Casemiro has been heavily criticized by Brazilian football pundits following his performance for Brazil in their 3-0 World Cup 2026 victory over Haiti. The ex-Manchester United midfielder played the full match in Philadelphia, helping Brazil secure their first win of the tournament after a draw against Morocco.
Mixed Reactions to Casemiro's Display
While Brazil dominated Haiti with goals from Matheus Cunha and Vinicius Junior, Casemiro's performance drew sharp remarks from some quarters. O Globo's panel of columnists and correspondents were asked to evaluate players, and five of the eight singled out Casemiro for poor play.
One columnist wrote: "He struggled even against a much weaker opponent and stood out in midfield, which featured Guimaraes and Paqueta who played well." Another stated: "He hasn't found his form in the competition yet. He seems lost, below his usual level." A third added: "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."
Positive Statistics and Manager Support
Despite the harsh words, Casemiro recorded the most duels won, the most tackles, and the most fouls won for Brazil in the match. Manager Carlo Ancelotti defended his player after the opening draw against Morocco, saying: "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 acknowledged the team's early struggles but expressed confidence: "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. This is just the beginning of the journey."
