Brazil endured a humiliating 4-1 defeat against their arch-rivals Argentina in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier early Wednesday morning, marking their worst loss in the history of World Cup qualification matches.

The highly anticipated encounter took place at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires, where the defending world champions Argentina showcased their dominance from the opening minutes.

The home side wasted no time in asserting their superiority, breaking the deadlock as early as the 4th minute through a well-taken goal by Julián Álvarez. The former Manchester City forward combined skillfully with Thiago Almada before calmly slotting the ball past Brazilian goalkeeper Bento, sending the crowd into wild celebrations.

Argentina continued to pile the pressure on their rivals and doubled their lead in the 12th minute when Enzo Fernández finished off a brilliant team move. The Chelsea midfielder latched onto a precise cross from Nahuel Molina at the far post and fired home, leaving Brazil's defense in disarray.

Brazil, struggling to cope with Argentina’s relentless attack, managed to pull one back in the 26th minute. A rare defensive error from Cristian Romero gifted Matheus Cunha an opportunity to pounce, and the Brazilian forward made no mistake in finding the back of the net, momentarily restoring hope for the visitors.

However, Argentina quickly reasserted their dominance just before halftime, restoring their two-goal advantage in the 37th minute. Alexis Mac Allister finished off a perfectly weighted pass from Enzo Fernández, ensuring that Argentina went into the break with a commanding 3-1 lead.

The second half saw Brazil attempting to mount a comeback, but Argentina remained in full control of the game. Their impressive performance was capped off in the 71st minute when substitute Giuliano Simeone sealed the emphatic victory with a stunning finish, making it 4-1 and confirming Argentina’s dominance on the night.

Following the humiliating defeat, Brazil’s head coach Dorival Júnior admitted that his tactical approach failed to counter Argentina’s brilliance.

“Our plan for today’s match didn’t work from the first minute. I have to recognize what happened, how our rival outplayed us, and they deservedly got the victory,” Dorival stated in the post-match press conference.

Brazil’s captain Marquinhos also shouldered responsibility for the disappointing performance, insisting that the players must step up in future games.

“All of us can do better than this. It isn’t only about Dorival. We need to have our heads in the right place,” the Paris Saint-Germain defender admitted.

With this comprehensive victory, Argentina solidified their position at the top of the South American standings with 31 points, having already secured their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Meanwhile, Brazil finds themselves under immense pressure as they sit in fourth place with 21 points, facing an uphill battle in their remaining qualifiers to secure their spot in the tournament.