Argentina–Brazil football rivalry
Historic international football rivalry
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Argentina–Brazil football rivalry, also referred to as the Clásico Sudamericano (Spanish: Clásico sudamericano; Portuguese: Clássico Sul-americano),[28][29] or the Superclassic of the Americas is a football rivalry between the national teams of Brazil and Argentina. The rivalry is considered one of the fiercest in international football, having been described by FIFA as the "essence of football rivalry".[30]
Spanish: Clásico sudamericano
Portuguese: Clássico Sul-americano
| |
| Other names | Clásico sudamericano Spanish: Clásico sudamericano Portuguese: Clássico Sul-americano |
|---|---|
| Location | South America (CONMEBOL) |
| Teams |  Argentina Brazil |
| First meeting | 20 September 1914 Friendly Argentina 3–0 Brazil[1] |
| Latest meeting | 25 March 2025 2026 World Cup qualifiers Argentina 4–1 Brazil |
| Statistics | |
| Meetings total | Disputed [note 1] |
| Most wins | Disputed [note 2] According to many sources: Argentina (41)[12][13][14][15][16][17] or Argentina (43)[18][19] or Argentina (44)[20][21][22] or Brazil (43)[23][24][25] |
| Most player appearances | Javier Zanetti (16) |
| Top scorer | Pelé (8) |
| Largest victory | Brazil 1–6 Argentina Roca Cup (5 March 1940)[26][27] |
  Argentina Brazil | |
Background
The games between the two nations are known for both the skill involved and the level of competitiveness, whether it be among individual players, club teams or national fixtures.[31] Both teams are often considered among the best in the world and usually regarded as favourites for major football tournaments such as the FIFA World Cup, CONMEBOL and the Copa América. They are also routinely ranked among the top nations in both the FIFA World Rankings and the World Football Elo Ratings.[32][33]
Moreover, throughout football's history, both nations have had players who, at one point or another, were considered to be the very best in the world, such as Alfredo Di Stéfano, Diego Maradona, and Lionel Messi from Argentina, and Pelé, Ronaldo, and Ronaldinho from Brazil.[34]
In a head-to-head comparison of senior titles, Brazil has won five FIFA World Cups, while Argentina has won three. In contrast, Argentina has won the Copa América sixteen times, compared to Brazil's nine. The duo also has many independent achievements in inter-confederation competitions, such as the FIFA Confederations Cup, won four times by Brazil and once by Argentina, the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions, twice for Argentina and none for Brazil, and the Panamerican Championship, won twice by Brazil and once by Argentina.
History
The origins of the football rivalry between Argentina and Brazil can be traced back to a time when football hadn't yet become the massively popular sport that it is today in both countries.[35] Since their first match in 1914, the men's senior national teams have faced each other in more than 100 matches, including friendlies, FIFA World Cup matches, and other official competitions.
Ever since Argentina's 3–0 victory over Brazil in 1914, the yearly years of the countries' football rivalry were defined by periods of non-engagement due to violent incidents. Notably, after a Copa América final turned violent in 1925, both teams refrained from competing in tournaments where the other was present (Brazil withdrawing from the Copa América until 1937), followed by a similar decade-long hiatus where, after a match in 1946, Argentina did not participate in any following World Cups until 1958.
Argentina would initially dominate the rivalry in a strict head-to-head count, going on to achieve considerable success in the Copa América, both with and without Brazil's attendance, winning twelve titles between 1921 and 1959 (placing second another seven times), which included a total of seven finals and won against Brazil (Brazil's first ever victory over Argentina in a final match would only come in 2004). However, after being the runner-up for the first ever World Cup in 1930, Argentina somewhat fell behind Brazil on the global stage, where the latter went on to win three World Cups in 1958, 1962, and 1970, while their figurehead player Pelé became the face of international football. Argentina would eventually win their first World Cup title as the host nation in 1978, after advancing from a hard-fought goalless draw against Brazil in the second group stage and ultimately winning the final match. Then came a second title in Mexico, in 1986, spearheaded by their own football icon, Maradona. The two teams would face each other again in the knockout stages for the 1990 World Cup, where Argentina was the eventual runner-up against West Germany. Brazil subsequently added two more titles to their record in 1994 and 2002, bringing their total to five, and Argentina went on to win the 2022 title, bringing their own total to three.
Between 1914 and 1976 the two nations also competed in the Roca Cup on 12 occasions. In 2011, the competition was reinstituted as the Superclassic of the Americas, which ran annually until 2019 (except in 2015 and 2016).
