"Consensus," exclaimed Richard Hirst, "get thee behind me! If they weren't called Brazil would we be so readily predicting victory for a team whose playmaker spent most of last season failing to prevent West Ham being relegated, whose defensive midfielder has all the mobility of a traffic cone, whose…… well, you get my drift." Pre-match, Hirst had warned of a potential upset. But on the pitch, Brazil proved too strong, grinding out a 2-1 victory over Japan in the World Cup 2026 last 32.
Both Brazilian assists were top-class, wrote the Guardian's live blog. A cross from centre-back Gabriel, nicknamed "Big Gabi", and a crisp little ball from midfielder Bruno Guimarães unlocked the Japanese defence. The goals were enough to secure progress for the Seleção, silencing those who had questioned their credentials.
“Brazil beat Japan 2-1 in World Cup last 32 thanks to assists from Gabriel and Guimaraes, despite pre-match doubts.”
Japan, as Hirst predicted, did not roll over. They "got in amongst them", according to his earlier assessment, but could not prevent Brazil from advancing to the round of 16. For the five-time champions, the performance was not vintage — but it was effective.