Reigning champions Argentina have faced accusations of benefiting from a favorable path to the World Cup final, with enraged Brazilians calling for the draw to be investigated. The sentiment, highlighted by Brazilian football fans and commentators, contrasts Argentina's perceived 'dream' run with Brazil's more challenging knockout stage matchups.
Lionel Scaloni's Argentine side secured passage to the Round of 32 with a perfect group stage record, where they are set to face minnows Cape Verde. A victory would pit them against the winner of Australia vs. Egypt in Atlanta. This route has been described as significantly more generous than that of other top contenders.
Brazilian columnist Ricardo Gonzalez, writing for Globoesporte, suggested that "the footballing gods" are favoring Argentina. His piece, which was headlined with the statement that the draw "needs to be investigated," argued that while major teams can overcome obstacles, Argentina's path appears to be particularly smooth.
Brazilian football fans have echoed these sentiments on social media, expressing outrage at what they perceive as a more demanding draw for their own national team. Brazil is scheduled to play dark horses Japan in Houston, potentially followed by a match against Norway or Ivory Coast.
Should both Brazil and Argentina continue to advance, they could meet in the semi-finals in Atlanta. England, meanwhile, faces DR Congo in their Round of 32 match, with a potential quarter-final clash against Argentina in Miami.
Argentina was noted as one of the standout performers in the group stage. Lionel Messi, despite being 39, leads the tournament's golden boot race with six goals, ahead of Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, and Ousmane Dembele, who have four goals each.