Haaland said chances were extremely low? Cunha: He showed respect, and we respect them too

Ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup Round of 16 match between Brazil and Norway, Brazil's forward Matheus Cunha attended a press conference to answer media questions. The following is the first part of the conference.

This year you played against two important Norwegian players, Ødegaard and Haaland, and you successfully defeated them at your club. Do you have any experience to share with Ancelotti and your teammates?

I think the English league has always been very competitive. There are many players there, not just the two of them, but many players we know and often play against. Those are great games, and I've been fortunate to have more joy in those moments. But there's no doubt we know them very well, and we have teammates who play with them. We are always trying to make adjustments to be as prepared as possible.

Matheus, I'm Mano Navas from Bandeirantes and TNT Sports. We've spoken directly before, as a number 9 you have to score goals, and you're doing that. But in this specific situation, there are two 1.95-meter players on the opposing front line. Have you put a lot of effort into training to deal with this defense? We know they've only scored one header so far, and eight of their goals have been low shots, but it's still a weapon, like the "twin towers" there. As a forward, do you also participate in this defensive system if there's a corner kick or a dead ball situation? Did you train for this today?

Of course. Thank God, this is a very important point. We have discussed it, and I think everyone knows the weight of responsibility of wearing this jersey, wearing the number 9 jersey. So many successful players have worn this jersey before, scoring goals and winning many honors. Thank God, I have started this process and hope to continue this way. Regarding defense, there is no doubt that those of us who are slightly taller than most are always on the defensive roster. We do put in a lot of time, just as we always do in training, to be able to organize our defense. We know they have a very powerful weapon, especially in set-piece situations. Although, as you said, they haven't scored that many goals yet, we know how crucial this is in such an important knockout match. We have adjusted, and I will be one of the players responsible for defense. I hope we can keep a clean sheet and not concede goals in these moments. I hope everything goes well.

I think Haaland is a great player, and he has proven that at all times. I've been following him since his time at Dortmund. Now I have more opportunities to play against him. I played against him in Germany, and now in England. So we have a healthy relationship, always greeting each other after matches. We know how important everyone is to their respective teams. I don't think it will be any different in the national team. Haaland and Norway's attack is very, very strong. There are so many players we know and work with, as I said, almost every weekend we see or play against them. Therefore, I think we must focus not only on him but also on the many players in the Norwegian team who have powerful weapons.

Hello Cunha. I'm Brizziola from Globo Esporte and SporTV. Cunha, you are one of the players Ancelotti obviously trusts highly. Since he took charge, you've been one of the players with the most appearances for the Brazilian national team. Even without many goals, you've earned this position. Now you're starting to score more goals in the FIFA World Cup, but you also scored against Argentina before. I want to ask you about the very important responsibilities you bear on the front line, those "invisible" tasks in the eyes of the public, such as pressing and guiding other players. Talk about your process of establishing yourself in the national team, from initially not scoring goals to your current comprehensive performance.

It's always hard to express. Because like anyone, many times you also want to be the protagonist, and you also want to help in a way that gets more attention. But I've always had a very calm, very rational understanding of myself. I know that many of my responsibilities sometimes have less value in the eyes of the public, but these responsibilities are crucial for strengthening my teammates. Many times we have to go through this, we have to help them. Everyone has their own responsibilities and must execute them well, mainly to win the trust of the coach and teammates. We need to know that, besides ourselves, teammates can also utilize other areas of the field, thereby improving the overall play. I think this has always been my focus. We know that when we come to the national team, many of our players are protagonists in their respective clubs. If everyone wants to be the protagonist at all times, then at some moments, the sense of being a protagonist must be set aside, and the work must become the core focus. So I have never felt any problem with this. I am very happy to help in every way. I know that scoring goals and showing stats are very important, and I am also happy to demonstrate that. But I have always been very calm and composed in accepting these responsibilities, because these tasks are extremely important within the team.

Matheus, good afternoon. I'm Alexandre Prezel from Bandeirantes. Brazil has won five FIFA World Cup titles by defeating four European teams. But since 2006, Brazil has lost to five European teams in the knockout stage. This Sunday will be against the sixth. Do you talk about this? Why is it so difficult to defeat European teams in the FIFA World Cup? Especially since almost your entire team plays in Europe.

No, we don't talk much about it. Not much about past FIFA World Cups. In fact, for those who experienced it, we might have some conversations about the moment of elimination, more about not wanting to relive that day, rather than specifically targeting the opponent or where they come from. But there's no doubt we have to try to dispel this shadow. No matter who the opponent is, we must be very focused and understand that to win the FIFA World Cup, one must go through these setbacks and difficulties. I sincerely hope that this time will be different, and we can tell a different story.

Cunha, I'm Raíssa Cipriano from Placar magazine. After the match, Haaland was asked about the match against Brazil and Norway's chances. He said the chances of winning were very small, very small. He also said it was very difficult against France before, and thought Norway wouldn't win. I want to know what you think of his words. Also, Scaloni said Brazil will reach the final. Do you think the Brazilian team is starting to gain that protagonist status during this FIFA World Cup process? Many people didn't consider Brazil a favorite or protagonist before.

I think both individuals you mentioned are highly respected. Haaland is so great in football, and he expressed his respect for our national team and the players we have. I think it's more about his attitude. He will definitely play with the desire to win, which is what all players want. But it's comforting to hear his respect, and please remember that we also respect him and his national team equally. The same goes for Scaloni. Whenever I have the chance to hear him speak, he always places Brazil at a very high competitive level, and we are grateful for that. But I think it's more about ourselves than other national teams. There are some teams in the world that are considered "targets." I think our national team is gradually showing our true strength. I'm happy to help things move in a better direction, to have this different perspective. As I said, I very much hope that this so-called favorite status is ultimately just a reflection of our training results on the field.

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