Although he was not the main choice of most fans to replace Matheus Cunha, Gabriel Martinelli entered the field to decide Brazil’s 2-1 victory over Japan, this Monday (29). The left winger scored the winning goal, in stoppage time, which guaranteed a place in the round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup.
The 25-year-old number 22 of the team scored his first goal in the FIFA World Cup. With qualification for the next stage of the knockout stage, the Brazilians return to the field next Sunday (5), at 5pm, in New Jersey.
A reserve in the group stage of the World Cup, the number 22 of the Brazilian team participated in the team’s last two victories, against Haiti and Scotland.
Against the Caribbean, the left winger played the final 25 minutes of the match. Despite his limited participation, he completed the seven passes he made and risked a few dribbles.
Against the Scots, Martinelli also played a discreet game, having entered in the 20th minute of the second half and without risking a shot on goal. In these two matches, the striker replaced midfielder Lucas Paquetá.
This Monday, against Japan, he came on at 21 minutes into the second half, replacing Matheus Cunha, and needed 24 minutes to turn the match around, already in stoppage time.
Positioned between Japanese defenders as the front man, unlike how he plays at Arsenal, which is more open, Martinelli received a pass from Bruno Guimarães inside the area to beat goalkeeper Zion Suzuki and score his first goal in this edition of the World Cup and put Brazil in the next knockout phase.
With the pass converted into Martinelli’s goal, Bruno Guimarães reached four assists in the 2026 World Cup.
Striker for Arsenal, England, Martinelli was Premier League champion in the 2025/2026 season, putting an end to the London team’s 22-year drought. He scored 11 goals and made 7 assists last season, according to Sofascore, a website for statistics on athletes and sports competitions.
For the main team, he was called up for the first time in 2022, still under the command of coach Tite, after the 2021 Olympic title. At the time, Martinelli was 20 years old.
Led by Carlo Ancelotti, the striker was already present on the first squad list, in May last year, among the names that competed in the South American Qualifiers.
He was also on the list of players called up to play in friendlies at the end of 2025, against the teams of Japan, Senegal and Tunisia. In Tokyo, Martinelli scored one of the Brazilian goals in the 3-2 defeat to the Japanese.
With Lucas Paquetá leaving the match, with pain in his thigh, coach Carlo Ancelotti may have another absence from the team. A possible change in the squad could give Martinelli the opportunity to start in the round of 16 duel.
Brazilians are awaiting the definition of the clash between Ivory Coast and Norway, which will take place on Tuesday (30), in Dallas (USA), to find out the opponent for the next knockout stage.