Notable matches and incidents
1925 Copa América
For the 1925 Copa América, Argentina and Brazil faced each other in the final match at Sportivo Barracas Stadium, on Christmas Day, drawing a crowd of more than 30,000 people. After 27 minutes, Lagarto intercepted a back pass by Ludovico Bidoglio and passed the ball to Arthur Friedenreich, who then managed to outmanoeuvre the Argentine goalie Américo Tesoriere with a strong shot, making it 1–0 to Brazil. Three minutes later, Nilo scored the second goal for the canarinha, to the crowd's astonishment: if the Brazilian lead was maintained, a new match would have to be played in order to determine the champion.
Before the end of the first half, a dangerous Brazilian counterattack was brought to a halt by Ramón Muttis with a heavy foul inflicted on Friedenreich, who in turn reacted by kicking the player. After the Argentine responded with a punch to the Brazilian's face, a full-blown brawl ensued, involving several players and even some spectators who invaded the pitch. Consequently, the game was soon suspended, only being resumed - without any dismissals - after a hug between Friedenreich and Muttis sealed a truce between the teams.[36]
After resuming, the match underwent a major change in course: by the end of the first half, Argentine player Antonio Cerrotti had narrowed the gap and opened the path to recovery. Then came the equaliser, ten minutes into the second half, scored by Manuel Seoane. After no more goals from either side, the match would end in a tied 2–2, granting Argentina their second victory in the Copa América. In Brazil, news of the match and its violent incident would be run by some local newspapers, who referred to the game as 'The Barracas' War'.[37]
Because of this event, Argentina and Brazil would refrain from officially playing against each other for 11 years.
1937 Copa América final
By the 1937 South American Championship (now Copa América), the rivalry between both teams had already become a matter of national pride. There often were verbal confrontations between both parties, wherein Argentine fans often taunted the Brazilians by calling them macaquitos (Spanish for 'little monkeys') and making monkey sounds.[38] The tournament's final match, held in Buenos Aires, was played between the two teams and by the 90 minutes mark the score was still goalless; the tie would be broken by the Argentinians, who, in overtime, managed to score two goals. Questioning one of the goals validity and fearful for their own safety, the Brazilian players would leave the stadium before the match was officially finished. The Brazilian press would go on to call the match jogo da vergonha (Portuguese for 'the shameful game').[39]
1939 Roca Cup
The 1939 edition of the Roca Cup – the amicable tournament between Brazil and Argentina – was the longest one in history, only being decided after two extra playoffs, in a total of four matches. The first two games were held in São Januário Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, with the first one ending 5–1 to Argentina, in January 1939.[40]
A second match was held only a week later, with the Brazilian team seeking to avenge the previous defeat. The match was intense: at first, Brazil was ahead at 1–0, then Argentina held the lead at 1–2, with Brazil finally levelling the scores at 2–2. Shortly before the end of the match, the referee (who was the same from the previous game) called a penalty for Brazil. Furious, Argentine player Arcadio López verbally assaulted the referee and had to be escorted out of the pitch by the police. The Argentine team, enraged by the situation, left the pitch in protest. The penalty would grant Brazil a 3–2 victory, which was scored without a goalkeeper, since the entire Argentine team had already abandoned the pitch.[39]
As both teams had each won one match, a playoff game was scheduled at Parque Antárctica in São Paulo. After extra time, the match ended in a 2–2 tie; therefore, a fourth and final match was held in the same venue and won by Argentina 3–0, finally granting them the trophy.
1945-1946 incidents
During a 1945 Roca Cup match won by Brazil 6–2, the young Brazilian player Ademir de Menezes fractured Argentine José Batagliero's leg.[41] Though it seemed to be only an unfortunate accident, both teams reacted by carrying the game on in a rougher and sometimes violent manner.
