Matheus Cunha hails Brazil's World Cup exit as the hardest day of his life

Matheus Cunha did not hide from the size of the moment after Brazil were beaten 1-2 by Norway in the World Cup last-16 at the New York/New Jersey Stadium. He said it was the hardest professional day of his life, and his explanation was blunt: Brazil had chances, Norway took theirs.

Cunha's reaction after the defeat

"Without a doubt, today must be the most difficult day of my life - professionally speaking," Cunha told manchestereveningnews.co.uk. "We had chances we didn't convert, while they had chances and converted them." It was a raw assessment, and it matched the mood Casemiro described as well.

Casemiro said Brazil had the chance to kill the game but did not do it. He also pointed to the second-half drop in their lines and a pressing level that should have been sharper.

Brazil had already been given one big opening in the first half when Bruno Guimaraes had a penalty saved by Ørjan Nyland. Cunha still ended the tournament with 3 goals in 5 games for Brazil, a decent return in a campaign that still ended in defeat.

Haaland turned the tie late

The match stayed alive until the final stages before Erling Haaland decided it. He scored in the 79th and 90th minutes, a late double that sent Norway through and left Brazil with no reply.

There is a disputed detail in the reporting around what Brazil's exit meant for the next round, but the result itself is not in doubt. Brazil were out after the 2-1 loss, and Haaland's finishing was the difference in the final stretch.

Cunha's tournament numbers still stand out, with 3 goals in 5 appearances and a 7.38 average rating. Even in an eliminated side, he was one of Brazil's more productive attackers. Neymar also scored a stoppage-time penalty, his final goal for Brazil, another detail that underlines how emotionally heavy the night was. For Manchester United, the only next date that matters is Cunha's return to club football after a tournament that ended in tears.