minute, Hapinha kicked McAllister in the foot. With one yellow card already shown, the Argentine players called for a red card, but with no video assistant referee (VAR), the call was upheld.
Brazil regained their composure and continued to attack. In the 38th minute, from a free kick, Hapinha connected with a threatening shot that sent shivers down Argentina’s spine. In the 39th minute, Marquinhos continued to push for a goal with a header from a corner kick.
Messi was not in good shape for Argentina. He complained of discomfort in his groin area and was treated by the medical staff several times. In the end, the first half ended 0-0.
In the beginning of the second half, both teams exchanged attacks. Argentina took the lead in the first minute of the second half when Mac Allister connected with a header from a corner kick. Brazil responded in the fourth minute of the second half when Hodriguez took a pass from Guimarães and shot on goal.
Brazil took the lead. However, their lack of finishing made them cry. In the ninth minute of the second half, Hapinha tried to shoot from inside the penalty box, but his effort ran out of power. In the 13th minute of the second half, Martinelli had a decisive shot, but was denied by the goalkeeper.
Argentina broke the 0-0 deadlock. In the 18th minute, from a corner, Lo Celso’s cross was headed home by Otamendi.
Stung by the blow, Brazil pulled out their substitutions. In the 27th minute, they took off Hapinha and brought on Endrick, who has been called the second Neymar.
Argentina also made a change. In the 32nd minute, they brought on Angel Di Maria and Lautaro Martinez for Messi and Alvarez.
Brazil was hit with a red card. In the 34th minute, substitute Joelington punched Argentina’s De Paul in the face and was shown a straight red card.
Brazil couldn’t overcome their numerical disadvantage and couldn’t mount an effective offense. In the end, they were brought to their knees by Argentina.
Messi commented on the bloodshed before the game.
“We saw how the police were beating people up. There were players’ families there, too. The game was an afterthought,” he recalled.
“We went to the locker room, that’s how we calmed things down. We couldn’t do much under the stands. Something unfortunate could have happened. We went into the locker room to assess the situation,” he said.
“We are achieving historic things. We needed a win to overcome the defeat against Uruguay. It’s very good to be able to win at home in Brazil,” he added, expressing his satisfaction with the result.
Brazil had been struggling in the South American qualifiers. They finished sixth with two wins, one draw, and two losses. Neymar and Vinicius were out with injuries. They weren’t at full strength. In their last five games, they lost 1-2 to Colombia.
Brazil also lost to Argentina, making it three straight losses. This is the first time in history that a team has lost three consecutive games in South American qualifying for the World Cup. Argentina, on the other hand, returned to first place in South American qualifying with the win.
Brazil is currently ranked sixth in South American qualifying for the North American World Cup. If Paraguay had won against Colombia instead of losing, they could have dropped as low as seventh.
It’s unthinkable, but it could change history. If Brazil falls further down the rankings, they could face the worst possible outcome: failure to qualify for the World Cup 아톰카지노.
Brazil is the most decorated country in the World Cup, having won the tournament five times: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002. You may not see the Samba Corps.
The biggest culprit in Brazil’s decline has been its manager. After the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, they haven’t found a suitable successor to Tite.
Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is being talked about as a possible replacement, as Brazil needs someone with a proven track record to anchor the team.
It’s been suggested that Brazil needs to change its stubborn stance of only appointing homegrown coaches.
Brazil is considering appointing a foreign coach for the first time and has reportedly shortlisted some big names. At one point, Pep Guardiola was even considered.
