Brazilian media expressed disappointment with the performances of Vinicius Junior, Endrick, and Bruno Guimaraes after the 1-2 defeat to Norway in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
Right after the final whistle at MetLife Stadium, a series of major newspapers in Brazil offered harsh assessments of the home team’s performance. Globoesporte ran the headline “The journey closes”, while emphasizing that this is Brazil’s worst World Cup since 1990. The newspaper also pointed out that Brazil has been eliminated for the sixth time after losing to a European representative at the World Cup.
Globoesporte believed that two penalties, one successful and one missed, decided the fate of the Brazil national team at the 2026 World Cup.
In the player ratings section, Globoesporte assessed that Vinicius Junior played below expectations. Despite still having some positive plays, the Real Madrid star failed to make a difference like in previous matches at the tournament.
Endrick also became the focus of criticism after missing a golden opportunity when facing goalkeeper Orjan Nyland. The newspaper commented that the young forward was set up to score by Vinicius with a perfect pass but finished inaccurately.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti also faced controversy. Brazilian media argued that the Italian strategist exposed a lack of attacking options when the home team fell into a chasing position. The tactical adjustments did not bring efficiency, leaving Brazil increasingly stalemated and forced to accept bowing out.
Meanwhile, the newspaper Folha de S.Paulo ran the headline “The dream of the sixth star closes”. Meanwhile, Placar magazine bluntly stated: “Brazil fails again”. ESPN Brazil chose Norway’s Erling Haaland as the focus. This site believed that the Man City star took only 10 minutes to decide the match with an explosive performance.
In addition, Bruno Guimaraes’s missed penalty early in the match was also seen as a crucial turning point. Many newspapers emphasized that the midfielder became the first Brazilian player to miss a penalty at the World Cup since 1986.
Brazil closed a World Cup campaign considered their worst since 1990. The country’s press called for a comprehensive overhaul, with many major changes needing to be implemented soon.
