Noni Madueke reacts to Gabriel Martinelli
Noni Madueke reacts to Gabriel Martinelli's winner for Brazil vs Japan - Source: Getty
Noni Madueke reacted to Gabriel Martinelli's winner in Brazil's 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash against Japan. The Arsenal star helped his side beat the Samurai Blue 2-1 in Houston on Monday, June 29.
Le Selecao faced Japan in their FIFA World Cup Round of 32 clash on Monday. Kaishu Sano gave the Samurai Blue the lead in the 29th minute with an excellent strike. Casemiro equalized for Carlo Ancelotti's side in the 56th minute with an emphatic header.
Just when it appeared that the game was heading towards extra time, Martinelli, who came off the bench, scored in the sixth minute of stoppage time. He got on the end of an excellent pass from Bruno Guimaraes and finished past Zion Suzuki.
Notably, Noni Madueke was in the middle of his press conference in Kansas during the game. According to journalist Henry Winter, the England winger was told about Martinelli's winner, and he responded:
He wished the Brazil winger the best but added:
Madueke and Martinelli have shared the pitch 28 times for Arsenal, and they have combined for three goals as well. They helped the Gunners win the Premier League and reach the UEFA Champions League final last season.
Carlo Ancelotti paises Gabriel Martinelli after Brazil's 2026 FIFA World Cup win over Japan
Le Selecao dominated the game against the Samurai Blue with 60% possession. They had 20 attempts on goal, with seven being on target, as compared to Japan's five total attempts. However, Brazil struggled to break them down, especially with Suzuki also pulling off some incredible saves.
Carlo Ancelotti then brought on Gabriel Martinelli in the 65th minute, and he made a huge difference, scoring the winning goal. After the game, the former Real Madrid head coach labeled it their "most complete performance". He also spoke about bringing Martinelli on and said (h/t Hayters):
“It was mainly to bring a bit of freshness to the field. Martinelli has a lot of intensity, It’s a very, very important change because when he comes on, he’s always at his best and he helps the team by scoring goals.”
Martinelli has scored five goals for Brazil in 26 appearances. Meanwhile, Le Selecao will next face either Norway and Ivory Coast in the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 in New Jersey on July 5.