Skillful Brazil thrash Chile in FIFA World Cup qualifier

Brazil on Friday registered a comfortable 2-0 victory against Chile in their final home game of the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier.

This was their sixth consecutive head-to-head victory over La Roja.

The five-time world champions already had their place booked in the finals, while a trip to North America was out of reach for Chile.

The difference in quality of football was on display at Rio’s iconic venue, Maracana Stadium, as the Selecao asserted their dominance.

Brazil didn’t get an early breakthrough, as Gabriel Magalhaes saw a header saved and Casemiro beat Lawrence Vigouroux but had his goal ruled out for offside.

Their first success came in the 38th minute, when Estevao acrobatically turned the ball home. Things momentarily looked worse for La Roja, as Guillermo Maripan was shown a red card for his foul on Wesley before it was downgraded to a yellow.

ESTEVAO BICYCLE KICK GOAL FOR BRAZIL 🤯
pic.twitter.com/7B7Z6HdAzM

— Mod (@CFCMods) September 5, 2025

Similarly to the first half, there were periods where Brazil probed, while Nicolas Cordova’s players stayed disciplined and put their bodies on the line when required.

Carlo Ancelotti made some tactical substitutes to provide Brazil an extra push. He brought Luiz Henrique on the pitch, who made an instant impact.

Just four minutes later, Henrique hit a shot that bounced off the crossbar perfectly for Bruno Guimaraes to poke it in.

Brazil will finish behind runaway table leaders Argentina if they beat Bolivia in the final qualification matchday, while a draw guarantees a top-four berth.

Meanwhile, Chile must beat Uruguay to have any chance of avoiding a last-place finish – a task easier said than done after a fifth straight game without scoring.