Highlights
Brazil and Argentina have a fierce football rivalry rooted in their success in international tournaments and their constant battle for superiority.
Argentina’s 1-0 win against Brazil was their first ever win on Brazilian soil in a World Cup qualifier.
Some of the most iconic matches between Brazil and Argentina include the 1937 Copa America final and at the 1990 World Cup.
Football fixtures between Brazil and Argentina are just about as fierce and competitive as you can get. The two great nations, who rule football in South America, contest the ‘Superclássico das Américas’ (Superclassic of the Americas) and these matches can often descend into incidents on the pitch as well as in the stands, with FIFA having described it as ‘the essence of football rivalry.’
The success both countries have had on the international stage through the years has only intensified their hatred for one another as it means a constant battle for superiority over the other. Brazil remain as the most successful footballing nation in the world, with five World Cups to their name, more than any other country.
However, Argentina aren’t too far behind, having won three World Cups and they have also produced arguably the two greatest players the game has ever seen in Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona. Nevertheless, Brazil can also boast the man who has scored more goals than any other player in football history: Pele.
Both nations hold an incredible footballing pedigree and their rivalry is regarded as one of the fiercest across the entire sport. So, join GIVEMESPORT as we explore some of the key talking points in the long-running rivalry, including all the information you need to know about the history of the fixture, the head-to-head record between the two nations and the most iconic matches over the years.
Origins
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So, how did this fiesty rivalry begin? Well the first match between Brazil and Argentina took place in September 1914 and ended in a 3-0 victory for La Albiceleste (The White and Sky Blue). After that, the two nations would play each other most years in various continental tournaments, including the first edition of the South American Championship, which would later become the Copa America.
Argentina dominated the fixture for the first few decades, winning more than twice as many of their clashes than Brazil did, but the balance of power began to swing the way of Brazil in the 1960s and from September 1964 to July 1983, they lost only once to Argentina, in a friendly in 1970. The two sides also refused to play each other between the years of 1925 and 1937 due to a violent Copa America final and again for another ten years after 1946.
A sporadic tournament named the Roca Cup provided Argentina with the biggest win in the fixture for either side when they triumphed 6-1 over Brazil in Buenos Aires in 1940. Brazil’s biggest win over their deadly rival came five yeasrs later in a friendly which they won 6-2.
Head-To-Head
According to 11v11, Brazil and Argentina have met 114 times over the years with Brazil having marginally won more games, with 46 compared to Argentina’s 42. There have been 26 draws between the two nations throughout history.
Brazil also hold the superiority over their rivals across their four World Cup meetings, with two wins to Argentina’s one out of four matches. However, out of the 34 times they have met in the Copa America, Argentina have won 16 times and Brazil only 10.
Competition
Matches
Brazil wins
Argentina wins
Draws
World Cup
4
2
1
1
Copa America
34
10
16
8
World Cup qualification
10
4
3
3
Other matches
66
30
22
14
Grand total
114
46
42
26
Brazil have failed to win any of their last four matches against Argentina, with their last victory over La Albiceleste coming in the 2019 Copa America semi-final, which they won 2-0 thanks to goals from Gabriel Jesus and Roberto Firmino, and which earned them a place in the final against Peru, which they won 3-1.
Last 10 meetings
Date
Result
Competition
21st November 2023
Brazil 0-1 Argentina
World Cup qualifying
16th November 2021
Argentina 0-0 Brazil
World Cup qualifying
111th July 2021
Argentina 1-0 Brazil
Copa America
15th November 2019
Brazil 0-1 Argentina
International friendly
3rd July 2019
Brazil 2-0 Argentina
Copa America
16th October 2018
Brazil 1-0 Argentina
International friendly
9th June 2017
Brazil 0-1 Argentina
International friendly
10th November 2016
Brazil 3-0 Argentina
World Cup qualifying
14th November 2015
Argentina 1-1 Brazil
World Cup qualifying
11th October 2014
Brazil 2-0 Argentina
International friendly
Best matches
Argentina 2-0 Brazil – 1937
Some journalists consider this to be the match that truly ignited the Argentina-Brazil rivalry, when after 12 years of refusing to face each other, the two nations put aside differences to both compete in the 1937 Copa America. After there was nothing to separate the two sides in the round-robin tournament, a play-off match was held to determine the winner, as per the competition’s format at the time.
