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

It was very strange for Brazil to go into the World Cup not 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 had tried Cunha, Igor Thiago, Endrick, Joao Pedro and Richarlison.

But sometimes injuries help the manager make decisions. You can almost come across a combination that works, and this time perhaps one of them helped Brazil.

Raphinha is a great player but he loves to move around. He played 10 behind Thiago in the first match against Morocco and can play on both wings.

However, when he suffered a hamstring injury in the Morocco match, he was replaced by Rayan, a player who would play mostly on the right.

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

Of course, some things may still change. Thiago gives us something different; maybe if we are chasing the game or playing with someone with more physical strength. He can stay high, anchor himself in midfield and occupy that space.

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

But back home, more and more people think Cunha is the solution and I hope it stays that way.

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