The CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualifiers have reached their midway point this international break, with each nation playing their ninth and 10th of 18 group games this week.
Yet even so deep into the group stage, Brazil have been struggling. Before last night’s match, they’d won three, drawn one, and lost four.
After going 1-0 down to Chile on Friday, there were growing fears that Brazil might actually be in trouble with regards to World Cup qualification. But the team responded, and Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes was a big part of that.
Despite the early goal conceded, Gabriel put in an excellent defensive display against Chile.
The centre-back won 11 of his 13 individual duels, including all eight of his aerial duels, and in possession he completed 87% of his passes (11 of 14 long balls) and even created a chance. It was no surprise Sofascore named him Player of the Match.
Goal wrote that Gabriel was Brazil’s “best player on the night” adding that he “ran the show defensively and was calm playing out from the back”. He was “constantly the one they relied on to get the ball moving forward”.
That display allowed Brazil to stay in the game and eventually find an 89th minute winner through Luiz Henrique.
The CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers are very forgiving, to the extent that it was a shock Brazil were having so much trouble.
Six of the 10 teams involved will qualify for the final tournament, and a seventh will have the chance to make it in through an inter-confederation play-off. Bolivia currently sit in an automatic qualification spot having lost more games than they’ve won.
For one of the biggest footballing nations on earth, it would be a real embarrassment to miss out on the 2026 tournament. Gabriel has ensured that’s a lot less likely this morning.
Gabriel’s Arsenal teammate Gabriel Martinelli also came on as a late substitute, and it was his forward run that ultimately led to Brazil’s winning goal.
The pair will both hope to be involved again as Brazil play Peru on Wednesday morning at 01:45 BST (or Tuesday night local time).
Arsenal Live Scores
Arsenal results
Wee Melter Studio
