Brazil vs Argentina – Complete head-to-head record

With a combined eight FIFA World Cup triumphs between them, Brazil and Argentina are often recognised as the two major heavyweights in South American football.

The two nations have produced a wide range of the greatest players ever. The fixture fuels debate in the eternal Diego Maradona vs Pele ‘GOAT’ conversation, while modern-day legend Lionel Messi has often battled Neymar – two players named by Maradona and Pele as their successors – on the international scene.

The Albiceleste’s clashes with the Selecao are often fiercely competitive and can provide moments of great controversy, with neither side willing to give an inch to their continental neighbours.

Also known as Superclasico de las Americas, here’s the complete head-to-head record in games between Brazil and Argentina.

This match ended at nearly 02:00 local time in Buenos Aires, so it’s safe to say Vicente de la Mata’s two goals in extra time are among the latest strikes in the beautiful game’s long and storied history.

Argentina and Brazil had already squared off before in the 1937 Campeonato Sudamericano, the former claiming a 1-0 win thanks to Enrique Garcia’s effort, and they met again in a play-off after producing identical records of four wins and a loss apiece in the first phase.

A hard-hitting final featuring a fair few bust-ups required extra time to produce a winner. De la Mata’s two goals ensured Argentina won their fifth continental trophy.

World Cup failures are taken pretty hard by Brazil. As record five-time winners, the Selecao’s aim is always reclaiming the gold trophy, but their hopes came to an abrupt end in the last 16 back in 1990 at Turin’s Stadio Delle Alpi.

Brazil hadn’t thrilled the Italian crowds at the World Cup like in previous tournaments and their wastefulness in the final third helped La Albiceleste resist their pressure and strike the game’s only goal thanks to some Diego Maradona magic.

The former Napoli star dribbled forward and unlocked the Brazil defence to send Claudio Caniggia through to round goalkeeper Claudio Taffarel and score.

Brazil sent a youthful Selecao squad to the 2004 Copa America finals, with stars like Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Cafu and Roberto Carlos – all of whom won the World Cup two years prior – left at home.

Carlos Alberto Parreira’s young guns all put themselves firmly in contention for the 2006 World Cup by securing a monumental victory against Argentina in the final, having bested Mexico and Uruguay in the knockout stages.

Having been targeted with criticism in the build-up to the tournament, Adriano netted seven goals including a 93rd-minute equaliser to send the final to extra time and eventually penalties, where Brazil triumphed 4-2.

Three years later Brazil and Argentina played in a second consecutive Copa America final, though this time the margin of victory to the former was much bigger.

An early Julio Baptista strike had the Selecao in control before a Dani Alves cross was diverted into his own net by Roberto Ayala. Alves then grabbed the third from Vagner Love’s pass to confirm Brazil’s eighth triumph in the competition.

Played at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, Lionel Messi scored his second international hat-trick for Argentina in a thrilling 4-3 victory over Brazil.

In a game that also saw Marcelo and Ezequiel Lavezzi sent off late on, Romulo put the Selecao ahead before two goals from Messi in the space of four minutes edged La Albiceleste in front.

Second-half efforts from Oscar and Hulk saw the pendulum swing again, but Federico Fernandez’s header levelled things up before Messi completed his treble with the match-winner in the 85th minute.

Messi had to wait until the latter stages of his Argentina career for major trophies at international level, his first finally arriving in 2021 as Argentina beat Brazil in the Copa America final.

Angel Di Maria’s lob in the 22nd minute was enough for Messi and co to beat the likes of Neymar, Thiago Silva, Casemiro and Vinicius Junior to the title.

Brazil vs Argentina – Complete H2H record

Brazil vs Argentina – World Cup H2H record

Brazil vs Argentina – Copa America H2H record

Top scorers in Brazil vs Argentina fixtures

READ MORE ON THE STATE OF QUALIFYING FOR THE 2026 WORLD CUP AROUND THE GLOBE