Barcelona forward Raphinha issued a bold challenge ahead of the Argentina vs. Brazil clash in the South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.

During a conversation on March 23, former Brazil legend Romario asked Raphinha about the upcoming South American derby. The Brazilian forward responded: "Nothing special, we will defeat Argentina both on and off the pitch."

When asked about his chances of scoring against Argentina, the 28-year-old star confidently replied: "I will score. We will humiliate them."

Romario is a legendary former striker who won La Liga with Barcelona and lifted the 1994 World Cup with Brazil.

Raphinha’s statement stirred controversy and drew reactions from the Argentine side. Angel Di Maria, a former Argentine international who scored the winning goal in the 1-0 victory over Brazil in the 2021 Copa America final, responded on social media with three crying-laughing emojis.

On March 25, Argentina will host Brazil at the Monumental Stadium in Buenos Aires. This match marks the 14th round of the South American World Cup qualifiers. In the first leg in November 2023, Argentina defeated Brazil 1-0 on Brazilian soil. Prior to that, in the 2021 Copa America final, Argentina secured the same 1-0 victory at the Maracanã Stadium, deepening their rivalry.

Argentina currently leads the South American qualifiers with 28 points after 13 matches, 15 points ahead of seventh-placed Bolivia. The reigning world champions only need a draw against Brazil to secure early qualification for the World Cup, four rounds ahead of schedule. Meanwhile, Brazil sits in third place with 21 points.

For this international break, Argentina is without Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez, and Paulo Dybala due to injuries. However, in their last match on March 20, the reigning champions still showcased their strength by defeating Uruguay 1-0 away from home.

Recently, Brazil has started to regain form. Since their 1-0 loss to Paraguay in September 2024, Raphinha and his teammates have won three, drawn two, and collected 11 points.

Individually, Brazil’s stars are also shining. Raphinha is having the best season of his career, scoring 27 goals and providing 20 assists in 42 matches for Barcelona. Vinicius has netted 18 goals and registered 11 assists in 39 matches for Real Madrid. On March 20, both players scored in Brazil’s 2-1 victory over Colombia.

The Argentina vs. Brazil match is regarded as the premier derby of South America. Both teams are football powerhouses, boasting a combined total of 8 World Cup titles and 25 Copa America trophies.