Brazil captain Marquinhos apologized to the fans after they suffered their heaviest defeat in a World Cup qualifier with a 4-1 thrashing by bitter rivals Argentina in Buenos Aires.
Five-time World Cup winners Brazil have won just once in their last four games and Marquinhos urged his teammates to turn things around as quickly as possible.
"What we did here today can't happen again," he said. "It's hard to talk about it in the heat of the moment... It's embarrassing.
"We started the game very badly, far below what we could do and they're on a great run of confidence. They knew how to play smart ... I'm sorry for our fans."
Manager Dorival Jr has failed to earn the trust of demanding fans after winning just seven of his 16 games in charge since taking over in early 2024.
"It's not just the coach's fault ... It's the players' fault too," Marquinhos said. "We can all do better. We have to share the blame. It's about understanding the moment and being humble."
While Argentina have already secured their place at next year's World Cup, Brazil still have work to do to claim an automatic berth in North America.
REUTERS
Brazil 'keeper Bento catches the boot of Alexis Mac Allister, who goes on to score Argentina's third goal. AFP
