Vinicius Junior spoke out for the first time after the Brazil national team’s early exit in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
On his personal page, the forward on the payroll of Real Madrid sent an apology to the fans, while simultaneously admitting that the whole team did not meet expectations. “It would be unfair if I remained silent, but I needed some time to reflect. Being eliminated from the World Cup right from the round of 16 is a feeling that is very difficult to describe,” Vinicius wrote.
The Real Madrid star also expressed regret when looking back at the journey of the “Selecao”. Vinicius asserted that Brazil possessed a squad strong enough to go deep but ultimately failed to show that on the pitch. According to the striker, the feeling of disappointment after being eliminated is immense. Even so, he emphasized that he will continue to fight alongside the national team to bring Brazil back to the pinnacle of world football in the future.
Brazil closed their 2026 World Cup campaign following a 1-2 defeat against Norway in the round of 16. Erling Haaland became the hero of the Nordic representative with a brace of goals, thereby ending the journey of manager Carlo Ancelotti’s team. This is also the 6th consecutive time Brazil missed out on the world championship since their most recent coronation in 2002.
On a personal level, Vinicius still had an encouraging tournament as he featured in all 5 matches for Brazil, scoring 4 goals and contributing 1 assist. The 2026 World Cup is also the second World Cup in his career, following the time he and Brazil bowed out in the quarterfinals of the 2022 World Cup against Croatia.
