Meet three market value winners
© Imago
The reigning world champion Argentina has clearly beat Brazil’s record title holder in the World Cup qualification. The team of national coach Lionel Scaloni delivered a convincing performance in front of a domestic audience in the Monumental stadium in Buenos Aires and won the South American Prestiged duel against Seleção 4: 1.
The host took the lead in the 4th minute with a goal from Julián Alvarez (Atlético Madrid). In the 12th minute, Enzo Fernández (Chelsea) increased to 2-0. Matheus Cunha (Wolverhampton) shortened to the guests in the 26th minute to 2-1 before Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool) scored 3-1 in the 37th minute. Giuliano Simeone (Atlético Madrid) finally scored 4: 1 for the Argentine national team in the 71st minute. For three of the four Argentine goal shooters, the latest market value updates went up. Simeone was able to increase its market value from 12 million to 25 million euros, Alvarez and Mac Allister climbed from 80 million to 90 million euros.
The Brazilians recently succeeded in winning in Argentina 16 years ago. The last game to date between the two large South American teams won Argentina 1-0 in the Maracanã Stadium in Rio de Janeiro in November 2023. At the meeting in Buenos Aires, both teams now had to do without their respective superstars Lionel Messi and Neymar. With a squad value of EUR 983.6 million, Brazil is the most valuable team in the World Cup qualification in South America, Argentina follows with EUR 702.7 million. In a global comparison, the two nations are in fourth and seven in this category.
Argentina had already qualified for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico before the classic against Brazil. Due to the 0: 0 between Bolivia and Uruguay a few hours before the kick-off, the Albiceleste was no longer suppressed by one of the first six places that entitle the World Cup participation. Argentina will be there for the 19th time in the association’s history at a World Cup and has qualified for every tournament since 1974.
Brazil is four game days before the end with 21 points in fourth place behind Uruguay and Ecuador. The first six teams qualify directly for the World Cup, for the seventh it goes into the playoffs. Venezuela currently occupies this place with 15 points. In the last four games, the Seleção meets Ecuador (squad value: 274 million), Paraguay (137 million), Chile (60 million) and Bolivia (13.6 million). A feasible program on the way to the 23rd World Cup participation for the five-time world champion.