Newcastle United captain Bruno Guimaraes has pledged to make an immediate impact at the World Cup this summer, determined to overcome the disappointment of Brazil's quarter-final exit in Qatar 2022.
Fully Fit and Ready
The Brazilian midfielder, who missed a crucial part of the season due to a hamstring injury, spent a month in Brazil to regain full fitness. He returned to play in Newcastle's Premier League run-in and now declares himself ready for Brazil's group stage matches against Haiti, Morocco, and Scotland.
Guimaraes has been included in manager Carlo Ancelotti's leadership group, a role he describes as very important. He said: "Today I can be the Bruno that I am at my club here. I feel very good with the manager's confidence. He made me one of the leaders of the group, which was very important for me."
Confidence from Ancelotti
Guimaraes praised Ancelotti for giving him freedom on the pitch. "He was the person who gave me the most confidence to play here. In my first call-ups, he asked where I wanted to play and where I felt most comfortable. He gave me that freedom and confidence to play the football I play at my club. He took all the weight off me."
A More Complete Player
Reflecting on his development since the last World Cup, Guimaraes admitted: "In four years a lot changes, both personally and professionally. I'm a much more complete player than I was four years ago. Everything was still new to me. I didn't complete the whole cycle last time. We're getting more and more prepared and focused."
He added: "We have another week to work and clear up any doubts the manager may have. But we feel prepared and ready. We can't wait for it to start."
Brazil were eliminated in the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, losing to Croatia on penalties. Guimaraes is eager to help his nation go further this time around.
