Brazil have one of the best rosters at the 2026 World Cup, securing their place in the Round of 16. While Vinícius Jr. and Rayan are the starters, Gabriel Martinelli emerged as the national team’s unexpected hero against Japan. In the middle of a closely contested match, he came off the bench and scored the winning goal. As a result, Martinelli rewrote World Cup history, surpassing Francesco Totti, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, and several other players.
Gabriel Martinelli has scored the latest goal in World Cup history, excluding extra time. After scoring in the 95th minute against Paraguay, he has surpassed Francesco Totti, Nacer Chadli, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Edgar Davids, and Stephen Eustáquio, who made up the list in that order, according to MisterChip, a well-known soccer statistician, via X.
Unlike Totti, Chadli, Huntelaar, Davis, and Eustáquio, Gabriel Martinelli is a regular substitute for Brazil. So far at the 2026 World Cup, he has played just 77 minutes across four matches. Despite that, he has proven to be one of the most decisive wingers in the world, making the most of every opportunity he gets. With Ivory Coast or Norway as Brazil’s possible opponents, he could have a bigger role in his second World Cup appearance.
Gabriel Martinelli did not arrive at the 2026 World Cup as an undisputed starter for Arsenal. During his team’s historic season, he played 53 matches, scoring 11 goals and providing 7 assists. Although he delivered solid performances, he had to share minutes with Leandro Trossard. Therefore, he now has a great opportunity to establish his talent with Brazil at the tournament, aiming to become one of the team’s stars in the near future.
Gabriel Martinelli #22 of Brazil celebrates with teammates after the 2-1 win.
Gabriel Martinelli faces tough fight for Brazil starting spot
Since Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival at Brazil, Vinícius Jr. has been the team’s most important player, enjoying creative freedom. Because of this, he is usually an undisputed starter, playing the full 90 minutes and leaving Gabriel Martinelli with few opportunities to play. However, Martinelli would have to adapt to any attacking position if he wants more playing time, making his situation much more difficult.
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Gabriel Martinelli leads Brazil to 2-1 win over Japan, securing a place in the 2026 World Cup Round of 16
With no place on the wings, Martinelli would have to compete with Lucas Paquetá and Neymar for a spot as the attacking midfielder. Unlike them, he would allow Vinícius the freedom to drift inside while he occupies the flank. As a result, Brazil would gain numerical superiority in attack, which is ideal against defensive teams. Nevertheless, he may not start throughout the tournament, as he is not even the second-choice option in several positions.
In case he manages to score another goal or provide key assists, Martinelli could force Ancelotti to rethink his tactical approach. However, he would have very few minutes to achieve that, meaning he would need standout performances against Norway or Ivory Coast, depending on the result.
