Brazil striker Matheus Cunha explained why he celebrated with a surfing gesture after scoring twice in his country's 3-0 World Cup victory over Haiti on Friday evening. "Surfing has become a big part of my life — it is a way to relax. It has become part of my daily routine, and I can say I spend as much time following surfing as I do following football," he said.
It is not entirely clear where the Manchester United player practises the sport in the rainy northwest of England, but his celebration in the sunshine looked entirely in keeping with the image of a surfer.
"This is one of the best days of my life. Everyone dreams of representing Brazil at a World Cup, and thinking that I scored 2 goals and helped the team makes me incredibly happy," Cunha said. He added: "I am in a state of euphoria. I must be dreaming."
In previous editions of the World Cup, Brazil's progression from the group stage and deep into the tournament was taken for granted inside the South American nation. But the days when the squad bore legendary names — as in the title-winning sides of 1970, 1994 and 2002 — are now in the past.
Today, the team relies on a group of talented players drawn largely from the Premier League, for example, while Real Madrid winger Vinicius Junior remains the squad's foremost global star, particularly after winning FIFA's Best award for 2024. Brazil need just 1 point against Scotland next Wednesday to secure their place in the round of 32.
Should Brazil fail to win the World Cup this year, the 2030 edition would mark the longest title drought in the national team's history since they claimed their first championship in 1958.