Casemiro finished with an 8 rating, Gabriel Martinelli scored the late winner after coming on in the 66th minute, and Bruno Guimarães registered his fourth tournament assist as Brazil came through Brazil vs Japan. It was not a smooth night. Japan made them work for it, and the game only turned once Brazil settled after the break and got more from their bench.

Casemiro and Martinelli drove the ratings

The key swing in the match belonged to Casemiro. He had a first-half booking and an early scare, so this was not one of those easy seven-out-of-10 nights dressed up by a goal. He had to recover inside the game, and he did. His equaliser arrived in the 56th minute, a header that reset the contest and changed the mood around Brazil completely.

That recovery is why he stands out in the ratings. An 8 score fits the shape of his game: shaky early, decisive later, and strong enough after the break to end up as Brazil's highest-rated starter.

Martinelli's case is different but just as strong. He was not a starter, and that matters in a ratings piece because the impact came in 33 minutes rather than across the full match. He still made more than enough count. Introduced in the 66th minute, he scored the winner in the 90+5th minute after Bruno Guimarães' pass and a ricochet off the post. Some reports listed the goal as 90+6, but the late stoppage-time finish is the part that matters most here.

A 7.5 rating for Martinelli feels fair. He did not control the whole game. He decided it.

Japan's plan worked for a long time

Brazil's comeback should not hide the fact that Japan made this awkward. Kaishu Sano, of FSV Mainz 05, punished Danilo's misplaced pass in the 29th minute to put Japan ahead. That was the clearest example of what Brazil were getting wrong early on, loose use of the ball and too much space for the turnover to hurt them.

Japan's structure also deserves credit. Different reports framed the shot balance and Brazil's control in slightly different ways, but they agree on the basic point: Japan stayed compact and forced Brazil to keep searching for a clean opening. Alisson and the Brazil back line, including Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhães, were dealing with a game that never felt fully under control.

At the other end, Japan had Zion Suzuki making four saves. That kept the pressure on Brazil deep into the second half and stopped the match from opening up sooner.

Bruno Guimarães and the bench changed the tone

Bruno Guimarães was central again, even without dominating the headline by himself. His rating was 7.3, and more importantly he supplied the final pass for Martinelli's winner. Four tournament assists is a serious return, and Brazil keep leaning on him as the main creative thread when games tighten up.

Carlo Ancelotti's touchline message captured the mood of the comeback. "Calma, calma," he said, as quoted by football-italia.net. That calm showed in the changes as well. Martinelli gave Brazil a sharper edge from the left, while the team as a whole looked less rushed after the break.

There were other solid contributions around the attack, with Vinícius Júnior and Rayan part of a front line trying to stretch Japan's block, but the clearest difference-makers were still Casemiro's response, Bruno's final ball and Martinelli's finish.

Brazil are through to the last 16, and their next opponent is still not confirmed, with sources saying it will be the winner of Norway vs Ivory Coast.

FAQ

Who were Brazil's best players against Japan?

Casemiro and Gabriel Martinelli were the standout names in Brazil's comeback win over Japan. Casemiro recovered from a shaky first half to score the equaliser and posted an 8 rating, while Martinelli came off the bench in the 66th minute and scored the stoppage-time winner. Bruno Guimarães also had a strong night, providing the decisive pass and recording his fourth tournament assist.

Why did Casemiro get strong ratings against Japan?

Casemiro's game changed after the break. He had an early scare and picked up a first-half booking, but then equalised in the 56th minute and finished as Brazil's highest-rated starter with an 8. The recovery from a messy opening to a goal-scoring, settling display is the main reason his rating stood out.

How important was Bruno Guimarães in Brazil's win over Japan?

Bruno Guimarães was central to Brazil's attacking play again. He supplied the pass for Gabriel Martinelli's late winner and now has four tournament assists. On a night when Japan stayed compact for long spells, Brazil kept leaning on Bruno to create the opening that finally decided the match.

Did Gabriel Martinelli start for Brazil against Japan?

No. Martinelli did not start. He came on in the 66th minute and made the decisive impact, scoring the winner in stoppage time. His rating of 7.5 reflects how much he changed the game in a relatively short spell from the bench.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →