Brazilian media have heavily criticized former Manchester United midfielder Casemiro following Brazil's 3-0 victory over Haiti in their second World Cup 2026 group stage match. The midfielder played the entire match in Philadelphia, helping his team secure a clean sheet and climb to the top of Group C.
Performance Under Scrutiny
Casemiro, who partnered Bruno Guimaraes in midfield, was singled out by several pundits from the Brazilian newspaper O Globo. Despite Brazil's dominant performance, five out of eight columnists highlighted Casemiro's display as underwhelming.
One columnist noted: "He struggled even against a much weaker opponent and stood out in midfield, which featured Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta who played well." Another added: "He hasn't found his form in the competition yet. He seems lost, below his usual level."
A third pundit observed: "It's impressive how nervousness is coming from someone where experience was expected. Both performances so far are worrying. He could lose his place, which he only holds because of Ancelotti's confidence in him."
Further criticism included: "Luckily, it was Haiti. When pressured, he couldn't hold up," and "He couldn't even defend well or organise the build-up play."
Statistical Defense
However, not all outlets shared this negative view. Casemiro's statistics from the match were strong: he won the most duels, made the most tackles, and drew the most fouls for his team. His performance helped Brazil bounce back after a disappointing opening draw against Morocco, where he was substituted at halftime.
Ancelotti's Support
Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti defended Casemiro after the Morocco match, stating: "They are good players. I think I made the right choices and I won't accept any criticism of individual players. If there is any criticism, it concerns the whole team."
Ancelotti emphasized that the World Cup is a long tournament: "You can't expect the team to be perfect from the start; you don't win the World Cup in the first match. My confidence in the players is absolute."
Brazil's win over Haiti, with goals from Matheus Cunha (brace) and Vinicius Junior, puts them in a strong position to advance from Group C.
