Argentina Rivalry

The essence of football rivalry between Brazil and Argentina.

The Argentina–Brazil football rivalry, also referred to as the Clásico Sudamericano, the Superclassic of the Americas or simply the Superclassic, is a football rivalry between the national teams of Brazil and Argentina. The rivalry is considered one of the fiercest in international football, having been described by FIFA as the 'essence of football rivalry'.

Quick Facts

Legendary era matchup: Pelé vs Maradona (never faced each other in official matches)

Lore & Background

Since their first match in 1914, the men's senior national teams have faced each other in more than 100 matches, including friendlies, FIFA World Cup matches, and other official competitions. The early years of the rivalry were defined by periods of non-engagement due to violent incidents. After a Copa América final turned violent in 1925, both teams refrained from competing in tournaments where the other was present (Brazil withdrawing from the Copa América until 1937), followed by a similar decade-long hiatus where, after a match in 1946, Argentina did not participate in any following World Cups until 1958.

Argentina initially dominated the rivalry in a strict head-to-head count, winning twelve Copa América titles between 1921 and 1959. Brazil went on to win three World Cups in 1958, 1962, and 1970, while Pelé became the face of international football. Argentina won their first World Cup in 1978, then a second in 1986, spearheaded by Maradona. Brazil added two more titles in 1994 and 2002, bringing their total to five, and Argentina won the 2022 title, bringing their own total to three.

Between 1914 and 1976 the two nations also competed in the Roca Cup on 12 occasions. In 2011, the competition was reinstituted as the Superclassic of the Americas, which ran annually until 2019 (except in 2015 and 2016).

Reader's Guide

In a head-to-head comparison of senior titles, Brazil has won five FIFA World Cups, while Argentina has won three. In contrast, Argentina has won the Copa América sixteen times, compared to Brazil's nine. The duo also has many independent achievements in inter-confederation competitions, such as the FIFA Confederations Cup, won four times by Brazil and once by Argentina, the CONMEBOL–UEFA Cup of Champions, twice for Argentina and none for Brazil, and the Panamerican Championship, won twice by Brazil and once by Argentina.