A mass brawl in the stands of the Maracana broke out ahead of Argentina’s World Cup qualifier win over arch-rivals Brazil as fans and police clashed in shocking scenes.
The World Cup winners clinched a narrow 1-0 win over old rivals Brazil at the infamous Maracana stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Tuesday night but the blockbuster matchup was marred before it even began.
Ahead of the game, rival supporters began fighting with one another during the Brazilian national anthem before clashing with police, forcing kickoff to be delayed by half an hour.
It is unclear what sparked the incident but rival supporters were seen showing one another with some even ripping the seats from the stands and launching them at one another.
Hoards of Rio de Janeiro police swiftly intervened but struggled to curb the melee before shockingly using batons on the brawling fans.
A mass brawl in the stands of the Maracana broke out ahead of Brazil’s World Cup qualifier against Argentina
Rivals supporters began fighting with one another before clashing with Brazilian police
Lionel Messi led the Argentina players off the field with kickoff delayed due to the violence
The reigning World Cup winners initially appeared to be refusing to return to the field
Parts of seats flew around and hit some of the spectators behind one of the goals. At least one fan left the stadium bleeding from his head, while a video of the scenes showed a supporter profusely bleeding while lying on a gurney on the ground.
Some players from both Brazil and Argentina approached the stands to attempt to calm fans down.
However, Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez only added fuel to the fire. The Aston Villa shotstopper leapt up towards the stands and appeared to try to grab a baton out of a police officer’s hand.
Following, Martinez’s outrageous actions he was torn away from the scene by his teammates and escorted away from the railings.
Injured Argentina and Manchester United center back Lisandro Martinez commented on Instagram: ‘It’s a shame to see what Brazilian police are doing! So how can that be possible? How long we have to see these scenes?! It’s always the same [in Brazil].’
Following the game, Lionel Messi launched a scathing attack on the Brazilian police, saying: ‘We saw how [police] were hitting the people, it already happened in the Libertadores final. They were more focused on that than on the game.’
The Ballon d’Or winner was referring to the scenes at the Maracana before Fluminense’s win over Boca Juniors this year.
‘We went to the locker room because it was the best way to calm everything down, a tragedy could have happened,’ he added
Amid the tumult, Messi ultimately led his Albiceleste teammates back into the locker rooms.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez leapt up towards the stands and tried to grab a baton
Parts of seats flew around and hit some of the spectators behind one of the goals
Some Brazilian fans climbed over the railings to escape the violence in the stands
Some fans were spotted bleeding from their heads with at least one leaving the stadium
Other supporters at the Maracana were spotted crying as the violence subsided
A mothers seen sheltering her young children as they flee the chaotic scenes
The reigning World Cup winners initially appeared to be refusing to return to the field for kickoff before CONMEBOL gave them 15 minutes to take the field.
Argentina told their Brazil rivals they would only return to the pitch after the situation was calm.
They eventually returned after 22 minutes in the dressing room, and warmed up for another three minutes before the game was finally started.
From there, the tension spilled onto the pitch, as Lionel Messi and Rodrygo exchanged some words.
The first half of action saw a whopping 22 fouls (16 for Brazil, six for Argentina) and three yellow cards (all on Brazil).
Nicolas Otamendi ultimately headed in the lone goal of the match in the 63rd minute.
Messi and co., having emerged victorious from the heated display, headed back towards the section of away supporters, who has been caught up in the evening’s earlier fracas.
The Argentinians celebrated their victory, which marked Brazil’s first World Cup qualifying loss on home soil in their history, with their fans.
Earlier, some fans climbed over the railings to escape the violence in the stands with mothers seen sheltering young children.
Other supporters were seen in tears after the violent scenes were finally quelled, clearly left shaken up as they waited to see their teams in action.
As the match began, dozens of policemen surrounded Argentina fans as they cheered, and even more security faced them on the pitch. Policemen gathered around the section that can hold about 3,000 fans
Albiceleste players approached the stands to attempt to calm fans down
The police’s baton attack caught the attention of the Argentinians as they lined up
Lionel Messi and Rodrygo exchanged words as the game at the Maracana resumed
The teams combined for a whopping 22 fouls (16 for Brazil, six for Argentina) in the first half
Argentina’s forward Julian Alvarez (center) fights for the ball with Brazil’s defender Gabriel Magalhaes (second) and defender Carlos Augusto (right)
All 69,000 tickets for the match in Rio de Janeiro were sold. Brazil fans, who jeered and applauded Messi before the brawl began, chanted against him when he returned to the pitch.
Argentina now leads the 10-team South American qualifying group with 15 points through six matches. Uruguay is second with 13 points, while Colombia has 12 and Venezuela nine.
Following the loss, Brazil shockingly find themselves on sixth place with just seven points, leaving them in a risky position.
The 2026 World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada will include 48 teams, meaning direct entry for the top six teams from South America. The seventh-place team can earn a berth in an intercontinental playoff.