Guimarães Jests with Haaland, Calls Him 'Cunning'

The Brazilian midfielder discussed the upcoming match against Norway, a striker he knows well from the Premier League, and highlighted a refereeing error in the Croatia-Portugal game.

With four assists in four matches, one of which secured a last-minute qualification for the round of 16 (Martinelli's goal against Japan), Bruno Guimarães is one of Brazil's standout players at the 2026 World Cup. He joined Carlo Ancelotti to comment on the upcoming clash with Norway. In Sunday's match, the Newcastle midfielder will face a striker he knows exceptionally well from the Premier League: Erling Haaland. The Norwegian labeled his opponent as the favorite, to which the Brazilian responded.

"He's quite cunning with what he says... He's taking all the pressure off them and putting it on us. Honestly, I don't pay much attention to what people do. Football is decided on the pitch. Eleven against eleven. It will be a big, competitive match. They also have their qualities. Tall players, they'll try to cross. We need to be smart. He's cunning, he's taking the pressure off them. We need to be prepared," Guimarães stated at the press conference, admitting he wasn't at his best in Qatar.

"The last World Cup served as a great lesson for me; I wish I could have helped more. When I had opportunities, I don't think I performed at the required level, to be completely honest. My biggest dream in life is to be here. Everything in life is a learning experience. I learned to be much better than I was at the last World Cup," he explained, also commenting on his four assists, which place him second in that statistic behind Olise.

"I'm executing what the coach asks of me very well. I stand out with assists, but my football isn't just about that. It's about delivering the balls to my teammates so they can create chances, score, and being ready to run a lot, which I do even in this heat. Tomorrow is an important step on our journey," he added.

Finally, he was asked about the quality of refereeing at this World Cup and mentioned the Portugal-Croatia match, referring to Matanović's disallowed goal after added time had expired. "It's hard to say, but we saw the situation between Croatia and Portugal, where some didn't see a touch, but the sensor registered one. We just hope the refereeing is fair and the better team wins," the Brazilian concluded.