In the 2026 World Cup qualifier between Uruguay and Brazil, Darwin Nunez and Nicolas de la Cruz emerged as the heroes for Uruguay. Nunez initiated the scoring in the 42nd minute with a remarkable diving header. However, the night took a grim turn for Brazil when Neymar was injured after a tussle with De la Cruz. Visibly distressed, Neymar had to leave the field on a stretcher, raising concerns about the severity of his injury. According to Brazil FA sources, he had suffered a severe left knee sprain and would undergo further tests to assess potential ligament damage.
Brazil’s captain, Casemiro, expressed his concern, saying, “Let’s hope it’s nothing serious. He’s an important player for us, we’re very fond of him. He’s been suffering a lot from injuries, and when he starts to pick up the pace, he gets injured again.”
Despite dominating possession in the first half, Brazil failed to convert their chances, and Uruguay took the lead with the first shot on goal in the match. Maxi Araujo’s quick throw-in created an opportunity, allowing Nunez to capitalize and score. Uruguay continued their momentum into the second half, with De la Cruz extending their lead with a close-range effort in the 77th minute, courtesy of an assist from Nunez.
This victory marked a significant milestone for Uruguay, as it was their first win against Brazil since 2001. Brazil, on the other hand, ended the match without a single shot on target, suffering their first defeat in a World Cup qualifier since 2015, ending a remarkable streak of 37 games without a loss.
Uruguay’s triumph propelled them to the second position in the CONMEBOL standings with seven points, on par with Brazil and Venezuela, who secured a 3-0 victory against Chile earlier in the day. In other matches, Paraguay secured their first win in the South American qualifiers with a 1-0 victory over bottom-placed Bolivia in Asuncion, while Ecuador and Colombia played out a goalless draw.
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