Arsenal star named Player of the Match in Brazil win

Gabriel Magalhaes impressed for Brazil as they won against Chile in the early hours of Friday morning to boost their World Cup qualification chances.

Ecuador’s forward John Mercado and Brazil’s defender Gabriel Magalhaes fight for the ball during the 2026 FIFA World Cup South American qualifiers football match between Brazil and Ecuador, at the Major Antônio Couto Pereira stadium in Curitiba, Brazil, on September 6, 2024. (Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images)

The CONMEBOL 2026 World Cup qualifiers have reached their midway point this international break, with each nation playing their ninth and 10th of 18 group games this week.

Yet even so deep into the group stage, Brazil have been struggling. Before last night’s match, they’d won three, drawn one, and lost four.

After going 1-0 down to Chile on Friday, there were growing fears that Brazil might actually be in trouble with regards to World Cup qualification. But the team responded, and Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes was a big part of that.

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA: Gabriel Magalhaes of Brazil and Ramon Sosa of Paraguay battle for the ball during the CONMEBOL Copa America 2024 Group D match between Paraguay and Brazil at Allegiant Stadium on June 28, 2024. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)

Despite the early goal conceded, Gabriel put in an excellent defensive display against Chile.

The centre-back won 11 of his 13 individual duels, including all eight of his aerial duels, and in possession he completed 87% of his passes (11 of 14 long balls) and even created a chance. It was no surprise Sofascore named him Player of the Match.

Goal wrote that Gabriel was Brazil’s “best player on the night” adding that he “ran the show defensively and was calm playing out from the back”. He was “constantly the one they relied on to get the ball moving forward”.

That display allowed Brazil to stay in the game and eventually find an 89th minute winner through Luiz Henrique.

CUIABA, BRAZIL: Gabriel Magalhães of Brazil celebrates after scoring the first goal of his team during a FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier match between Brazil and Venezuela at Arena Pantanal on October 12, 2023. (Photo by Pedro Vilela/Getty Images)

The CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers are very forgiving, to the extent that it was a shock Brazil were having so much trouble.

Six of the 10 teams involved will qualify for the final tournament, and a seventh will have the chance to make it in through an inter-confederation play-off. Bolivia currently sit in an automatic qualification spot having lost more games than they’ve won.

For one of the biggest footballing nations on earth, it would be a real embarrassment to miss out on the 2026 tournament. Gabriel has ensured that’s a lot less likely this morning.

Gabriel’s Arsenal teammate Gabriel Martinelli also came on as a late substitute, and it was his forward run that ultimately led to Brazil’s winning goal.

The pair will both hope to be involved again as Brazil play Peru on Wednesday morning at 01:45 BST (or Tuesday night local time).

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