Argentina and Brazil football rivalry

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The origins of the football rivalry between Argentina and Brazil can be set long before the sport had become so popular in both countries.

During the colonization of the Americas, Spain and Portugal often fought each other to gain control over vast portions of land, specially around the strategic Río de la Plata. As far as the years of the independence of both countries, when a year long war ended with the Treaty of Montevideo that gave Uruguay its independence.

Today few remember wars and other political confrontations between both countries, and only recall matches, victories, goals and other sport-related incidents. Their rivalry is found in almost all sports, but a men's football match between Argentina and Brazil is one that neither side wants to lose, and often acquires more importance than the championship within which it takes place. To exemplify the intensity of this rivalry, is enough to remember that after the 1946 incidents (see below), the two teams did not play against each other for ten years; either team would decline to play a given cup so that they would never have to play against the neighbouring country.

Contents 1 Games statistics 2 Maradona and Pelé rivalry 3 Incidents 3.1 1920 incident 3.2 1937 incident 3.3 1939 incident 3.4 1945 and 1946 incidents 3.5 1978 FIFA World Cup controversy 3.6 1990 FIFA World Cup incident 3.7 1991 Copa América match 3.8 1995 Copa América match 3.9 1996 media incident 3.10 Desábato/Grafite 2005 incident 4 Club level 5 Women's football 6 Football culture 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

[edit] Games statistics

Since their first match in 1914, the national teams have played 88 matches counting friendlies, World Cup, and other official competitions (excluding matches between youth sides).

Even though there is a difference depending on whether the Argentine Football Association (AFA) or the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) does the counting, the near-balance is not in dispute. Of the 88 matches played between both national teams, 21 were draws, 34 were Brazilian victories and 33 for Argentina, with 142 goals for Argentina and 137 for Brazil. Only counting World Cup matches Brazil is ahead with 2 wins, 1 tie and 1 loss, whereas in the Copa América, Argentina has 15 victories, 7 draws and 8 defeats. Of 12 friendly matches, 5 were for Brazil, 3 for Argentina and 4 were draws. Even though Argentina has led the statistics since the first match between the two countries in 1914, the 1970s proved to be dark times for Argentina, with 6 defeats, 4 ties and no victories. Biggest wins are, for Argentina 6–1 (at home in Buenos Aires, 1940) and 1–5 (away at Rio de Janeiro, 1939), for Brazil 6–2 (at home in Rio de Janeiro, 1945 and 1960) and 1–4 (away at Buenos Aires, 1960).^[1]

Argentina and Brazil's most recent match has taken place on September 3, 2006 at Arsenal F.C.'s new Emirates Stadium in London,England. It ended in 3-0 win for the Brazilians. The first two goals were scored by Elano, a new edition to the Brazilian squad and the final goal a spectacular run down the field by world cup veteran Kaká. The Argentines played well but lacked the finishing touches that could have given them some crucial goals. ^[2]

[edit] Maradona and Pelé rivalry

Even though there's a number of players that people postulate as the best player of all time, Maradona and Pelé are probably the most famous, and hold most of the votes among an elite group that includes George Best, Cruijff, Beckenbauer, Platini and Di Stéfano.

The discussion about which of the two is the number one player of all time proved to be never ending. Even though most consider them as the best player of their time, many consider the comparison between them useless, as they played in different positions, during incomparable eras, and in different leagues.^[3]

The argument reached a climax during the FIFA century awards in 2000, in which Maradona was voted Player of the Century in an official internet poll, garnering 53.6% of the votes against 18.53% for Pelé. In spite of this, and shortly before the ceremony, the FIFA unexpectedly decided to add a second award and appointed a "Football Family" committee composed of football journalists that also gave to Pelé the title of best player of the century to make it a draw. This move was criticized in Argentina. Many suspected that Pelé was rewarded for his constant support of FIFA, in contrast to Maradona's frequent criticism^[4]. Others believe that FIFA was considering issues other than football, notably Maradona's drug and obesity problems. Maradona left the ceremony right after receiving his award, and before Pelé was given his.^[5] An example of the fluent cooperation between Pelé and the FIFA is the FIFA 100 best players' list, supposedly created in 2004 by Pelé for FIFA's 100th anniversary, though many believe that it was created by the FIFA Executive Committee following political motivations. In that year Pelé was given the FIFA Order of Merit for his contributions to football.

In another internet poll that took place in 2002, Maradona received another award from FIFA, as one of his goals was selected as the World Cup Goal of the Century. One of Pelé's goals conquered the third place, while Maradona had a second goal selected as fourth. Critics to those two internet polls claim them to be highly susceptible to coverage bias, because of the more common access to Internet by younger users who might not have seen Pelé in action^[6].

