The only flaw was Cristian Romero (27, Tottenham).
Argentina defeated Brazil 4-1 in the 14th match of the 2026 North and Central America World Cup South American qualifiers at Estadio Monumental in Buenos Aires on the morning of the 26th at 9 a.m. (Korea time).
Having already secured qualification for the finals, Argentina maintained its lead with 31 points (10 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses), while Brazil remained in fourth place with 21 points.
Argentina lined up in a 4-1-4-1 formation. Julián Álvarez stood at the forefront, and in the attacking second line were Thiago Almada, Alexis Mac Allister, Enzo Fernández, and Rodrigo De Paul. Leandro Paredes solely protected the back four, while Nicolás Tagliafico, Nicolás Otamendi, Cristian Romero, and Nahuel Molina formed the defense line. Emiliano Martínez guarded the goal.
Brazil faced off in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Vinicius Junior played at the front, while Rodrygo, Matheus Cunha, and Raphinha positioned themselves in the attacking second line. Joelinton and André filled the midfield, and Guilherme Arana, Murilo, Marquinhos, and Wesley formed the back four. The goalkeeper gloves were worn by Bento.
Just four minutes into the match, Julián Álvarez scored the opening goal, taking control of the game, and in the 13th minute, Enzo Fernández added another goal to increase the lead. Brazil managed to score a consolation goal through Matheus Cunha in the 26th minute of the first half, but in the 37th minute, Alexis Mac Allister finished off a cross from Enzo to restore Argentina's lead.
In the second half, Argentina was unstoppable. In the 27th minute, substitute Giuliano Simeone converted Tagliafico's low cross to score a final goal, sealing a 4-1 victory. Brazil collapsed without creating any notable counterattack opportunities.
Argentina overwhelmed Brazil in every aspect of the game, including sharp set pieces, accurate crosses, and timing of penetrations, proving once again its status as a strong team.
Before this match, Argentina had not defeated Brazil by a margin of two goals or more since 2005. Moreover, it was the first time in 66 years that a 4-1 score had occurred.
Argentina's performance was flawless. Brazil, with world-class attackers like Vinicius, Rodrygo, and Raphinha, managed only three shots, with one on target.
Argentina's only blemish was Romero's mistake. In the 26th minute of the first half, Romero held onto the ball too long after receiving a pass and, for some reason, was stripped of the ball by the approaching Cunha, allowing a goal.
Meanwhile, Romero recently expressed deep distrust of the medical staff at his club, Tottenham Hotspur. Amid this situation, reports emerged that Real Madrid and Atlético Madrid are interested in him, leading to transfer speculation. According to local reports, Tottenham offered a higher weekly salary than Son Heung-min, but Romero is preparing to leave without responding to the offer.
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