Brazil's 'Shameless' Fans Supporting Lionel Messi's Argentina

Jose Arnaldo dos Santos Junior travelled to Qatar to support his favourite Brazilian national team, led by Neymar, in their ultimately unsuccessful attempt to win a sixth World Cup title. However, after they were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Croatia, he switched allegiance to Brazil's archrivals, Lionel Messi's Argentina. "As a football fan, I believe Argentina is deserving of this trophy," the 38-year-old odontologist remarked upon his return to Sao Paulo. He supported Argentina during their 3-0 semi-final victory over Croatia on Tuesday, which advanced the South Americans to the final on Sunday.

Dos Santos Junior even wears his Argentina jersey "without shame" on the streets of Brazil's largest metropolis.

He will set aside endless discussions such as who was better, Brazil's Pele or Argentina's Diego Maradona, to support the Albiceleste against France.

"Argentines are quite enthusiastic about their teams, especially their national squad, which has a bit between its teeth," he explained. "Any football fan would support such a worthy cause."

Earlier in the World Cup, Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni stated that if his team does not win, "I prefer that a South American team," including Brazil, does.

According to a poll conducted by the Brazilian data analysis institute, while 33% of Brazilians consider Argentina as their "second" team, more than 60% said they would not want their neighbour to win the World Cup.

'Brazil was terrified.'

When it comes to football, the connection between Argentines and Brazilians is tricky.

After Argentina's World Cup opener versus Saudi Arabia, Brazilian social media was flooded with jokes and memes, some based on the iconic "Don't Cry for Me Argentina" song written by British team Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice and popularised in the musical Evita.

Brazil, though, was the first to cry after being knocked out.

Argentina also had the last laugh in the 2021 Copa America final, as Messi and his teammates defeated their historic foes 1-0 at Brazil's Maracana stadium.

Social media videos even showed Argentina's players singing, "Brazilian, what happened?" After Scaloni's team defeated Croatia, "the five-time champions cowered" in the locker room.

Nonetheless, some significant Brazilian figures support Argentina.

Pele, Argentina's three-time World Cup winner, cheered Argentina's semi-final victory and Messi's genius from his hospital bed in Sao Paulo, where he was taken in late November for cancer treatment.

His daughter Kelly shared a photo of Pele watching the game on social media, complete with admiring GIFs pointed at Messi.

"There are no words for you, @leomessi," former Brazil World Cup winning attacking midfielder Rivaldo commented on social media.

"God knows, and on Sunday he will crown you; you deserve this title."

Messi, 35, is largely recognised as one of the best players of all time, with Pele, Maradona, and Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo.

Only one trophy is lacking from his great career: the World Cup.

Many Brazilians want him to win it before he quits as much as they want their own hero, five years Messi's junior, Neymar, to win it.

"After Brazil was eliminated, I started rooting for Argentina because Messi is the best player I've ever seen." "He's playing at a high level, and it's only appropriate that he's crowned," economist Alexandre Caldas, 49, said.

Bernardo, Caldas's eight-year-old son, is a passionate Messi admirer.

"He's obsessed about Messi; he wants him to win, to be the best in the world, and he's even learning Spanish so he can ask for his autograph," said Caldas, who has purchased an Argentina football kit for his kid.

However, for some people, neighbourly competition takes precedence over all else.

Brazil's former great striker Ronaldo, dubbed as "El Fenomeno" (the phenomenon) during his heyday and World Cup winner alongside Rivaldo, has chosen France as his favourite on Sunday.

While he believes Messi should win the World Cup, he adds, "I'm not going to be so hypocritical as to say I would be pleased for Argentina."