Brazil’s shock 2-1 defeat to Norway in the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round of 16 has put manager Carlo Ancelotti directly in the line of fire. Although Neymar Jr. came off the bench to score Brazil’s only goal deep into stoppage time, it was an early penalty miss that arguably cost the Selecao their place in the tournament. The controversy began early in the match when Brazilian striker Matheus Cunha went down in the box following a heavy sliding challenge from the Norwegian defence. The referee initially waved play on, prompting intense protests from the Brazilian players. A subsequent VAR review ultimately upheld the on-field decision, much to the frustration of the Brazilian camp. Just two minutes later, Norway’s Kristoffer Ajer committed a blatant foul in the box. This time, a penalty was awarded to Brazil after another video intervention.
Vinicius Junior, who entered the knockout clash as Brazil’s leading goalscorer in the 2026 tournament with four goals, held the ball at the spot but was not permitted to take the kick. While fans initially believed Vinicius was eager to step up, team orders dictated otherwise. He was forced to hand the ball over to midfielder Bruno Guimaraes due to a strict penalty hierarchy established by Ancelotti.
Guimaraes used a stutter-step approach, but Norwegian goalkeeper Orjan Nyland read it perfectly to make the save, keeping the match deadlocked. The decision to look past Vinicius, the team’s most in-form forward, immediately sparked widespread criticism.
Momento que Bruno Guimaraes perde o penalti do Brasil. #BRAxNOR pic.twitter.com/Vf4fAJnUTZ
— QG do POP (@QGdoPOP) July 5, 2026
Speaking to reporters in the post-match mixed zone, Ancelotti revealed that Vinicius does not even rank among the top 5 penalty takers in the squad when everyone is fit. Ancelotti explained that it was decided before the game that Bruno Guimaraes should take the penalty. He noted that missing a penalty can happen in football, and it happened today. He stated they relied on statistics, and Raphinha was the best according to those metrics. Of the players who were on the pitch at that moment, the best ranked were Neymar, Igor Thiago, Bruno Guimaraes, and Gabriel Martinelli.
The data supports Ancelotti’s tactical stance. Playing his club football for Real Madrid in La Liga, Vinicius has taken 19 penalties throughout his professional career, converting 13 and missing 6, which is a conversion rate of just 68 per cent. Furthermore, his recent record on the international stage has been poor, as he has missed 2 of his last 3 penalties for Brazil, including a notable failure against Venezuela in 2024.
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