Brazil’s World Cup dream is over after a painful 2-1 defeat to Norway in the round of 16, and much of the post-match discussion has centred on the penalty that got away.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side had the chance to take control early in the game, but Bruno Guimarães saw his spot-kick saved by Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland.
That moment proved costly, with Erling Haaland later scoring twice to send Norway into the quarter-finals.
Neymar did pull one back from the penalty spot late on, but it was not enough to rescue Brazil.
The result has become one of the biggest shocks of the tournament.
Ancelotti explains Brazil’s penalty order
After the match, Ancelotti revealed that Vinicius Junior was not among Brazil’s top five penalty takers based on the team’s internal data.
Ancelotti said, as reported by Fabrizio Romano:
“We did some stats and the BEST was Raphinha. From the players available, the best was Neymar, then Igor Thiago, then Bruno Guimarães, then Martinelli”.
That explanation is important because many fans immediately questioned why Vinicius did not take the penalty.
But according to Ancelotti, the decision was not based on reputation. It came from preparation, data and the players available at the time.
The Brazil coach also defended Guimarães despite the miss, saying: “Bruno in our view was the best on the pitch.”
Bruno should not carry the blame along for this
It would be unfair to turn Brazil’s defeat into a Bruno Guimarães story. Yes, the penalty miss was a huge moment, but Brazil had enough attacking talent and enough time to recover.
The bigger concern was Brazil’s lack of rhythm in open play. Norway were organised, physical and clinical, while Brazil looked too cautious for long spells.
Ancelotti’s defense of Bruno makes sense. A missed penalty is painful, but it should not erase a strong overall performance. Brazil’s exit was about more than one kick.
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