Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni has extended an olive branch to Brazil’s Raphinha following the Seleção’s humiliating 4-1 loss in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier on Tuesday night.

Raphinha, who has been in impressive form for Barcelona, stirred controversy before the match with his bold pre-game remarks. In an interview with Brazilian legend Romário, the winger confidently predicted a dominant victory for Brazil over Argentina, even backing 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 prediction spectacularly backfired as Argentina outclassed Brazil in Buenos Aires. Goals from Julián Álvarez, Enzo Fernández, Alexis Mac Allister, and Giuliano Simeone secured a comprehensive victory for the reigning world champions, while Raphinha was left silenced.

Scaloni: No Hard Feelings for Raphinha’s Comments

After the match, Scaloni showed sportsmanship by dismissing any lingering resentment toward the Brazilian forward.

"I forgive Raphinha because I know he didn’t do it on purpose; he’s defending his country," Scaloni said, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano. "I’m completely sure he didn’t mean to hurt anyone. We didn’t play like this because of that."

Argentina on Top, Brazil in Crisis?

With this result, Argentina remains dominant in South American qualifiers, topping the standings with 31 points from 14 matches. Meanwhile, Brazil’s struggles continue as they sit in fourth place with 21 points, raising serious questions about their squad and tactical approach.

Opinion: When Confidence Turns into Overconfidence

Raphinha’s comments were meant to inspire confidence, but they ended up backfiring spectacularly. While football thrives on rivalry and bold statements, there’s a thin line between confidence and overconfidence. Argentina, true to their professionalism, let their football do the talking, while Brazil, despite the pre-match bravado, looked lost on the pitch.

This match serves as a reminder that in football, talk is cheap—what truly matters is performance. With Brazil struggling and Argentina proving their dominance once again, the question remains: Is Brazil’s golden era fading, or can they bounce back before the 2026 World Cup?

What do you think? Let’s discuss!