Matheus Cunha faced fierce criticism from fans following his provocative actions toward Japanese opponents right after Brazil secured a dramatic victory at the World Cup.
Tensions erupted after the World Cup round of 32 match between Brazil and Japan when forward Matheus Cunha engaged in behavior deemed disrespectful toward the players and fans of the Land of the Rising Sun.
Right after Gabriel Martinelli scored the decisive goal in the sixth minute of stoppage time, sealing the victory for Brazil, the star currently playing for Manchester United was caught raising five fingers toward his opponents. According to reports, Cunha spoke directly with provocative intent:
“We have five trophies. Respect that”. This action immediately met with a fierce wave of backlash from the online community, as many felt his attitude was “truly unacceptable” toward a nation famous for its humility like Japan.
Despite the wave of criticism, Cunha continued to reinforce his attitude on social media with a noteworthy post. He shared an image pointing toward Japan’s substitute player Kento Shiogai accompanied by the status:
“Now you know a little more about us. Never above anyone, but never below either”. This post also attached emojis related to Brazil and the song “Humble” by Kendrick Lamar as a way to assert his personal stance.
However, on the flip side, Cunha also received praise when an image of him comforting player Ao Tanaka after the match was shared, showing a different side to the forward’s conduct.
The match between the two teams took place with intense tension, featuring the opening goal by Kaishu Sano and the equalizing strike by Casemiro. After Martinelli scored the goal to seal the 2-1 victory, coach Carlo Ancelotti explained the reason for not using Neymar: “I saved Neymar for extra time. I spoke with him, if we hadn’t equalized, he would have come on in the 60th or 65th minute”.
The controversies surrounding Matheus Cunha will certainly remain a topic of discussion, however, the victory still moves Brazil forward into the next round of the planet’s biggest football festival.
