Furious Raphinha held back as Argentina players make him pay for pre-match comments
International football’s biggest rivalry was reignited overnight, and it’s fair to say that it didn’t disappoint.
Argentina hammered Brazil 4-1 in Buenos Aires, despite Raphinha trying to manifest a very different result.
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The Barcelona captain spoke with Brazil legend Romario before the match and said Argentina would be given ‘a beating on and off the pitch’ before adding: “I’m going to score. F*** them.”
Raphinha had reason to be confident as one of the world’s best players this season, leading Ballon d’Or odds due to numerous bookmakers.
Yet four minutes in, Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez bundled in a clever opener and eight minutes after Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez made it two.
Matheus Cunha capitalised on a sloppy Cristian Romero to cut the deficit, but when Alexis Mac Allister restored the two-goal lead in the 37th, it was clear the match was only going one way.
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In fact, just two minutes later the hosts at El Monumental decided to put Raphinha back in his place after he received a heavy tackle from Nicolas Tagliafico on the halfway line.
Using the break in play to settle scores, a melee broke out, and in stormed Nicolas Otamendi, clasping his hands in a speaking gesture, shouting ‘talk less’ to the former Leeds man.
In the second-half Diego Simeone’s son Giuliano made it four, and it was the biggest win the fixture had seen since Brazil won by the same scoreline in the 2005 Confederations Cup.
In the closing stages, fans in Buenos Aires made sure to join in with their players’ dissent, chanting: "Put Raphinha in, you son of a b****; put Raphinha in, you son of a b****,” the winger played the full 90 minutes.
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There was also some needle between Rodrygo and Leandro Paredes, with the Real Madrid star telling the Roma man: “You’re very bad,” only to hear back: "I have two Copa América titles and one World Cup. You have zero. You have zero.”
Yet the biggest dishonours continued for Raphinha, who headed straight for the tunnel at full-time, well beaten and well humiliated.
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Thinking his night might have been over, in stormed Emi Martinez for the most intentional of ‘accidental’ shoulder barges, and Argentina’s players again got their say, with young Endrick having to hold his colleague back.
Raphinha eventually made his way off the pitch, but the lesson continued in the media when Atleti duo Alvarez and Rodrigo De Paul spoke to the media.
"It was historic because of the context and everything that was said, because we played a great game at home and in front of our fans, and because we qualified for the World Cup,” Alvarez said.
"Obviously, that way of [Raphinha] speaking adds flavor to a match like this, but with humility and hard work, we gave them a run for their money.”
De Paul added on Raphinha: “Julian already said it. It's okay. It stays there, on the pitch.
“We never disrespect anyone. And that's despite the fact that we've been disrespected quite a bit over the years.
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“We've been the best team of all time for five or six years. Let them respect us.
“The best part of the season is when the number 10 [Lionel Messi] is there. But the team did very well today.
“I hope we and the people of our country value this Clasico a lot. There are some who want to lower the bar a little. But this team is very good. Whether it's the qualifiers, a friendly, or a World Cup, we always play the same way.”
The win means that defending champions Argentina have already booked their place in the 2026 World Cup with four games to play.
They have ten wins, a draw and three defeats, making that 31 points, eight more than any other team, and ten more than Brazil.