World Cup 2026: How the new Brazil is taking shape and why Matheus Cunha is key

It was very strange for Brazil to be going into a World Cup without knowing who our best number nine was.

Even until the Scotland game, no-one knew who the first choice centre-forward would be.

I don’t think Ancelotti knew before the tournament either, because he tried Cunha, Igor Thiago, Endrick, Joao Pedro and Richarlison.

Sometimes, though, injuries help a manager make decisions. You can almost stumble on to a combination that works well and this time maybe one has helped Brazil.

Raphinha is an amazing player but he likes to move around a lot. In the first game, against Morocco, he played as 10 behind Thiago, and he can also play on either wing.

But, when he injured his hamstring against Morocco, he was replaced by Rayan who is more of a player who will stay on the right.

So, having Vini on one side and Rayan on the other gives even more space for Cunha in the areas he likes. He is on his own there a lot, and with his style of play, that suits him.

Things can still change, of course. Thiago gives us something different, maybe if we are chasing the game or playing someone with more physicality. He can stay high up, fix himself on the centre-halves, and occupy that space.

The important thing is that Ancelotti has options now and it will be interesting to see what he does next.

Back home, though, more and more people are thinking Cunha is the answer and I just hope he continues like this.

Yes, other teams will know about him now, and what he does – but he is such a clever player, he will still not be easy to stop.