Brazil forward Vinicius Junior reflected on his country’s shock elimination from the 2026 FIFA World Cup, following their 2-1 Round of 16 defeat to Erling Haaland’s Norway. Calling it “a very, very sad day,” Vinicius said the team hadn’t yet fully processed the loss given the emotions of a World Cup knockout match, adding that all they could do now was apologize to the fans who “believed in us once again.” He acknowledged Brazil’s long wait for World Cup glory, saying “the people want their joy back,” but admitted “this time, it wasn’t meant to be.” The defeat marks Brazil’s earliest World Cup exit since 1990, extending their title drought since their last triumph in 2002.
