Gabriel Martinelli’s precise strike deep into six minutes of added time secured Brazil a 2-1 victory over Japan in the Round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup.
After the final whistle, the match hero expressed his emotions openly during a post-game interview.
“I’m simply at a loss for words to describe the joy flooding my heart right now, seeing all of Brazil so happy because we’ve advanced to the next round. I still haven’t fully processed what happened; it will take some time to truly sink in. Just a few days ago, I was telling my family that in previous matches my shots hit the post, but I believed my chance would come. Thank God, today I managed to score. I’m incredibly happy for the team, who gave everything they had. We worked hard for all 96 minutes and fully deserved this win by fighting until the very end,” Martinelli said.
In the upcoming round, Brazil will face the winner of the Ivory Coast versus Norway match.
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