Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes is going to the 2026 World Cup.
Brazil have officially qualified for the 2026 World Cup, beating Paraguay 1-0 in Carlo Ancelotti’s second game as manager.
The first ended in a 0-0 draw with Ecuador, with Bruno Guimaraes praised for his defensive performance.
The 27-year-old retained his place in Ancelotti’s starting XI in the early hours of Wednesday morning, as Vinicius Junior scored the goal to send the Selecao to the World Cup.
Photo by Wagner Meier/Getty Images
Photo by Wagner Meier/Getty Images
‘Good and bad moments’ from Bruno Guimaraes vs Paraguay
While Sandro Tonali looked tired against Moldova on Monday night, it was a different story for Bruno Guimaraes.
The Newcastle United skipper was praised for his running power, playing the full 90 minutes against Paraguay. He nearly scored too, with Bruno’s 89th minute effort tipped over the bar.
Bruno, who was booked in first half stoppage time, was given a rating of 6.5/10 for his performance by Brazilian outlet Globo Esporte. Vinicius Junior was the only player to get a higher grade.
On Bruno, Globo Esporte wrote: “He alternated between good and bad moments. Sometimes he would make a pass that broke the lines, sometimes he would miss a simple touch. He was important in “dragging” the marking and giving fluidity to the midfield. Intense until the end, he almost scored with a shot from the edge of the area in the 43rd minute of the second half, but was stopped by the goalkeeper.”
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Goal gave Bruno a slightly lower score of 6/10, questioning the midfielder’s discipline.
They wrote: “Not exactly the model of discipline, but played the role of enforcer with glee, and kept the ball moving.”
Bruno Guimaraes reacts after Brazil qualify for the World Cup
For the second time in his career, Bruno is heading to the World Cup.
There were tears from Bruno when Brazil were eliminated in 2022, with Croatia beating them on penalties in the quarter-finals out in Qatar.
Bruno will be eager to go further at the 2026 tournament in the USA, and has expressed his delight at qualifying on his official Instagram account.
Alongside photos from the win over Paraguay, Bruno wrote: “World cup here we come!!!! Very happy. Let’s go Brazil.”
He received a reply from former Newcastle United transfer target Matheus Cunha, who provided the assist for Vinicius’ winner. He commented: “Reminded me of the Olympics.”
Bruno and Cunha were part of the Brazil Under-23s squad that won Olympic gold in Tokyo, and now they will hope to capture football’s greatest prize for the sixth time in their nation’s history.