Matheus Cunha Earns Praise in Brazil's World Cup Opener Against Morocco

Matheus Cunha appeared for the first time in a World Cup match on Saturday night, representing Brazil in their opening game against Morocco.

Brazil's World Cup debut and Cunha's role

Since making his debut for the Brazilian national team in 2021, Cunha has accumulated 25 caps but has scored only once, during a World Cup qualifying match against Argentina.

In the match against Morocco, Cunha began on the bench alongside fellow Manchester United player Ederson. He entered the game shortly after the 60th minute mark.

While Manchester United teammate Noussair Mazraoui delivered a standout performance praised by Moroccan media, Cunha's display was more subdued but still recognized positively by Brazilian outlets.

Brazilian media responses to Cunha's performance

The Brazilian media outlet Globo highlighted Cunha's contributions in their coverage of Brazil's 1-1 draw with Morocco, emphasizing his role in linking midfield and attack.

Globo noted, “With the exception of Matheus Cunha’s efforts to regroup and connect the midfield to the attack, Brazil was practically ineffective from the attacking midfield.”

They also observed that Cunha, wearing the number 9 jersey, did not operate as a traditional centre forward but played on the left side of the attack.

One specific moment was singled out: “At 32 minutes, he made a great pass to Vinicius Junior, which resulted in a dangerous play. He was also important without the ball, frequently dropping back to defend.”

ESPN Brazil also commended Cunha’s performance, stating, “Of those who came off the bench, he was the one who performed best. He moved out of the box, helped in marking, and showed enough to deserve more playing time.”

Upcoming fixture and additional details

Brazil is scheduled to face Haiti next on Saturday morning at 01:30 BST.