A few months later, Argentina and Brazil would again face each other in the final match for the 1946 South American Championship. Widespread media coverage at the time held the conviction that it would be a rough match. Twenty-eight minutes in, while heading for a free ball, Brazilian Jair da Rosa Pinto fractured Argentine captain José Salomón's tibia and fibula. General disorder ensued, with Argentine and Brazilian players fighting each other on the pitch as the mounted police unit on-site tried to suppress the brawl. After some 500 members of the audience invaded the pitch, both teams retreated to their dressing rooms. After eventually subduing the affray, the game was allowed to continue and Argentina would go on to win the match 2–0. After the incident, Salomón never completely recovered from the injury and would never play professional football again.[42]
1974 FIFA World Cup
The event would mark the first-ever meeting between both countries in the FIFA World Cup. Brazil, who'd previously won the 1970 World Cup, would face Argentina in West Germany's Niedersachsenstadion, in Hanover, for the tournament's second round, as both teams were placed in Group A. Ultimately, the game was won 2–1 by Brazil, with goals from Rivellino and Jairzinho, whereas Brindisi scored the only goal for Argentina.[43]
1978 FIFA World Cup
For the second group stage of the tournament, Group B was essentially a battle between Argentina and Brazil, which was resolved in controversial circumstances. In the first stage, Brazil beat Peru 3–0 while Argentina saw off Poland 2–0. Brazil and Argentina then played out a tense and violent goalless draw – which became known as A Batalha de Rosário (Portuguese for 'the Battle of Rosario') – thus granting both teams three points by the last round of games; despite the draw, Argentina would hold an advantage over Brazil insofar as their match against Peru kicked off several hours after Brazil's match with Poland.[44]
With Brazil having won their match 3–1, the Argentines knew that they had to beat Peru by four clear goals to go through to the final. The team would manage to do so with what some considered a suspicious degree of ease: trailing 2–0 at half-time, Peru's efforts simply collapsed in the second half of the game, allowing Argentina to win 6–0. Rumours had it that Peru might have been illicitly induced not to try too hard, a notion that was especially inflamed due to the fact that the Peruvian goalkeeper, Ramón Quiroga, was born in Argentina).[45][46] Nevertheless, no foul play was ever proved, and Argentina met the Netherlands in the final.[47][48][49][50][51][52]
Having been denied a final place by Argentina's 6–0 win over Peru, Brazil would place third after facing Italy and the two were dubbed "moral champions" by coach Cláudio Coutinho, since, despite not ultimately winning the tournament, they did not lose a single match.[53][54][55]
1982 FIFA World Cup
For the tournament's second group stage, Brazil and Argentina were grouped together (along with Italy) in Group C, which was dubbed the "group of death". In the opener, Italy prevailed 2–1 over Argentina, who then needed a win over Brazil on the second day. However, the Brazilians' attacking game, characterised by nimble one-touch passing on-the-run, ultimately managed to outmatch the Argentine team, in a final score of 3–1. Frustrated with the outcome, Diego Maradona kicked Brazilian player Batista, for which he received a straight red card.[56] Brazil would go on to lose their next game to Italy and thus exited the World Cup along with Argentina.[57]
1990 FIFA World Cup and the "holy water" scandal
The teams met in the 16th round of the 1990 FIFA World Cup. Argentina defeated Brazil 1–0 with a goal from Claudio Caniggia, after a pass from Diego Maradona. However, the match would come to a controversial ending, with Brazilian player Branco accusing the Argentine training staff of giving him a bottle of water laced with tranquilisers while they were tending to an injured player. Years later, Maradona stated on an Argentine television show that Branco had been given "holy water". Both the Argentine Football Association and the team's coach at the time, Carlos Bilardo, denied that the "holy water" incident ever took place,[58][59] though Bilardo had previously said of Branco's allegation: "I'm not saying it didn't happen."[60]
1991 Copa América
Argentina defeated Brazil 3–2 in Santiago in the first match of the final pool. Five players were sent off: Claudio Caniggia and Mazinho Oliveira after tangling in the 31st minute; Carlos Enrique and Márcio Roberto dos Santos for a fight in the 61st minute, that sent one player out on a stretcher; and Careca Bianchezi in the 80th minute, two minutes after coming on as a substitute.[61]
1993 Copa América
Argentina and Brazil tied 1–1 in the quarter-final match, played in Guayaquil: Brazil initially took the lead, but Leonardo Rodríguez brought about the draw in the second half with a header after a corner kick. For the shoot-out, Argentina defeated Brazil 6–5 after Marco Antônio Boiadeiro missed the final spot kick for Brazil, getting the team through to the semi-finals.[62] Argentina would go on to win that year's Copa América title after defeating Mexico in the final.[63]
1995 Copa América
Held in Uruguay, the two nations met at the quarter-finals stage on 17 July 1995. The Brazilian player Túlio Maravilha became famous for scoring a late equalizer five minutes from cut-off after controlling the ball with his left arm, an illegal move according to the game's regulations. Despite the obvious foul, the referee, Alberto Tejada Noriega of Peru, claimed he did not see the incident and the goal wasn't nullified. The game finished with a 2–2 draw and Brazil went on to win on penalties. The Argentine media labelled the incident as the "hand of the devil",[64] a reference to the controversial goal scored by Diego Maradona in the 1986 FIFA World Cup against England.
