Brazil is no longer a 'big guy'

Brazil just lost 1-4 to Argentina in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

The match ended 4-1, a crushing defeat that Brazilians will never forget. If it was painful for fans to watch from the stands, it must have been even more humiliating for the national team players to stand on the pitch and watch as they were completely outplayed by their opponents.

And for coach Dorival Junior, this defeat could be the end of his career in the national team.

An unacceptable defeat

It has been a long time since Brazil suffered such an embarrassing game. Conceding a goal in just three minutes is something that can happen, but conceding two goals in the first 12 minutes is a sign of serious weakness.

And then Argentina continued to show their superiority, leaving Brazil unable to recover. This defeat was not just a simple defeat but a clear reflection of the lost direction of a team that was once a symbol of strength on the pitch.

Matheus Cunha, Brazil's only scorer in the match, said he did not think Argentina were better than Brazil individually. But football is not just about individual stars competing, but about the connection between individuals in a unified and tactically sound team. Brazil, despite having many talented players, when they cannot connect their lines, when they cannot operate an effective system of play, the result will always be failure.

Brazil lost comprehensively to Argentina.

Seeing that Brazil could not keep up with Argentina's pace, coach Dorival Júnior decided to make a second-half substitution, bringing on three young players - Leo Ortiz, Joao Gomes and Endrick - who had only had three training sessions together.

And in fact, two of them were not even on the coach's initial list. These changes were ineffective, and further highlighted the team's lack of tactics and preparation.

After the match, Coach Dorival did not hesitate to accept responsibility for the team's defeat. It was probably one of the most accurate analyses he has made since taking over the coaching position. However, even though he accepted responsibility, he still did not really find the root cause of the problem.

It's not just the coach's fault.

It is difficult to blame the coach entirely when the defeat is the result of a long line of problems that have existed in Brazilian football. The national team is used to being eliminated early in major tournaments, used to playing with a lack of passion and cohesion.

This is not just Dorival Junior’s fault but also the result of a lack of direction over a long period of time. People can complain about the referees, the fixtures or the pitch, but at crucial moments like before the match against Argentina, no one speaks up about the deeper problems in the way Brazilian football is managed and developed.

As Nelson Rodrigues once said: “All consensus is stupid.” This may not be entirely true in all cases, but in current Brazilian football, the vague consensus led to a humiliating defeat against an Argentina team that was not the strongest.

The fault does not lie solely with coach Dorival Junior.

Brazil, a team that was once the pride of the world, now had to witness a bitter defeat against its arch-rival, a defeat that even the most loyal fans could not have expected.

Brazil needs to look at itself. It is time to not just look at failures and blame the coach or an individual, but a comprehensive reform of the way the team operates.

The lack of connection in the playing style, the lack of clear tactics and especially the absence of a systematic football system has left Brazil falling behind its big rivals. If they do not change, they will continue to witness painful defeats like this, and may not have enough strength to regain their position on the world football map.

The defeat to Argentina was a nightmare for Brazil. A dark night not only for the players, but for all who love Brazilian football. This defeat was not only a warning about the present, but also a sign that the team's future is more uncertain than ever.