Bruno Guimarães: Missed Penalty Caused the Greatest Pain of My Life

Brazilian international Bruno Guimarães has described his missed penalty in the Copa América Round of 16 clash against Norway as the "greatest pain" of his career. The *Seleção* fell 2-1, with Neymar scoring their only goal.

In an emotional Instagram post, the Newcastle midfielder shared his feelings and apologized to the fans. His penalty miss came with the score at 0-0, and Brazil was subsequently eliminated from the tournament.

"I've written and deleted this message countless times. I've always been here in moments of victory, so it's only right that I don't hide after a defeat. Football, which has given me everything, has now caused me the greatest pain in my 28 years of life. Missing a penalty and being knocked out is tough, heavy, and painful, but this is another challenge I must overcome. Only I know what I've been through. I'm sure that no matter how hard it is now, this too shall pass," Guimarães wrote.

He also revealed how his family helped him find solace after the difficult moment: "The most incredible thing is that when I got home after the saddest day of my life, the first thing my children said was: 'Dad, when are we going to play with the ball?' That's when I realized that regardless of the good or bad days, football remains the love of my life."

"I take responsibility, as I always have. It's very sad that it all ended this way, but only God knows why. Our dream isn't over. It lives on in my heart and in the hearts of thousands who love our country. Now is a time for reflection, to regain my strength with my family, and to come back stronger," the Brazilian concluded.

After the match, his teammate Vinicius Junior commented that the coaching staff had predetermined who would take a penalty if one was awarded during regular time. The Real Madrid star stated that he accepted the decision, as his personal goal was never to be the tournament's top scorer.