2004 Copa América
In the final match of the tournament, Argentina was winning 2–1 over Brazil, but Adriano scored a goal in the last minute of the match, taking it to penalties. Brazil would win the shoot-out with Júlio César stopping a shot from Andrés D'Alessandro.[65][66]
2005 FIFA Confederations Cup
In 2005, Brazil and Argentina participated in the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup. Brazil had qualified for the competition as the reigning World Cup champion at the time. However, since Brazil had also won the 2004 Copa América, runners-up Argentina was allowed to participate in the tournament to take up the vacated qualifier berth. In the semi-finals, Brazil eliminated hosting nation Germany, while Argentina eliminated Mexico, making it so that this competition marked the first time ever the two rivals met in the final game of a tournament sponsored by FIFA. The Brazilians would end up winning the match, outscoring the Argentines 4–1. Adriano scored twice for Brazil, along with Kaká and Ronaldinho, while Pablo Aimar scored Argentina's only goal.[67]
2007 Copa América
Brazil defeated Argentina 3–0 in Maracaibo, Venezuela, in the final. The goals were scored by Júlio Baptista, an own goal by Roberto Ayala, and Dani Alves.[68]
2008 Summer Olympics
Argentina and Brazil met on 19 August in the semi-final match of the football event. The game was described as a tête-à-tête between Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho, two FC Barcelona teammates.[69] The game was recognized as a hard-fought clash between two historic rivals, marred by numerous fouls and two red cards for Brazil. Argentina would end up winning 3–0, and went on to beat Nigeria 1–0 in the final, being the first nation to obtain two consecutive gold medals in football in 40 years, and the third overall after the United Kingdom and Uruguay.
2019 Copa América
Brazil and Argentina met at the semi-final match for the 2019 Copa América, which was hosted in Brazil. Brazil defeated Argentina 2–0 with goals by Gabriel Jesus and Roberto Firmino. Argentina eventually placed third and Brazil went on to win their 9th Copa América title.[70]
2021 Copa América
The 2021 Copa América was originally scheduled to be jointly held in Colombia and Argentina in 2020, but it was postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The event's organizers eventually removed both Argentina and Colombia from hosting the tournament, due to social unrest in Colombia and the COVID-19 pandemic in Argentina. Consequently, Brazil was chosen to host the tournament instead. In the final, Argentina defeated Brazil 1–0 at the Maracanã Stadium with a goal scored by Ángel Di María, winning their 15th Copa América title, the first one in 28 years.[71]
2026 World Cup qualifiers
On 22 November 2023, Argentina once again defeated Brazil 1–0 at the Maracanã in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier that was delayed due to crowd violence. It was the first time in history that Brazil was defeated at home in a FIFA World Cup qualification match after an uninterrupted run of 51 wins and 13 draws.[72]
On 25 March 2025, Argentina defeated Brazil 4-1 again, this time at the Mâs Monumental in another 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier, where Argentina became the first South American team to qualify for the 2026 event. It was the first time Argentina beat Brazil by such a margin since the 60's.[citation needed] It was also Brazil's first back to back defeat in a FIFA World Cup qualifier. The loss would lead the Brazilian football association to fire coach Dorival Júnior a few days later.[73][74]
Pelé–Maradona rivalry
Among the elite group of players football fans consider as contenders for the title of best player of all time, Brazil's Pelé and Argentina's Diego Maradona often figure as the most famous.[75][76] Some of their countrymen are also regularly featured as other possible contenders: the next most notable candidates are perhaps Garrincha (Brazil),[77] Lionel Messi (Argentina), and Alfredo Di Stéfano (Argentina).[78] The most dominant figures from the two countries in the modern game of football are Neymar (Brazilian) and Messi, who both played for F.C. Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain F.C.. Both Pelé and Maradona have nominated these players as their respective "successors".[79][80]
.jpg)
Nevertheless, the overall discussion around whether Pelé is better than Maradona or vice versa has insofar proved to be a never-ending, contentious dispute. Many consider a direct comparison between the players to be ultimately useless, as both players were respectively active during distinct eras and in different leagues.[81] The debate between the pair has been described as "the rivalry of their countries in microcosm".[82]
