Five Key Facts About Brazil Forward Matheus Cunha's Rise To The World Cup
Brazil forward's rise showcases talent, resilience and World Cup dreams.
Matheus Cunha emerged as Brazil's standout performer in their FIFA World Cup 2026 Group E clash against Haiti, scoring twice in the first half to guide the five-time champions towards their first victory of the tournament. The result came after Brazil were held to a 1-1 draw by Morocco in their opening match, increasing the pressure on the Selecao to respond with a strong performance.
Cunha's brace highlighted the growing influence of the Manchester United forward within the national team setup. The 27-year-old arrived at the World Cup following an impressive club season and has continued to establish himself as one of Brazil's most dependable attacking players on the international stage.
Born in Joao Pessoa, Brazil, Cunha's football journey differed from that of many Brazilian stars. He developed his technical skills through futsal before making an early move to Europe. Rather than breaking into Brazil's domestic leagues, he joined Swiss club FC Sion in 2017 at the age of 18, where he quickly impressed by scoring 10 goals and registering eight assists in his debut season.
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His performances in Switzerland earned him a transfer to RB Leipzig in Germany, where he gained widespread recognition for a remarkable solo goal against Bayer Leverkusen in 2019. The strike won Bundesliga Goal of the Month and earned a nomination for the FIFA Puskas Award, bringing international attention to the young forward's talent and creativity.
Cunha later featured for several leading European clubs, including RB Leipzig, Hertha Berlin and Atletico Madrid. His career reached new heights during his spell at Wolverhampton Wanderers, where he scored 33 goals and provided 13 assists in 82 appearances. Those performances convinced Manchester United to secure his services in 2025 in a deal reportedly worth £62.5 million.
Success has also followed Cunha in Brazil colours. He was the top scorer at the 2019 Toulon Tournament and played a key role in Brazil's gold-medal-winning campaign at the Tokyo Olympics. Known for his flair, improvisation and ability to operate across multiple attacking positions, Cunha has often described himself as a "maverick" player. Those qualities were evident once again against Haiti as he delivered the goals Brazil needed on football's biggest stage.
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