Raphinha sent off as Brazil lose 3-2 to Japan; Argentina begin post-Messi era with 2-1 defeat

Raphinha was sent off as Brazil lost 3-2 to Japan in an international friendly in Singapore, and Argentina began life without Lionel Messi with a 2-1 home defeat by Uruguay in Buenos Aires on 14 November 2026. Carlo Ancelotti was also dismissed after Japan’s stoppage-time winner, and Argentina’s match was the national side’s first since Messi’s international retirement in early October.

Japan moved 2-0 ahead inside 20 minutes in Singapore through Takefusa Kubo and Keito Nakamura, before Vinicius Junior cut the deficit in the 33rd minute and levelled the game with a second goal on 75 minutes. Brazil’s Barcelona captain Raphinha had been substituted after 71 minutes but then received a red card after the final whistle. The match finished in upheaval when Tatsuhiro Sakamoto scored in stoppage time to complete Japan’s comeback.

Raphinha was sent off after protesting on the touchline following Sakamoto’s late strike, and the Brazil head coach, Carlo Ancelotti, was also sent off in what the report described as a fractious ending to the match. The red card for Raphinha came despite his having been taken off three minutes prior to the equaliser.

In Buenos Aires, Argentina fell 2-1 to Uruguay under their new coach, Diego Forlán, with Leonardo Balerdi’s own goal opening the scoring in the 48th minute and Maximiliano Araújo doubling Uruguay’s lead in the 53rd minute. Julián Álvarez reduced the deficit for the hosts with a goal in the 73rd minute, but Argentina could not find an equaliser.

The Argentina fixture was the side’s first since Lionel Messi announced his international retirement in early October, and Scaloni this week extended his contract through 2030. Messi’s retirement was evident among supporters at La Bombonera, which fell short of a sellout; most fans in the stands wore the albiceleste jersey bearing Messi’s No 10, while Scaloni chose not to assign the number for the match.

Scaloni explained he has yet to select a successor and as it is not mandatory he prefers to leave the jersey vacant for now. The coach’s decision kept the No 10 unassigned amid a charged atmosphere for Argentina’s first post-Messi outing.

Argentina will play Costa Rica in Córdoba on Tuesday, and Uruguay will host the Dominican Republic on the same day.