While football is often regarded as ‘the beautiful game’, the events that unfolded today at the Brazil vs Argentina match suggest otherwise. The FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifiers match took place at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro but it was overshadowed by violent clashes between rival fans and the police. The incident delayed kick-off by nearly 30 minutes and also raised serious concerns about safety and security for such an intense match. Let’s explore the incident in detail and find out what really happened at the Brazil vs Argentina game.
Brutal clash at Brazil’s FIFA WC Qualifiers
The rivalry between Argentina and Brazil’s football teams and their fans practically need no introduction. The tension escalated during the pre-match proceedings as fans from both sides engaged in a brawl behind one of the goals.
Incidentes en la previa del clásico sudamericano. Momentos antes del inicio del partido hay disturbios en la tribuna y los jugadores de ambas selecciones intentan calmar los ánimos. Se demora el arranque de Brasil vs Argentina por las #Eliminatorias. pic.twitter.com/V8kSg4iYNj
— Televisión Pública (@TV_Publica) November 22, 2023
The situation quickly spiraled out of control as police and security personnel intervened and responded with physical force. Law enforcement charged towards the unruly crowd with batons. Some Argentina fans retaliated by tearing up and hurling seats at the officers.
Spectators who did not even participate in the clashes were hit by objects thrown by those who were involved. One fan reportedly left the stadium with a severe head injury. Players from both teams tried to ease the situation as Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez even jumped on the rails to stop the violence.
How did Lionel Messi react?
Lionel Messi led his team of players as they walked out of the field to the locker room to bring an end to the chaos. As a result, the game was delayed by 27 minutes but resumed later and continued till full-time. A similar incident had also happened in the Libertadores final.
Messi joining the celebrations in the same area the brutal Brazilian police attacked fans.
pic.twitter.com/8QU49fTQoQ— Vamos Argentina (@ArgentinaENFan) November 22, 2023
Apart from leading his team to walk out of the pitch, the Argentine captain spoke out after the match in an interview as well as posted on social media to voice his displeasure over the clashes at the Brazil vs Argentina game.
The 8-time Ballon d’Or winner spoke about how they witness people getting beaten up by authorities, mainly Argentina fans and their families. He criticized the security measures since this is not an isolated incident which happened for the first time.
Match results of Brazil vs Argentina
Despite the unfortunate violence that preceded the Brazil vs Argentina match, the result turned out to be a historic 1-0 defeat in favor of the Albiceleste. This was the first time in Brazil’s history that the team had suffered a home loss in a FIFA World Cup Qualifiers game since 1954.
After the initial delay, the Argentine players returned to the pitch for a tense battle against Brazil. In the 63rd minute, defender Nicolas Otamendi scored a header which sealed the victory for Argentina. This marked Brazil’s third consecutive defeat as they are now in the sixth place of the CONMEBOL qualifiers table which Argentina has topped.