Because of the heat, the match was played at night and didn’t finish until almost 2am. After two riots had been sparked during the game due to players fighting, the match went to extra-time and young forward Vicente de la Mata scored twice to win the title for Argentina. The Brazil players didn’t even complete the match out of fear for their safety in what their press still refer to as ‘the shame game’.
Argentina 2-0 Brazil
Date
1 February 1937
Competition
Copa America final
Ground
Estadio Gasometro, Argentina
Attendance
80,000
Argentina scorers
Vicente de la Mata (109′, 112′)
Brazil scorers
N/A
Argentina 1-0 Brazil – 1990
This was the first time Argentina got one over on their greatest rivals on the biggest stage of all. In the round of 16 of the 1990 World Cup, the two rivals were drawn to play each other and Argentina emerged victorious after Diego Maradona drove through the Brazil team before slipping in teammate Claudio Caniggia, who rounded the keeper and slotted Argentina ahead with nine minutes to go.
However, the match is best remembered for an incident towards the end when Brazil player Branco accused the Argentina staff of giving him a water bottle laced with tranquillizers, which Maradona would later quip was ‘holy water’, although the Argentina manager Carlos Bilardo insisted no such incident took place. La Albiceleste would go on to reach the final, which they lost 1-0 to West Germany.
Read more: Ranking every World Cup in history from worst to best
Brazil 0-1 Argentina
Date
24 June 1990
Competition
World Cup round of 16
Ground
Stadio Delle Alpi, Italy
Attendance
61,381
Brazil scorers
N/A
Argentina scorers
Claudio Caniggia (81′)
Argentina 2-2 Brazil (2-4 on pens) – 2004
In one of the most dramatic Copa America finals of all time, Kily Gonzalez’s penalty was cancelled out by a glancing header from Luisao, meaning the two teams went in at the break with the score level. Cesar Delgado’s 87th-minute strike looked to have won the day for Argentina, but then Adriano volleyed in an equaliser for his side in the 93rd minute, taking the match to penalties.
Brazil managed to score all four of their spot-kicks and their goalkeeper Julio Cesar’s save from Andres D’Alessandro confirmed a seventh Copa America title for Carlos Alberto Parreira’s team. The win marked the first time that they had ever beaten Argentina in the final, which they would repeat at the following tournament in 2007.
Brazil 2-2 Argentina
Date
25 July 2004
Competition
Copa America final
Ground
Estadio Nacional, Peru
Attendance
43,000
Brazil scorers
Luisao (45′), Adriano (90+3′)
Argentina scorers
Kily Gonzalez (20′ pen), Cesar Delgado (87′)
Brazil 0-1 Argentina – 2021
The COVID-19 pandemic had caused great disruption to the 2021 Copa America, which was supposed to be jointly-held in Argentina and Colombia, but instead had to be hosted in Brazil for a second consecutive year. Fittingly, it was the two great rivals who reached the final, giving Argentina the opportunity to win the ultimate prize in Brazil for the very first time.
At the famous Maracana venue, which was only allowed to be filled at 10% capacity due to COVID restrictions, a solitary Angel Di Maria goal was enough to seal the win for Argentina. It was the nation’s first Copa America triumph in 28 years and the first of Lionel Messi’s career, after the attacker had famously announced his international retirement after a shock defeat against Chile in the final of the 2016 edition.
Brazil 0-1 Argentina
Date
10 July 2021
Competition
Copa America final
Ground
Maracana Stadium, Brazil
Attendance
7,800
Brazil scorers
N/A
Argentina scorers
Angel di Maria (20′)
Brazil 0-1 Argentina – 2023
The fixture between Brazil and Argentina in November 2023 proved there was still no love lost between the two nations. During the national anthems prior to the World Cup qualifying match, rival
fans clashed behind one of the goals, causing the Brazilian police to charge at the Argentina supporters.
After both sets of players had gone over to try and calm the situation, they were forced to leave the pitch and play was delayed for half an hour. Once the match finally got underway, Nicolas Otamendi’s towering header inflicted upon Brazil the first-ever home defeat in a World Cup qualifier in their history, although the result was somewhat overshadowed by the trouble beforehand, which Lionel Messi said ‘could have been a tragedy.’
Read more: The amazing reception Lionel Messi received from Brazil fans at the Maracanã
Brazil 0-1 Argentina
Date
21 November 2023
Competition
2026 World Cup qualification
Ground
Maracana Stadium, Brazil
Attendance
68,138
Brazil scorers
N/A
Argentina scorers
Nicolas Otamendi (63′)
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Publish date : 2023-11-22 03:00:00
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