Midfielder Bruno Guimaraes missed a critical penalty kick in the 14th minute as Brazil battled Norway in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on July 5, 2026.
The penalty was awarded after a video assistant referee review confirmed a foul by Norwegian defender Kristoffer Ajer on Gabriel Cunha inside the penalty area, according to match reports from Sport Interia.
Norwegian goalkeeper Orjan Nyland blocked the spot-kick from Guimaraes, marking only the third missed penalty by a Brazilian player in World Cup history.
The previous misses were by Waldemar de Brito in 1934 and Zico in 1986, as reported by 365Scores.
Earlier in the high-intensity matchup, Norway appeared to take an early lead when midfielder Patrick Berg scored off an entry pass from Alexander Sorloth, but the goal was disallowed for offside during the buildup.
Ancelotti's Tactical Decisions
Prior to the knockout match, Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti addressed the media regarding his tactical decisions, particularly the choice to keep forward Neymar on the substitute bench despite his recovery from a right calf injury.
"The important thing is that he can play. When I feel the team needs him, I'll put him on the field.
Yes, he's ready to play 90 minutes," said Ancelotti.
Ancelotti further discussed the forward's mindset and professionalism despite not starting the matches. "He's not happy with the situation, but he's behaving very well.
He's training extremely well," said Ancelotti.
The veteran Italian strategist emphasized that he did not formulate a specific defensive scheme to isolate Norway's star striker Erling Haaland, who entered the match with five goals in the tournament.
"I don't think there is such a thing as an 'anti-Haaland' plan.
I don't need to explain to the players how to defend, as some of them have faced each other many times," said Ancelotti.
Norway manager Stale Solbakken echoed the sentiment, shifting focus away from individual club-level rivalries between Haaland and Brazil's central defenders Gabriel Magalhaes and Marquinhos.
"Brazil has one of the best center-back pairings in this tournament, two players of a very high international level," said Solbakken.
Solbakken maintained that the knockout match should be viewed through a collective lens rather than individual matchups.
"There will be strong battles between them and Erling, but for me, the matter is Brazil against Norway," said Solbakken.
American referee Ismail Elfath officiated the historic match, which determined which nation advanced to the quarterfinals to face either England or Mexico at the Estadio Azteca.
