World Cup: Ancelotti explains why Vinícius did not take Brazil’s penalty vs Norway
By Luke Oluoch, July 6, 2026Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has defended his decision to overlook Vinícius Júnior for a crucial first-half penalty during the Seleção’s dramatic 2-1 Round of 16 World Cup exit against Norway.
Speaking after Erling Haaland scored a double to dump the five-time champions out of the competition on Sunday, July 5, 2026, Ancelotti revealed that the Real Madrid star was not among the top five penalty takers in the team’s pecking order.
He clarified that the decision to hand the ball to Bruno Guimarães was based on analytical data regarding who among the active, on-field players was the most reliable from the spot.
Penalty-taking order
According to the Italian tactician, Raphinha, who started on the bench, remains the team’s primary penalty taker, followed by Neymar, Igor Thiago, and Guimarães, with Vini Jr not even among the top five.
“We did an analysis spanning over a year,” Ancelotti explained. “In this team, the number one taker is Raphinha, who was off the pitch at the moment, followed by Neymar, Igor Thiago, and then Bruno Guimarães. After Guimarães, it is Gabriel Martinelli. So, we chose Bruno because we believed he was the best option on the pitch at that time.”
Despite presiding over a historic exit, marking the first time the five-time world champions have failed to reach the quarter-finals of the World Cup since 1990, the Italian gaffer confirmed he intends to stay put with the Seleção.
“We must continue to work, improve, and find new ideas. I believe that this loss is not the end but the beginning of a new cycle.”
Deserved to win
He further noted that his side deserved to win the clash, lamenting that their efforts were repeatedly thwarted by the heroics of Norway’s custodian Ørjan Nyland.
“I think we are all extremely sad because I feel the team has delivered a good World Cup, even if not an exceptional one. I also think that in today’s match, we deserved to win. When you go through a moment like this, you have to think that the loss is the beginning of a new adventure and a new season,” he added.
Brazil, who last won the World Cup in 2002 when they defeated Germany 2-0 in Yokohama, Japan. has now failed to cement their dominance on the global stage, with the recent defeat marking a new low for the football powerhouse.