In regards to third-party recognitions, Pelé was given the title "Athlete of the Century" by the International Olympic Committee.[83] In 1999, Time magazine named Pelé one of the 100 Most Important People of the 20th Century.[84] He was also elected Football Player of the Century by France's Football Golden Ball Winners, in 1999, as well ass Football Player of the Century and South America Football Player of the Century by the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS). For his part, Maradona has been named Best Player of the 20th Century by the Globe Soccer Awards[85] and the best soccer player in World Cup history by The Times,[86] while FourFourTwo regarded him as the Best Football Player of All Time.[87] He was also elected as the Greatest Athlete in History by Corriere Dello Sport – Stadio.[88]
The feud would reach a climax during the FIFA Player of the Century award in 2000, for which Maradona was voted Player of the Century in an official internet poll, garnering 53.6% of the votes against 18.53% for Pelé. Shortly before the ceremony, FIFA decided to add a second award and appointed a "Football Family" committee composed of football journalists that gave Pelé the title of The Best Player of the Century, making it a draw. This move was criticized in Argentina, where it was suspected that Pelé was rewarded due to his constant support of FIFA, in contrast to Maradona's frequent criticism of the federation.[75][89] Others believed that FIFA weighed in other issues besides strictly professional merit in football, such as contentious Maradona's drug usage.[citation needed] In the ceremony, Maradona left right after receiving his award and just before Pelé was given his.[90]
In another internet poll that took place in 2002, Maradona received another award from FIFA, as one of his goals was selected as the World Cup Goal of the Century. One of Pelé's goals received third place, while Maradona had a second goal selected as fourth.[90]
Despite their frequent confrontations,[91] usually through references in the media, Pelé was a guest star in Maradona's TV show La Noche del 10 (Spanish for 'the Night of the #10'), where they had a friendly chat and played a bout of headers.[92] The two players also showed great respect for each other despite their differences, such as when Pelé stated in 2018 that Maradona was better than Messi, or in 2019 when Maradona prayed for Pelé to recover after the Brazilian legend was admitted to hospital for health complications.[93][94] When Maradona died on 25 November 2020, Pelé was among the major football figures to mourn Maradona's death.[95]
Statistics
Major official titles comparison
- As of 13 April 2025
| Senior titles | | |
|---|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup | 3 | 5 |
| FIFA Confederations Cup | 1 | 4 |
| Copa América | 16 | 9 |
| Panamerican Championship | 1 | 2 |
| CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions | 2 | 0 |
| Total senior titles | 23 | 20
|
| Youth titles | |
|
| Summer Olympics | 2 | 2 |
| Pan American Games | 7 | 5 |
| South American Games | 2 | 0 |
| CONMEBOL Pre-Olympic Tournament | 5 | 7 |
| FIFA U-20 World Cup | 6 | 5 |
| FIFA U-17 World Cup | 0 | 4 |
| South American U-20 Championship | 5 | 13 |
| South American U-17 Championship | 4 | 14 |
| South American U-15 Championship | 1 | 5 |
| Total youth titles | 32 | 55 |
| Grand total | 55 | 75 |
List of matches
Complete list of matches between both sides:
Note: Matches held before 1914[a] are not recognized by FIFA, thus the Federation states that Brazilian squads formed before that point in time were not official representatives of the country.[citation needed]
Before 1914, Argentina had toured Brazil twice, the first time in 1908,[96] returning in 1912.[97]
Recognized matches according to both sides
- According to many sources, 106 official games. Other sources place the number at 111 or 112. This discrepancy is mainly due to 6 contentious matches, wherein some sources count them as official games, some don't, and many others count them in part. They are, respectively:
• 6 October 1920: Argentina 3–1 Brazil; many sources claim this wasn't a 'Class A' match, as both teams played with 8 players each.[2][3]
• 22 October 1922: Brazil 2–1 Argentina; many sources claim this wasn't a 'Class A' match, as Brazil played with their reserve team because their A team had played at the 1922 South American Championship final the same day.[4][5][6][7]
• 2 December 1923: Argentina 0–2 Brazil (Copa Confraternidad); many sources claim this wasn't a 'Class A' match, as Argentina didn't play with its A team because it had played a decisive game against Uruguay the same day, in the 1923 South American Championship.[4][5][6][7]
• 5 December 1956: Brazil 1–2 Argentina (Copa Colombo); many sources claim this wasn't a 'Class A' match, as Brazil didn't play under its official national team, but rather the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan team.[8][5][6]
