Brazil captain Marquinhos issued a public apology following his team’s humiliating 4-1 defeat to arch-rivals Argentina in their 2026 World Cup qualifier in Buenos Aires on Tuesday, March 25th. The loss, Brazil’s heaviest ever in a World Cup qualifier against Argentina, increases pressure on the team and manager Dorival Jr.
“What we did here today can’t happen again,” Marquinhos told Brazilian TV Globo. “It’s hard to talk about it in the heat of the moment… It’s embarrassing.”
The five-time World Cup winners have now won just once in their last four qualifiers. Marquinhos acknowledged the team’s poor start and Argentina’s current confidence. “We started the game very badly, far below what we could do and they’re on a great run of confidence. They knew how to play smart … I’m sorry for our fans,” he stated.
Manager Dorival Jr., who took charge in early 2024, has faced scrutiny from Brazil’s demanding fanbase, having won only seven of his 16 games. Marquinhos emphasized shared responsibility: “It’s not just the coach’s fault… It’s the players’ fault too. There’s no secret formula in football… We can all do better. We have to share the blame. It’s about understanding the moment and being humble.”
While Argentina have already secured their place at the 2026 World Cup, Brazil remain fourth in the South American standings with 21 points, just six points clear of Venezuela in seventh place, which only offers a spot in the inter-confederation playoffs.
Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni praised his team’s performance: “We played as a team and that’s why we minimized Brazil. We played at the highest level. We have to keep proving ourselves, but knowing that it won’t always be like this.”
The heavy defeat serves as a stark warning for Brazil, highlighting the need for significant improvement if they are to secure automatic qualification for the World Cup in North America.
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