ANKARA
Defending world champions Argentina beat South American rivals Brazil 1-0 in a violent 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday as the Brazilian police clashed with Argentina fans in stands.
The match at Rio de Janeiro’s Maracana Stadium was delayed for half an hour after a pre-match crowd violence as the police intervened to club fans.
Argentine superstar Lionel Messi and his teammates tried to calm the situation before their return to the locker room at Maracana.
Emiliano Martinez, Argentina’s goalkeeper, went near the stands and tried to grab a baton out of a Brazilian police officer’s hand while Argentina fans were being beaten.
Visitors Argentina won against Brazil 1-0 as Benfica defender Nicolas Otamendi scored the winning goal by header in the second half.
Brazil were reduced to 10-men after Joelinton was sent off in the 81st minute for pushing Rodrigo de Paul.
“It was bad because we saw how they were beating people,” Messi said.
“We went to the locker room because it was the best way to calm everything down, it could have ended in tragedy,” the 36-year-old forward added.
“You think about the families, the people who are there, who don’t know what’s going on and we were more concerned about that than playing a match that, at that point, was of secondary importance,” he said.
Victors Argentina are leading the South American (CONMEBOL) qualifying table with 15 points in six appearances.
Meanwhile, World Cup record holders Brazil, who lost three successive games, are in the sixth position to be eight points behind the leaders.
The best six teams will guarantee a spot at the 2026 World Cup finals to be co-hosted by Canada, Mexico and the US.
The seventh team in the CONMEBOL qualifying table will play in the inter-confederation playoffs.