• 7 August 1968: Brazil 4–1 Argentina; many sources claim this wasn't a 'Class A' match, as Brazil didn't play under its official national team, but rather the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan team.[9][10][5][4]
• 11 August 1968: Brazil 3–2 Argentina; many sources claim this wasn't a 'Class A' match, as Brazil didn't play under its official national team, but rather a Minas Gerais state team.[11][10][5][4]
For more information about the topic,see 'Most wins'[clarification needed] - Since the total match count between both national teams is a contentious topic, there's also no consensus on which team has accumulated the most wins; for instance, a lot of sources do not count some particular cases where Argentina's first national team played against certain Brazilian state teams. Additionally, other sources argue against counting matches between Argentina or Brazil's first national teams, where either team played against the other's reserve team, thus not qualifying the game asan 'International Class A' match.[clarification needed]
Unrecognized matches
List of matches played from 1908 to 1914 – before the CBF was established – between the Argentina national team and diverse representatives (named themselves "Brazil"), such as Liga Paulista and Liga Carioca combined, or clubs (Paulistano, SC Americano), among others. It is believed that in the first match held on 2 July 1908, Argentina wore the light blue and white shirt for the first time,[300] although other sources state that the shirt debuted in a Copa Newton match v Uruguay in September that year.[301] In 1913, a Liga Paulista team arrived in Argentina to play two friendly matches there.[300]
| # | Date | City | Venue | Winner | Score | Goals (ARG) | Goals (BRA) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 July 1908 | São Paulo | Velódromo | (Draw) | 2–2 | J. Brown, E. Brown | Miller |
| 2 | 5 July 1908 | São Paulo | Velódromo | Argentina | 6–0 | Susán, E. Brown (3), A. Brown (2) | |
| 3 | 7 July 1908 | São Paulo | Velódromo | Argentina | 4–0 | Dickinson, Susán, A. Brown, E.A. Brown | |
| 4 | 9 July 1908 | Rio de Janeiro | Laranjeiras | Argentina | 3–2 | V. Etchegaray (o.g.), Dickinson, Burgos | Sampaio, E. Etchegaray (p.) |
| 5 | 11 July 1908 | Rio de Janeiro | Laranjeiras | Argentina | 7–1 | Robinson (o.g.), E.A. Brown (2), Burgos, E. Brown (2), Susán | Monk |
| 6 | 12 July 1908 | Rio de Janeiro | Laranjeiras | Argentina | 3–0 | E.A. Brown (3) | |
| 7 | 14 July 1908 | Santos | Liga Santista | Argentina | 6–1 | E.A. Brown (2), Susán (2), E. Brown (2) | Colston |
| 8 | 4 September 1912 | São Paulo | Velódromo | Brazil | 4–3 | Hayes (3) | Mariano, Décio (3) |
| 9 | 5 September 1912 | São Paulo | Velódromo | Argentina | 3–0 | J.D. Brown (p), E.A. Brown, Viale | |
| 10 | 7 September 1912 | São Paulo | Velódromo | Argentina | 6–3 | Susán, E.A. Brown (2), Viale, Hayes (2) | J.D. Brown (o.g.), Boyes, Manne |
| 11 | 8 September 1912 | São Paulo | Velódromo | Argentina | 6–3 | Susán (2), E.A. Brown (3), Hayes | Friedenreich, Malta, Salles |
| 12 | 12 September 1912 | Rio de Janeiro | Laranjeiras | Argentina | 4–0 | E.A.Brown, Ohaco, Hayes (2) | |
| 13 | 14 September 1912 | Rio de Janeiro | Laranjeiras | Argentina | 9–1 | (n/d) | Robinson |
| 14 | 15 September 1912 | Rio de Janeiro | Laranjeiras | Argentina | 5–0 | Hayes (4), Susán | |
| 15 | 10 August 1913 | Avellaneda | Racing | Brazil | 2–0 | Campos, Décio | |
| 16 | 17 August 1913 | Buenos Aires | GEBA | Argentina | 2–0 | Viale, Susán | |
Head-to-head
- As of 25 March 2025
There is a dispute in the official count of matches. Many sources don't count a few games played between the first team of Argentina against Brazilian State Selections teams, or the first team of Argentina or Brazil played against a "B" team of the rival, so they would not be "International Class A" matches.[302][note 1][13][14][15][16][17]
There are 6 controversial matches that many sources count them as official games, many others do not count, and many others count some of them and do not count others. These are those controversial games:
- 6 October 1920 (Argentina 3–1 Brazil): many sources say it was not a "Class A match" because it was played with eight players each.[2][3]
- 22 October 1922 (Brazil 2–1 Argentina): many sources say it was not a "Class A match" because Brazil played with their "B" team. The Brazilian "A" team played the same day the 1922 Copa America final vs. Paraguay.[4][5][6][7]
- 2 December 1923 (Argentina 0–2 Brazil, Copa Confraternidad): many sources say it was not a "Class A match" because Argentina did not play with its "A" team. The Argentine "A" team played in the same day the decisive game against Uruguay in the 1923 Copa América.[4][5][6][7]
- 5 December 1956 (Brazil 1–2 Argentina, Copa Colombo): Many sources say it was not a "Class A match". Brazil did not play with its first national team; it was a Guanabara State Selection.[8][5][6]
- 7 August 1968 (Brazil 4–1 Argentina): Many sources say it was not a "Class A match". Brazil did not play with its first national team; it was a Rio de Janeiro State Selection.[9][10][5][4]
