On Tuesday night, Emiliano Martinez played with Brazil so much that Lionel Scaloni, the manager of Argentina, had to order him to stop. The long-time rivals faced off in the intense World Cup qualifying match, and Brazil lost badly. Argentina led 3-1 at halftime thanks to goals from Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, and Alexis Mac Allister, and Giuliano Simeone completed the decisive victory.
Raphinha, the Ballon d’Or winner, spent a lot of time in the build-up motivating his team because he was sure Brazil could challenge the defending world champions, especially with Lionel Messi out with an injury. But when Brazil had a humiliating night and once again failed to equal their South American rivals, those hopes were swiftly dashed.
From the first whistle to the last, Argentina appeared to be in complete control because they had the most of the possession and were far more successful in the last third of the play. “We performed our duties with humility and had a fantastic game. Alvarez later remarked, “We gave them a show” (see his opener below).
“We’re incredibly proud of the historic outcome, winning 4-1, and I’m thrilled for the supporters for supporting the squad and witnessing our outstanding performance at home. Knowing that we have qualified for the World Cup is fantastic.
Argentina became the first South American team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup in North America after Uruguay and Bolivia shared a scoreless draw earlier Tuesday.
For both Argentina and Aston Villa, Martinez has established himself as a master of mind games. With such a resounding victory against Brazil, midweek offered the ideal setting for more of his signature shenanigans. Martinez has never shied away from chances to irritate his opponents, as evidenced by his time-wasting antics in the Premier League and his legendary Golden Glove gesture during the 2022 World Cup.
On Tuesday, he demonstrated this enthusiasm once more by doing keepy-ups with eight minutes and stoppage time remaining.
Argentina retained their lead with 31 points (10 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses), while Brazil is still in fourth place with 21 points. Argentina has officially guaranteed their spot in the finals. However, the match held far more importance than merely earning a spot in the 2026 World Cup, with bragging rights accounting for a large portion of the drama.
One of football’s most thrilling matches is Argentina vs. Brazil, and Tuesday night was full of derby day vibes, with frequent collisions between the two teams. However, Martinez’s derision shows that it was ultimately a simple event for La Albiceleste, who were equally successful without their hero.
Emiliano Martinez Mocks Brazil as Argentina Humiliate Bitter Rivals