In spite of their frequent confrontations^[7], usually through quotations by the media, Pelé was the guest star of Maradona's TV show La Noche del 10 ("The Night of the #10"), where they had a friendly chat and played a bout of headers ^[8].

Famous players and football figures often give their opinion on the Maradona and Pelé rivalry, sometimes choosing one of the over the other^[9]. Others prefer not to compare them, as they played in very different times.

[edit] Incidents

[edit] 1920 incident

The friendly match played on October 12, 1920 in Buenos Aires started with 8 players on each side, as some of the Brazilian players refused to play because an Argentine newspaper insulted them calling them macaquitos (little monkeys), in clear reference to the mulatto skin of many of the players. Only 8 Brazilian players wanted to play, so the Argentine side decided to send only 8 to the field. Argentina won the match 3-1.

[edit] 1937 incident

In the South American Championship 1937 (current Copa América), the rivalry between both teams was already something of national pride. There were verbal confrontations between both parties, and Argentine fans often taunted the Brazilians by calling them macaquitos and making monkey sounds. The final match, held in Buenos Aires, was played between the two sides and was goalless after ninety minutes. In additional time, Argentina scored two goals, and the Brazilians decided to leave the field early. The Brazilian press called it "the game of shame".

[edit] 1939 incident

In 1939 there were two matches between Argentina and Brazil, both of them in Rio de Janeiro and for the Roca Cup. The first one, held in January, ended 5–1 to Argentina.

A second match was held only one week later, with the Brazilian team seeking revenge for the gross previous defeat. The match was vibrating; first Brazil went ahead 1–0, then Argentina recovered to get 1–2, and Brazil then tied it at 2–2. Shortly before the end of the match the referee, the same as in the previous match, gave a doubtful penalty to Brazil. Furious, Argentina player Arcadio López verbally attacked the referee and had to be escorted out of the field by the police. The Argentine team, enraged by the actions of the referee and the police, left the field. The penalty that gave Brazil the 3–2 victory was scored without a goalkeeper, since the entire Argentine team had already walked off the pitch.

[edit] 1945 and 1946 incidents

In the 1945 match that Brazil won by 6 goals to 2, young Brazilian Ademir Menezes fractured Argentine Batagliero's leg. Though it seemed to be only an unfortunate accident, the game was played roughly and sometimes violently.

A few months later, the South American Championship 1946 final again involved Argentina and Brazil. There was a large media coverage, and the conviction that it would be a rough match. Twenty-eight minutes after the beginning, when both teams went for a free ball, Brazilian Jair Rosa Pinto fractured Argentine captain José Salomon's tibia and fibula. General disorder ensued, with Argentine and Brazilian players fighting on the pitch with the police. The public invaded the field and both teams had to go to the dressing rooms. After order was restored the game continued, and Argentina won the match 2–0. Salomon never recovered completely nor played professional football after the incident^[10].

[edit] 1978 FIFA World Cup controversy

In the second group stage Brazil were competing with tournament hosts Argentina for top spot and a place in the finals. In their last group match, Brazil defeated Poland 3-1 to go top of the group with a goal difference of +5. Argentina were only on a goal difference of +2, but in their last group match they managed to defeat Peru 6-0, thus qualifying for the final instead of Brazil. The controversy came from the fact that not only was the Peruvian goalkeeper Ramón Quiroga born in Argentina, but had only allowed 6 goals in the previous 5 matches, whereas the Argentines had only scored 6 goals in the tournament up to that point. Both Argentine and Peruvian players have always denied any wrongdoing. Because of this and the fact that Brazil was the only undefeated team of the whole tournament, many Brazilians consider themselves the moral victors of that World Cup.^{[citation needed]}

[edit] 1990 FIFA World Cup incident

The round of 16 in the 1990 FIFA World Cup held in Italy featured one highly anticipated clash between the two South American powers. Brazil dominated most of the game and it seemed that the Argentines would to be lucky to hold the Brazilians to a draw after they hit the posts and crossbar 3 times. But with very little time left, Maradona played a pass to Caniggia, who faced goalkeeper Taffarel and put the ball into the net. Argentina won the game and went all the way to the final of the World Cup, where they lost to Germany 1-0.

This game is also remembered by an incident featuring Brazilian defender Branco and Argentine assistant Miguel di Lorenzo, known as "Galindez". Branco claims that he felt dizzy after drinking from a water bottle given to him by di Lorenzo but he still finished the game without asking to be substituted. In 2005, Maradona seemed to confirm this suspicion; this generated calls for sanctions against Argentina's then coach Carlos Bilardo and his assistant. To this day, Galindez denies that the bottle contained anything other than water.

