Brazil’s hopes of ending their long wait for World Cup glory came to a painful end after a 2-1 defeat to Norway in the Round of 16, with Erling Haaland scoring twice to eliminate the five-time champions.
The aftermath of the defeat was dominated by questions over why Vinicius Júnior did not take Brazil’s first-half penalty when the match was still goalless.
Instead, Bruno Guimarães stepped up from the spot, but his effort was saved by Norway goalkeeper Ørjan Nyland, a moment that ultimately proved costly as Haaland’s brace sent Norway into the quarter-finals.
Speaking after Brazil’s elimination, Vinicius insisted the decision over the penalty taker was made by head coach Carlo Ancelotti and not by him.
“Why didn’t I take the penalty? Because it was the manager’s decision. I never hide or shirk my responsibilities.
“At Real Madrid, whenever the manager asked me to, I took them. Here, I followed the decision that had been made.
“This shows that I haven’t been selfish or acted in bad faith by seeking the spotlight,” he said, as per SPORT.
The Brazil national football team forward also came to the defence of Guimaraes, urging fans not to define his international career by the missed penalty.
“I hope that Bruno Guimaraes’s career with the Brazilian national team isn’t marred by this mistake.”
Despite criticism surrounding Brazil’s tactical decisions during the tournament, Vinicius expressed full support for Ancelotti, who took charge of the national team ahead of the competition.
“He’s a manager who gives me a lot of confidence.”
The 26-year-old admitted Brazil’s exit was another bitter disappointment for a nation desperate to reclaim football’s biggest prize after years without lifting the trophy.
“We have to move on. I can only apologise to our ‘torcida’, who always believed in us and stood by us.
“There’s a lot of frustration because the Seleção haven’t won for a long time.”
Looking to the future, Vinicius said he remains confident that Brazil’s emerging generation can restore the national team to the top of world football.
“We younger players are going to carry on and do everything we can to take the Seleção to the top,” he concluded.
