Author: Barkha Roy
As a commentator on the program “Domingol com Benja”, Mano expressed his dissatisfaction with the draw between Brazil and Venezuela in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup. He criticized the team’s performance on the show that aired on Sunday 15th.
“This team looks like it’s about to cry. They look like a bunch of kids raised by their grandmothers in the neighborhood. Most of them are club players. Nobody remembers Rivaldo, Ronaldo Gaúcho, Fenômeno… The center forward, Pombo, is the guy who cries, goes to the bench and cries. His replacement isn’t crying, but it looks like he could,” Mano, on “Domingol com Benja”.“.
Mano’s criticism of the Brazilian national team stems from his disappointment with the squad’s performance against Venezuela. He suggests that the team lacks the resilience and resistance that characterized past generations of Brazilian players, such as Rivaldo and Ronaldo. In his opinion, the current team seems to be emotionally fragile and lacks the winning spirit that the previous stars possessed.
Mano also warned that Fernando Diniz’s side could run into difficulties in their next match against Uruguay on Tuesday 17th, in the fourth round of the South American tournament.
In addition, Mano’s prediction of a tough contest against Uruguay reflects his concern about the team’s next challenges, which he says could be difficult to secure a win against a strong opponent like Uruguay.
“They’ll probably take a beating from Uruguay. They will go through difficult times.“
After a disappointing draw against Venezuela, Brazilian fans were left frustrated, with Neymar taking the brunt of the criticism for misplacing passes and shots. Some fans even called him “popcorn”, a term known in Brazilian soccer as “pipoqueiro” for underperforming players. Neymar, Brazil’s all-time top scorer, is expected to face Uruguay in the next game.
Brazil coach Fernando Diniz is expected to make three changes, with Danilo’s injury leading to the inclusion of Yan Couto, Carlos Augusto taking over at left-back and Richarlison potentially being replaced by Gabriel Jesus. Uruguay haven’t beaten Brazil in a World Cup qualifier since 2001.