The South American Superclásico has already surpassed a century of encounters, and after decades of Albiceleste dominance, the balance now tilts toward Brazil.
Regarded as the continent’s greatest rivalry, Argentina and Brazil have clashed for more than 100 years. Their first official meeting took place at GEBA on September 20, 1914, a 3-0 defeat for Argentina. Since then, the two football powers have cultivated a fierce rivalry that has grown into a storied series of matches across generations.
Next Tuesday, November 21, the teams will meet again in the South American Qualifiers on the road to the 2026 World Cup. The most recent meeting occurred in Qatar, where they played to a goalless draw in San Juan.
10 UNFORGETTABLE clashes between Argentina and Brazil
Historically, Argentina dominated the exchanges for much of the early era. Yet over the last two decades, Brazil has reversed that trend. From 1999 to the present, 27 competitive encounters have been held, with Brazil winning 14, Argentina 9, and 4 draws (one of which ended in penalties for Brazil, notably in a Copa América final).
Argentina came within one win of tying the all-time record by claiming the 2021 Copa América title in the final at the Maracanã, but Brazil continued to hold a slight edge overall. Brazil has 42 victories, Argentina 41, and 25 draws. In goals, Brazil has 155 while Argentina has 154.
Below is the breakdown by competition:
ELIMINATORS
The teams began meeting in the World Cup qualifiers after the shift to a round-robin format, ahead of France 1998. Brazil, having already qualified as the 1994 champions, did not participate in the first qualifying round in that period. The first head‑to‑head in the modern cycle occurred en route to Korea/J Japan 2002. In that competition, Argentina never won as a visitor, suffering three defeats and one draw, while it earned four home results in the Korea/Japan 2002 and Germany 2006 campaigns.
On the road to Qatar 2022, the teams faced each other twice, but only one match was played, a goalless draw in San Juan. It was during those qualifying rounds that a San Paulo clash was interrupted after five minutes and later declared invalid.
AMERICA CUP
The continental championship is the arena where both sides have met most often. Although Argentina holds the historical edge overall, recent decades have seen Brazil assert dominance, including a 2004 Copa América final win on penalties and a 2007 triumph, with Argentina reaching the 2019 semifinals in defeat.
In 2021, Argentina halted a six-match winless stretch against Brazil in the continental tournament by winning 1-0 at the Maracanã, capturing the title on Brazilian soil at the rival’s expense.
WORLD CUP
This classic has appeared four times in the World Cup knockout stages, with Brazil holding a slight lead in wins. Brazil triumphed in the 1974 and 1982 second rounds, Argentina drew 0-0 in Argentina 1978, and the most memorable moment came in Italy 1990 when Argentina won 1-0 in the round of 16 thanks to Claudio Caniggia’s late heroics.
OTHER COMPETITIONS
Across official tournaments, Argentina and Brazil have met in numerous settings. Notable clashes include the 2005 Confederations Cup final, a 4-1 Brazilian victory, and a 1981 Mundialito draw in Uruguay. Mid-20th-century events like the Pan American Championship saw both sides claim wins on different occasions: 1956 ended in a 2-2 draw, while 1960 yielded Argentina 2-1 and Brazil 1-0 results.
FRIENDLIES
Beyond official events, Argentina and Brazil have sustained a rich history of friendlies since their 1914 debut. Several matches carried the name “Roca Cup,” which ceased after 1976. In the early 2010s, the two nations staged editions of the “Superclásico de las Américas,” featuring teams composed exclusively of domestic players from each country.