Nicknamed the “Superclasico,” the match-up between South American powerhouses Brazil and Argentina is arguably the biggest in soccer. The five-time and three-time world champions have met 111 times in official matches, with Brazil winning 43, Argentina 42, and 26 ending all square.
In their most recent meeting, which took place on November 21, La Albiceleste clinched a slender 1-0 victory, courtesy of a thumping header from Nicolas Otamendi.
Scoring in the Superclasico is a matter of great pride for all soccer players in Brazil and Argentina. Over the years, only a handful have had the honor of being on the scoresheet in the Brazil-Argentina matchup, even fewer have done it multiple times. Read on to meet the leading scorers in the history of Brazil vs Argentina:
#5 Norberto Mendez – 5 Goals
Argentina legend Norberto Mendez has clinched the fifth spot on this list, having scored an impressive five goals against his country’s arch-rivals Brazil.
Mendez, who played as an attacking midfielder, was a formidable force in Copa America. As per Transfermarkt, he played 17 matches in the competition, scoring an astonishing 17 times. In February 1945, he scored a hat-trick to help La Albiceleste to a 3-1 victory over Brazil in a Copa America Group 1 clash.
#4 Emilio Baldonedo – 6 Goals
In fourth place, we have one of the finest attackers in Argentine history, Emilio Baldonedo. Baldonedo proved to be a force to be reckoned with against Brazil, with him netting six times in Superclasicos.
Baldonedo is fondly remembered for his legendary spell with Huracan between 1935 and 1944. In that period, he scored 165 goals in 257 league matches, cementing his status as a legend of the club.
#3 Herminio Masantonio – 7 Goals
The highest-ranked Argentine on this list, ex-center-forward Herminio Masantonio scored seven goals against Brazil during his career. Masantonio’s best display in the Superclasico came on January 15, 1939, when he scored a brace to propel his side to a 5-1 victory.
As per Transfermarkt, Masantonio played only 19 senior team games for Argentina, scoring 21 times.
#2 Leonidas da Silva – 7 Goals
Legendary former center-forward Leonidas da Silva briefly represented the Brazil national team between 1932 and 1946, but it was enough for him to make his mark in the Superclasico.
Da Silva played nine matches against Argentina, scoring an impressive seven times. All of his goals came in international friendlies. Overall, the ex-Santos man played 19 matches for Brazil, scoring 21 times.
#1 Pele – 8 Goals
Arguably the greatest player of all time, Pele unsurprisingly sits at the summit. The three-time FIFA World Cup winner scored eight goals in only 10 matches against his country’s bitterest rivals. Seven of his eight goals against La Albiceleste came in international friendlies.
Pele, who scored 77 goals for Brazil in 92 matches, played his best game in a 5-2 friendly win over Argentina on April 16, 1963. He scored a hat-trick and claimed two assists as the Selecao marched to glory in extra time.
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