Brazil’s World Cup campaign has taken a sharp turn: coach Carlo Ancelotti must rethink his lineup for the round of 16 against Norway. Lucas Paquetá is sidelined by an injury in the hamstring region, leaving a impressive gap in midfield as the Seleção prepares for the July 5 match at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Kickoff is scheduled for 4 p.m. Eastern Time, or 22:00 in Basic European Summer Time.
Paquetá was substituted at halftime during Brazil’s 2-1 round-of-16 victory over Japan. A magnetic-resonance scan in New York identified a muscle lesion. The Brazilian Football Confederation’s medical staff said he would miss the Norway match and follow an intensive treatment protocol under their supervision. His absence is a confirmed selection issue for Ancelotti, though the injury’s longer-term effect on Paquetá’s tournament availability has not been specified.
With Paquetá unavailable, Ancelotti is weighing a major change: starting Neymar alongside Vinícius Júnior. Neymar was included in Brazil’s reported 26-player World Cup squad after uncertainty over recurring hamstring and knee problems. He had not played for the national team since 2023 before the tournament. His inclusion leaves open the possibility of a return to the starting lineup, but the final XI remains the coach’s call. Vinícius, already with four goals in the tournament, could benefit from Neymar’s creativity and form a potentially potent attacking partnership.
At the pre-match press conference, Ancelotti stressed the threat Norway poses, particularly in attack. He said no one in the squad replicates Paquetá’s style, so Brazil will need to adjust its approach. The Italian coach declined to share specific tactical plans, leaving questions about how Brazil will line up against Erling Haaland’s side.
Norway reached the last 16 with a 2-1 victory over Ivory Coast, with Haaland scoring the deciding goal in the 86th minute. The matchup also recalls the 1998 World Cup, when Norway beat Brazil 2-1 in the group stage. After his team’s latest win, Norway coach Ståle Solbakken said: “After their equalizer, it was easy to panic. But we got our players in the right position and managed to play our game again.”
Ancelotti has suggested Neymar and Vinícius could play together, without confirming the pairing. Neymar’s squad selection and Paquetá’s reported unavailability shape Brazil’s options, but the coach will decide whether Neymar starts. The tactical dilemma reflects the challenges teams face in knockout rounds, where injuries or suspensions can force changes. Switzerland, for example, recently adjusted its lineup for a impressive World Cup match, as detailed in this report on Switzerland’s approach to a high-pressure knockout game.
As Brazil prepares for the decisive match, attention is on how Ancelotti will balance risk with creativity. Norway’s return to the World Cup knockout stage, its first since 1998, sets up a meeting 28 years after the teams’ previous tournament clash. After the Ivory Coast match, Solbakken said: “Hopefully we can keep dreaming and keep believing and keep performing like we did.”
The World Cup knockout rounds bring unexpected challenges, even for experienced squads. Coaches must respond quickly to injuries or tactical surprises, with every decision scrutinized on the global stage. Brazil’s situation shows how narrow the margins can be between success and disappointment, especially against opponents with proven attacking threats like Norway.
