Brazilian winger Raphinha was unable to prevent his team from suffering a heavy 4-1 defeat against Argentina in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday evening.
Despite being in impressive form for Barcelona this season, Raphinha had made bold claims ahead of the match during an interview with Selecao legend Romario.
The former Leeds United forward confidently predicted that Brazil would thrash Argentina and even backed himself to score.
“We’re going to give Argentina a beating, no doubt. Am I going to score? Yes. With everything. F**k them,” Raphinha had boasted.
However, his expectations were shattered as Argentina secured a dominant 4-1 victory in Buenos Aires, celebrating their qualification for the 2026 World Cup in style.
Goals from Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Giuliano Simeone sealed the emphatic win for the reigning world champions, who played without their captain, Lionel Messi.
Argentina’s qualification was confirmed earlier in the day following Bolivia’s goalless draw with Uruguay.
With this victory, Argentina secured their spot in the 2026 World Cup, set to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, with four games remaining. They currently lead the 10-team qualifying group with 31 points from 14 matches.