Brazilian Media Deliver Verdict on Manchester United Stars After Croatia Victory
Brazilian media outlets have issued their verdict on Manchester United midfielders Casemiro and Matheus Cunha following Brazil's commanding 3-1 victory over Croatia in a World Cup warm-up fixture. The match, played in Orlando, Florida, served as Carlo Ancelotti's final preparation game ahead of this summer's global tournament, pitting him against his former player Luka Modric's national side.
Brazil Bounce Back with Dominant Display
After suffering a disappointing 2-1 loss to France just last week, Brazil responded emphatically with a dominant performance against Croatia. Danilo opened the scoring on the stroke of half-time, but it was the substitutes who proved decisive late in the game. Endrick won a penalty that was converted by Igor Thiago in the 88th minute, before setting up Gabriel Martinelli's stoppage-time goal to seal the victory.
Amid all the fresh faces making an impact, the more experienced Manchester United pairing of Casemiro and Matheus Cunha still earned significant plaudits for their influential displays throughout the match.
Detailed Analysis of Casemiro's Performance
Brazilian outlet Grupo Globo awarded Casemiro a match rating of 6/10, while fans gave him a somewhat harsher 5.4/10. Despite the numerical ratings, the publication described the captain's influence in positive terms, stating: "As usual, he ran a lot to close down spaces and recover balls – some of them in the attacking half, important for launching counter-attacks."
The analysis continued: "He received a yellow card for a foul on Budimir at the edge of the penalty area. He left the field in the first round of substitutions, in the 15th minute of the second half."
ESPN Brasil echoed this assessment, rating Casemiro's display a 6/10 and noting: "As usual, he was solid in midfield and earned a rest for Fabinho's entrance."
Cunha's Strong Display and World Cup Concerns
Grupo Globo handed Matheus Cunha a higher rating of 7/10, while fans gave him a 6.4/10. Their analysis praised his all-around contribution: "Important both with and without the ball. He worked hard to close down the left side of the defence, thus allowing Vini Jr. more freedom."
The publication highlighted specific moments: "In the 35th minute of the first half, he delivered a great pass to João Pedro, whose shot was saved by the goalkeeper. Then, in stoppage time, he initiated a counter-attack with a beautiful long pass, leading to the first goal."
ESPN Brasil awarded Cunha an improved 6.5/10, adding: "Good plays as a more mobile attacker, saw Livakovic make a beautiful save in the first half."
Estadao also highlighted both players' performances, stating: "The midfield functioned well and the game flowed better with Danilo alongside Casemiro and Matheus Cunha in inspired form. The four-striker formation was repeated. The difference is that Cunha, playing as a playmaker, found spaces to set up his attacking teammates."
World Cup Starting Role Under Threat
Despite the praise for his performance against Croatia, Grupo Globo suggested that Cunha could find himself dropped from the starting line-up for the upcoming World Cup. The outlet claimed that Ancelotti may look to slot Raphinha, currently sidelined through injury, into Cunha's preferred role behind the centre-forward ahead of the Manchester United playmaker.
Cunha and Raphinha had both started against France in Brazil's previous fixture, with Cunha deployed centrally in a fluid front four while Raphinha operated out wide. The Barcelona winger is now in a race against time to return for the World Cup, having sustained a hamstring injury during that match against France.
This creates significant uncertainty for Cunha's starting position, despite his strong showing against Croatia that earned him praise from multiple Brazilian media outlets for his creativity, defensive work rate, and ability to create opportunities for his teammates.
