On the morning of November 17, the Argentine team lost to Uruguay with a score of 0-2 at La Bombonera’s home field in Buenos Aires. Meanwhile, the Brazilian team also lost shockingly to Colombia 1-2 away from home, in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers for South America.

This is the first time in many years that both the two giants of South American football,  Argentina  and  Brazil  , received defeat in the same round of  the World Cup qualifiers .

Messi got angry many times during the match because Uruguay players repeatedly fouled him

AFP

Messi was the focus of the match between the Argentina team and Uruguay. Before the match, he was honored by the Argentine Football Association (AFA) for winning the Golden Ball for the 8th time. Goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was also honored when he won the award. Yashin title (Best goalkeeper).

However, the match against Uruguay became a forgettable day for defending World Cup champion Argentina.

Right from the beginning of the match, famous player Messi was taken care of very carefully by the Uruguayan defenders, with 2 to 3 players always around him and ready to make mistakes. In the first half, Messi was knocked down no less than 3 times outside the 16.50 m area, causing tense arguments between players of the two teams.

The Argentinian team maintained control of the match, but against an opponent that played too tightly, they only had one chance to endanger Uruguay’s goal.

Near the end of the first half, Uruguay’s style of pressuring from the opponent’s half was effective. Defender Matias Vina fiercely chased Argentina’s Molina from the back of the field, causing the player to lose the ball. He quickly won and made an accurate cross for Ronald Araujo, suddenly appearing on the opposite side to shoot to open the score 1-0 for the Uruguay team.

Messi (middle) is locked tightly

AFP

Argentina team (left) received its first defeat since the 2022 World Cup

AFP

This is also the first goal lost by the Argentina team since the 2022 World Cup final against France.

In the second half, coach Lionel Scaloni brought in strikers Lautaro Martinez and Di Maria to replace Mac Allister and Nicolas Gonzalez to strengthen the Argentine team’s attack.

Messi is still the focus of the Argentine team’s attacking play. This famous player was closely marked, trying to create opportunities with free kicks. But on a day when he was not lucky to score, Messi’s free kicks only touched or went over the crossbar.

At the end of the match, the Argentine team pressed forward to attack in search of an equalizer, but in the situation where Messi lost the ball in front of the penalty area, the Uruguayan players quickly organized a counterattack to create conditions for striker Darwin Nunez to easily score. The goal sealed the 2-0 victory.

The loss to Uruguay ended Argentina’s unbeaten streak of 14 consecutive matches, since the 1-2 loss to Saudi Arabia in the 2022 World Cup group stage.

Interim coach Fernando Diniz of the Brazilian team is disappointed

AFP

Meanwhile, the Brazilian team still cannot win, losing 1-2 to the Colombian team on away field. Striker Martinelli helped the Brazilian team take an early 1-0 lead in the 4th minute, assisted by Vinicius. However, in just the last 15 minutes of the match, striker Luis Diaz’s double in the 75th and 79th minutes helped the Colombian team dramatically turn the tide and win 2-1.

After the 5th round of the 2026 World Cup qualifying round in South America, the Argentine team is still leading the group with 12 points. Uruguay firmly consolidated 2nd place with 10 points. Colombia rose to 3rd place with 9 points, pushing the Brazilian team to 5th place with 7 points, behind Venezuela (8 points, 0-0 draw with Ecuador).