- 11 August 1968 (Brazil 3–2 Argentina): Many sources say it was not a "Class A match". Brazil did not play with its first national team; it was a Minas Gerais State Selection.[11][10][5][4]
Argentina leads by two matches (44–42)
Having said that, according to many sources Argentina has won 44 games and Brazil 42.[20][21][22]
| Tournament | Matches played | Argentina win | Draw | Brazil win | Argentina goals | Brazil goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| FIFA Confederations Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Copa América | 34 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 53 | 40 |
| FIFA World Cup qualification | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 16 |
| Panamerican Championship | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Total official matches | 53 | 22 | 13 | 18 | 75 | 69 |
| Friendly matches | 59 | 22 | 13 | 24 | 93 | 97 |
| Grand total | 112 | 44 | 26 | 42 | 168 | 166 |
Argentina leads by one match (43–42)
According to many sources Argentina has won 43 games and Brazil 42.[303][19]
| Tournament | Matches played | Argentina win | Draw | Brazil win | Argentina goals | Brazil goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| FIFA Confederations Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Copa América | 34 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 53 | 40 |
| FIFA World Cup qualification | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 16 |
| Panamerican Championship | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Total official matches | 53 | 22 | 13 | 18 | 75 | 69 |
| Friendly matches | 58 | 21 | 13 | 24 | 93 | 97 |
| Grand total | 111 | 43 | 26 | 42 | 168 | 166 |
Argentina leads by two matches (41–39)
According to other sources, Argentina leads by two matches (41 to 39).[note 2]
| Tournament | Matches played | Argentina win | Draw | Brazil win | Argentina goals | Brazil goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| FIFA Confederations Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Copa América | 34 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 53 | 40 |
| FIFA World Cup qualification | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 16 |
| Panamerican Championship | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Total official matches | 53 | 22 | 13 | 18 | 75 | 69 |
| Friendly matches | 53 | 19 | 13 | 21 | 85 | 86 |
| Grand total | 106 | 41 | 26 | 39 | 160 | 155 |
- This FIFA's source is from Feb. 2013. After that date, they played 11 times, with 5 wins for Argentina, 4 wins for Brazil, 2 ties and 1 suspended match. To see the complete list of matches according to this FIFA's source, please click in "Advanced search", and then in "Show all matches"
- This sources do not consider as official the 1920 match (Arg 3 – Bra 1), the 1922 match (Arg 0 - Bra 2), the 1923 match (Arg 0 – Bra 2), the 1956 match (Bra 1 – Arg 2), and the 1968 games (Bra 4 – Arg 1 and Bra 3 – Arg 2). They say those games were played between the first teams of Argentina against brazilian State Selections (cases 1956,[304] and the two games of 1968),[9][11][305] or the first team of Argentina or Brazil played against B teams of the rival (cases 1920,[306] 1922 and 1923),[307][308][13][14][15][16][17] so they were not considered as "International Class A" matches.
Brazil leads by one match (43–42)
According to other sources Brazil leads by one match (43 to 42).[note 1]
| Tournament | Matches played | Argentina win | Draw | Brazil win | Argentina goals | Brazil goals |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIFA World Cup | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| FIFA Confederations Cup | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| Copa América | 34 | 16 | 8 | 10 | 53 | 40 |
| FIFA World Cup qualification | 11 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 16 |
| Panamerican Championship | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
| Total official matches | 53 | 22 | 13 | 18 | 75 | 69 |
| Friendly matches | 58 | 20 | 13 | 25 | 90 | 96 |
| Grand total | 111 | 42 | 26 | 43 | 165 | 165 |
Knockouts
- 1937 South American Championship final: Argentina 2–0 Brazil
- 1990 FIFA World Cup round of 16: Argentina 1–0 Brazil
- 1993 Copa América quarter-final: Argentina 1–1 (6–5 p) Brazil
- 1995 Copa América quarter-final: Argentina 2–2 (2–4 p) Brazil
- 1999 Copa América quarter-final: Argentina 1–2 Brazil
- 2004 Copa América final: Argentina 2–2 (2–4 p) Brazil
- 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup final: Argentina 1–4 Brazil
- 2007 Copa América final: Argentina 0–3 Brazil
- 2019 Copa América semi-final: Argentina 0–2 Brazil
- 2021 Copa América final: Argentina 1–0 Brazil
Club-level official titles comparison
Note: Only official competitions (organised by CONMEBOL and/or other continental confederations) are included.