[edit] 1991 Copa América match

Argentina defeated Brazil 3-2 in Santiago, Chile in the first match of the final pool. 5 players were sent off: Claudio Caniggia and Mazinho after tangling in the 31st minute; Enrique and Márcio Santos for another fight in the 61st minute, with one player leaving on a stretcher; and Careca III in the 80th minute, 2 minutes after coming on as a substitute.^[11]

[edit] 1995 Copa América match

Held in Uruguay they met at the quarter-finals stage on July 17, 1995 . Brazilian Tulio Costa became famous for scoring a late equalizer five minutes from time after controlling the ball with his left arm. Despite the obvious foul, the referee claimed he did not see the incident and the goal stood.^[12]. The game finished with a 2-2 draw and Brazil went on to win on penalties.

[edit] 1996 media incident

During the 1996 Summer Olympics, Argentina's rival for the final match of the gold medal was to be decided between Brazil and Nigeria. The sports newspaper Diario Olé printed the controversial headline Que vengan los macacos ("Bring the monkeys on"), in clear reference to the already forgotten term used decades before. The headline was widely condemned both in Argentina and Brazil. Nigeria eventually obtained the golden medal, Argentina got the silver, and Brazil the bronze.

[edit] Desábato/Grafite 2005 incident

In a Copa Libertadores 2005 match, after a rough tackle by the Brazilian club São Paulo's player Grafite, Argentine Quilmes player Leandro Desábato supposedly reacted with a racist insult towards Grafite^[13] even though the referee was standing less than two feet away and wrote in his report that he did not hear Desabato say anything. In what was called by the Argentine media "an extremely exaggerated reaction" and by their Brazilian counterparts as "an exemplary reaction to a racist attack", Desábato was arrested after the match, handcuffed, taken to the local police station, and kept there for 40 hours. The entire Quilmes team waited for Desábato in Brazil while he was held in custody. With Desábato sent back to Argentina, and after a few days of tension and media coverage of the event, Grafite finally dropped the charges^[14].

[edit] Club level

At club level, Argentine clubs show an important advantage over the Brazilians. Argentine clubs have won 20 Copas Libertadores against 13, and 9 Intercontinental Cups against 6. The second most important CONMEBOL championship, equivalent to the European UEFA Cup, is the Copa Sudamericana (after the merger of Copa Mercosur and Copa Merconorte, which replace Supercopa Sudamericana) with a slight advantage for Argentina. Other minor events include the Recopa Sudamericana, and the defunct Copa CONMEBOL and Copa Interamericana. However, it must be noted that during the 70s, Brazilian clubs rarely participated in international competitions with their first team players due to the long domestic schedule.

In the international arena, the most successful Argentine clubs are Boca Juniors, Club Atlético Independiente, Estudiantes de La Plata, and River Plate. Brazilians include São Paulo, Santos, Grêmio and Flamengo.

[edit] Women's football

The Brazil women's national football team is a successful women's football team, though not as successful as the men's counterpart. It achieved a third place in the FIFA Women's World Cup of 1999, and a Silver Medal at the Olympic games in 2004. In comparison, Argentina does not have a professional (or even semi-professional) women's football league; the members of the Argentina women's national football team are all amateur players despite their clubs often being affiliated with prominent men's professional clubs. Although the two teams usually have to battle for the top qualification spots for CONMEBOL when the World Cup qualification comes around, this rivalry does not provide the passion that men's matches encounter yet.

Brazil won every game of the Sudamericano Femenino against Argentina until the 2006 edition, when Argentina finally beat them 2-0 in the final group stage, awarding Argentina the championship. Argentina did not participate in the 1991 South American competition and was second to Brazil in the following 3 tournaments. Beginning with the 2003 edition, both champion and runner-up qualified for the World Cup. As Argentina has not been past the group stages in the World Cup, the two teams have not met in the Olympic Football Tournament yet.

[edit] Football culture

Depicting the football rivalry between the two South American countries, Maradona filmed a television commercial in which he is wearing the Brazilian outfit, lined up with Brazilian stars Kaká and Ronaldo, singing the Brazilian hymn before a match. He then wakes up from the nightmare, where he can be seen wearing the Argentine jersey in his bed, next to a bunch of empty cans of Guaraná Antarctica, a Brazilian brand beverage.^[15]

Regarding Liverpool F.C.'s dramatic comeback victory in the 2005 UEFA Champions League Final from a 0-3 deficit, Maradona stated that the great Brazil team of 1970 would not be able to accomplish such a feat.

[edit] See also

• Macaquitos

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• (Portuguese) Brazil vs. Argentina rivalry
• Argentina vs. Brazil statistics by RSSSF