Manchester United haven't been in the best of form under Ruben Amorim this season and some players have seen their struggles continue in the international environment
Casemiro during South Korea vs Brazil in October 2025
Casemiro's Brazil threw away a 2-0 lead to lose to Japan
View 2 Images
Brazil and Manchester United midfielder Casemiro was left furious after the Selecao threw away a 2-0 lead to lose to Japan on Tuesday. Everything looked under control when goals from Paulo Henrique and Gabriel Martinelli put Carlo Ancelotti's side in charge at the break, but it was a different story by full-time.
Former Liverpool forward Takumi Minamino pulled a goal back early in the second half, after which Ancelotti made a triple change in an effort to take back control. It wasn't to be, though, as Keito Nakamura equalised before Ayase Ueda completed the remarkable turnaround.
"A second-half blackout by the entire team," Casemiro told Sportv (via ESPN). "If you sleep for 45 minutes, it could cost you a World Cup, a Copa América, a medal, a four-year dream.
"The whole team wasn't at its best in the second half, and it's the details. At this high level, it's the details that make all the difference. We know there was an extra boost of enthusiasm [following the win against South Korea].
"We wanted to end this 12-day preparation on a high note. And perhaps we threw away our excellent preparation in 45 minutes. So, let this be a lesson learned, the World Cup is here. We need to play at a high level, no matter if it's against Japan or whoever as 45 minutes can cost you a childhood dream."
Brazil know full well how damaging a brief lapse can be. They impressed in the last World Cup, hammering South Korea in the round of 16, but a late lapse in the quarter-final against Croatia allowed the opposition to equalise and then eliminate Brazil on penalties.
Ancelotti took over as manager in the middle of the qualification campaign for the 2026 edition, with the South Americans never in any real danger of elimination. They were far from convincing en route to qualification, though, and the Italian boss pointed to areas where improvement will be needed between now and next summer.
Ayase Ueda scoring for Japan against Brazil
Ayase Ueda completed the turnaround for Japan
View 2 Images
"What we have to evaluate is the team's reaction after the first mistake, which wasn't good because we lost some of our balance on the field and our positive thinking," Ancelotti said. "We have to learn from our mistakes in the second half. The team's biggest mistake was not reacting well after the first goal. It's a good lesson for the future. We have to learn from this defeat.
"I think until Fabricio's mistake [for the first goal] we controlled well the game. The team then lost its mentality after the first mistake. That was the team's biggest mistake."
Ancelotti indicated Brazil need to ensure they have "balance" if they are to be competitive at next summer's World Cup in North America. They will find out their group stage opponents in December when the draw takes place in the United States.
Join our new MAN UTD WhatsApp community and receive your daily dose of Manchester United content from Mirror Football. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Content Image
Content Image