The match between Brazil and Argentina in the South American qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup was stopped minutes after its start due to a problem with the four Argentine players who belong to clubs in the English Premier League.
The start of the match was devoid of any technical features, and was marred by some roughness from the players of the two teams that prompted the referee to intervene with verbal warnings.
However, the match was stopped after only about 4 minutes, because officials from the Brazilian police and health authorities stormed the field and asked the four players to leave: Emiliano Buendia and Emiliano Martinez from Aston Villa, Giovanni Lo Celso and Christian Romero, the Tottenham duo.
beIN SPORTS correspondent Ibrahim Khader brings to us the latest events and developments regarding the suspended Brazil-Argentina match# World Cup Qualifiers 2022 # Qatar_2022 # Brazil_Argentina #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/MiZToTBAxW
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) September 5, 2021
The two Brazilian stars, Neymar, and the Argentine Lionel Messi, followed by Casemiro, the captain of the Brazilian national team and the coaches of the two teams, to contribute to resolving the crisis.
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The Brazilian Ministry of Health calls for the Argentine national team players coming from England to be placed in quarantine
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) September 5, 2021
But the problem was not resolved, which prompted the Argentine players to leave the green rectangle towards the changing rooms, while the “samba” team refused to leave the field so that this exit would not be considered a withdrawal and lose match points, and instead they went to a training session in preparation for the upcoming matches in the qualifiers.
beIN SPORTS reporter Patricia Lopez: The match was stopped, and the Brazilian national team is participating in a training session on the field.
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) September 5, 2021
Argentine media quoted Messi as saying during talks with Brazilian officials, "We have been in Brazil for three days. They were waiting for the match to start and then stormed the stadium and stopped it. Why did they allow us to play in the first place? The world is watching us. If 4 of our players leave, we will all go out."
The friendship of Dani Alves and Messi almost led to an agreement on the completion of the match between Brazil and Argentina
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) September 5, 2021
And it allowed 4 Argentine players accused of violating the travel rules for the Corona virus - set by the Brazilian government - and providing false information in the form to participate in their country's match against Brazil.
Despite the Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency's request today from the Federal Police to deport the Argentine national team, the Argentine Football Association and the Brazilian government reached an agreement that allows players to participate in the match, provided that they leave Brazil immediately after the match.
The full story of the Argentine national team's withdrawal from its match against Brazil
#Qualifiers_World_Cup_2022 #Qatar_2022 #Brazil_Argentina #Qatar2022 pic.twitter.com/7dwaXWu1ps
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) September 5, 2021
But the problem that occurred minutes after the start of the match stopped the match, amid a state of controversy and questions about the timing of the intervention to prevent the four players from participating.
The police entered the field and clashed with players from the Argentine national team.
😲 Surreal scenes in the Brazil vs Argentina match...
🎙️ Our reporter @patilopesx provides an update.#WCQ #BRAARG 🇧🇷🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/q4QakCRotw
— beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS_EN) September 5, 2021
And things went even further, as mechanisms from the federal police escorted the Argentina team bus that was returning to the hotel, to ensure that the four players were immediately deported out of Brazil.
The Brazilian government had announced that it had notified the Argentine mission two and a half hours ago, and demanded the expulsion of the four players who came from England, but the Argentine mission did not respond, and the Brazilian government believed that there was a forgery in the documents, which prompted police and health officials to storm the stadium and demand Stopping the game and removing the players.
Surreal: Brazil v Argentina stopped inside 7 mins by Brazilian Federal Police walking on field to detain 4 Argentinian Premier League players who failed to disclose they are based in Britain, breaking COVID protocols upon entering Brazil.
Chaos ensued 🇧🇷🇦🇷 pic.twitter.com/ANG5L61SaK
— roger bennett (@rogbennett) September 5, 2021
In a tweet to him on his official Twitter account, the South American Football Confederation (COMPOL) announced the cancellation of the match.
Por decisión del árbitro del partido, el encuentro organizado por FIFA entre Brasil y Argentina por las Eliminatorias para la Copa del Mundo queda suspendido.
— CONMEBOL.com (@CONMEBOL) September 5, 2021
It is noteworthy that this match is part of the postponed sixth round of the 2022 World Cup qualifiers scheduled in Qatar.