Brazil suffered a fourth defeat in their last five World Cup qualifiers on Tuesday when Paraguay secured a narrow 1-0 victory in Asuncion. Diego Gomez’s first-half goal proved to be the decider in the match.
The five-time world champions have been struggling in the South American qualifying tournament for the 2026 World Cup. With just 10 points, they currently sit in fifth place, level with Venezuela on goal difference.
Qualification for the World Cup in the United States, Mexico, and Canada grants direct entry to the top six teams in the standings, with the seventh-place team having to go through additional rounds of qualifiers.
Brazil’s newly appointed manager, Dorival Jr, who took over from Tite after the team’s quarter-final exit in the 2022 World Cup, appeared disheartened on the sidelines as his team struggled against Paraguay.
In the first half, Brazil failed to register a single shot on target and conceded a goal in the 20th minute when Diego Gomez struck a powerful shot from outside the box, rebounding off the post and into the net past goalkeeper Alisson.
“The coach is still trying to find the best playing style for us, and this is evident in our results,” said defender Marquinhos in an interview with Brazilian TV Globo. “There are several new players, and we are lacking confidence.”
“Qualifying is not an easy task; it is a challenging period that we need to manage effectively. We are going through a transition phase, and our confidence is not at its peak. However, we will work tirelessly because achieving positive results on the field is the best response,” Marquinhos added.
Throughout the match, Brazil managed to muster only three shots on target, all of which were attempted by a frustrated Vinicius Jr. Unfortunately, Vinicius has been unable to replicate his club success with Real Madrid while representing his country.
Next month, Brazil will attempt to get their qualifying campaign back on track as they face Chile away and then host Peru.