Casemiro backs Brazil to win 2026 World Cup after Martinelli’s 95th-minute winner vs Japan
Casemiro said that Brazil has a team that will win the World Cup after surviving the fear of advancing to the round of 16 with a 2-1 victory over Japan.
The Asian giants went ahead thanks to Kaishu Sano’s fine goal nearing the half-hour mark and held that advantage until 11 minutes into the second half when Casemiro headed home.
The game looked set for another 30 minutes only for substitute Gabriel Martinelli to score the winner five minutes into injury time.
It was a well-deserved victory for the five world champions, who scored 19 shots compared to Japan’s five, with seven on target.
Martinelli has been one of the few substitutes to make a positive impact on Carlo Ancelotti’s men and Casemiro feels their strength in depth puts them in a good position to go all the way.
“The biggest strength of the team was our mentality,” said the Real Madrid and Manchester United midfielder who is set to join Inter Miami this summer.
“We continued to apply pressure in our attacking game. In the World Cup, it is important to appreciate the players who come from the bench. Endrick came and played very well today, Martinelli is another high-level player, and Rayan played for Raphinha very well. That is the spirit, and this is the team that will win the World Cup.”
Martinelli admits ‘joy in his heart’ after Brazil win
For Martinelli it was a defining moment, scoring his first goal for Brazil in a major tournament.
The Arsenal striker said: “I can’t find words to describe the happiness in my heart. To see all those fans on my feet, my parents, my friends… I can’t describe it. After hitting the woodwork, I knew I would get another chance.
“Honestly I have no words, I am happy that I was able to help the team whether I play on the left or in the center. The important thing is to help the team.”
Brazil will play Ivory Coast or Norway in the next round in another tough test for Ancelotti’s side.
The Italian veteran said: “We didn’t lose patience, we had a lot of resources on the pitch and on the bench.
“I was saving Neymar in extra time, he would have entered the field in the 105th minute if we hadn’t scored the second goal. I didn’t want to change the formation because the team was playing well.”
Japan fades away after a bright start
The defeat was devastating for Japan, who maintained their record of never winning a World Cup play-off game.
Hajime Moriyasu’s tactics worked well in the first half but fell badly after the break.
He said: “I’m very disappointed that we have to leave this tournament at this point, but the players gave everything today as they did throughout the journey to get to this point.” The coaching staff also worked hard to support the players.
“Right now I’m sad after giving everything we had, but I want to accept this result and use it to become a stronger team.”