- Note
Copa Libertadores de América
In the history of the Copa Libertadores, played since 1960, only twice has a Brazilian team attained the title on Argentine soil: in 1963, when Brazilian Santos F.C. defeated the most popular Argentine club, Boca Juniors, and in 2017, when Grêmio defeated Club Atlético Lanús. On the other hand, Boca Juniors has achieved three of its six titles on Brazilian soil, defeating Palmeiras in 2000, Santos in 2003 and Grêmio in 2007. The two greatest Argentine and Brazilian football players of all time, Pelé and Maradona, at one point also played in these two clubs: Pelé for Santos and Maradona for Boca Juniors. It has been reported that in all three of Boca Juniors' victories on Brazilian soil, Boca's players were denied a good night's rest the night before their final matches because of the chaos and noise created by Brazilian fans outside their hotel rooms, who attempted to disrupt the Argentine players from performing to the best of their abilities on the competition.[citation needed]
In the international arena, the most successful Argentine clubs are Boca Juniors (six Libertadores and three Intercontinental Cups), Independiente (seven Libertadores and two Intercontinental Cups), Estudiantes de La Plata (four Libertadores and one Intercontinental Cup), River Plate (four Libertadores and one Intercontinental Cup), Vélez Sársfield (one Libertadores and one Intercontinental), San Lorenzo (one Libertadores, one Copa Mercosur and one Copa Sudamericana), Argentinos Juniors (one Libertadores) and Racing Club (one Libertadores and one Intercontinental Cup).
The most successful Brazilian clubs are São Paulo F.C. (three Libertadores, one FIFA Club World Cup, two Intercontinental Cups, two Recopas and one Copa Sudamericana), Santos F.C. (three Libertadores and two Intercontinental Cups), Grêmio (three Libertadores and one Intercontinental Cup), Palmeiras (three Libertadores, one Copa Mercosur and one Recopa Sudamericana), Internacional (two Libertadores and one FIFA Club World Cup), Cruzeiro (two Libertadores), Corinthians (one Libertadores and two FIFA Club World Cups), Flamengo, (four Libertadores, one Copa Mercosur, one Copa de Oro, one Recopa and one Intercontinental Cup), Vasco da Gama (one Libertadores and one Copa Mercosur), Atlético Mineiro (one Libertadores and two Copa Conmebol), Fluminense (one Libertadores) and Botafogo (one Libertadores and one Copa Conmebol).
Women's football
The Brazilian women's team had little opportunity before 1980 to progress their skills, as ever since 1940, women's football had been prohibited by law in Brazil; nevertheless, this did not stop women from playing the sport.[312] It was believed that an excess in physical instruction for women could cause "masculinization".[313] For such, women faced significant challenges in defying the ban on women in sports, facing hostilities and a lack of opportunities.[313]
.jpg)
After a long history of exclusion, in 1991, Brazil would officially be represented by their women's national football team. It was runner-up in the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, and won a silver medal at the Olympic Games in 2004, 2008 and 2024. In comparison, Argentina does not have a professional (or even semi-professional) women's football league; the members of the Argentine women's national football team are all amateur players despite their clubs often being affiliated with prominent men's professional clubs. Although the two teams usually have to compete for the top qualification spots for CONMEBOL when the World Cup qualification comes around, this rivalry does not yet enjoy the same public notoriety that men's matches do.[citation needed]
Brazil won every game of the Sudamericano Femenino against Argentina until the 2006 edition, when Argentina finally beat them 2–0 in the final group stage, awarding Argentina the championship. Argentina did not participate in the 1991 South American competition and was second to Brazil in the following three tournaments. Starting with the 2003 edition, both champion and runner-up qualified for the World Cup. As Argentina has never been past the group stages in the World Cup, the two teams have not met in an Olympic Football Tournament yet.
Notes
- The Brazilian Football Confederation was established in 1914
