HOUSTON: Five-time champions Brazil booked their spot in the Round of 16 of the FIFA World Cup 2026 with a nail-biting 2-1 victory over a resilient Japan side. While the Seleção eventually found a way to win, the absence of talismanic forward Neymar Jr. from the starting lineup was heavily felt throughout the clash at the Houston Stadium.
How Neymar’s Absence Impacted Brazil’s Play?
Without Neymar’s signature creativity and ability to dictate the tempo in the final third, Brazil looked tactically rigid and lacked fluid transition in the first half. The connection between midfield and attack felt disjointed. Japan capitalized on Brazil’s sluggish start when Kaishu Sano intercepted a misplaced pass and struck in the 29th minute to put the Samurai Blue ahead.
The Seleção struggled to break the disciplined Japanese defense until the second half. Carlo Ancelotti’s tactical tweaks paid off as veteran midfielder Casemiro found the equalizer with a powerful header in the 56th minute. Just as the match seemed destined for extra time, second-half substitute Gabriel Martinelli turned savior, netting the winning goal in the 96th minute (90+6′) to spark wild Brazilian celebrations.
The Reason Behind Neymar’s Omission
Neymar was named on the bench but did not feature on the pitch due to caution surrounding his match fitness. The 34-year-old forward sustained a grade two calf injury in mid-May just before the World Cup training camp. Although he recovered sufficiently to play a few minutes in the final group stage game against Scotland, manager Carlo Ancelotti opted not to risk a relapse by starting him in a high-intensity knockout match, preferring to manage his minutes carefully as the tournament progresses.
