Will he catch the final price? Casemiro stops Brazil

Brazil’s technical staff breathed a sigh of relief after it was confirmed that veteran midfielder Casemiro is fit for the 2026 World Cup round of 16 following concerns over a muscle injury sustained against Japan.

According to the Spanish “Relevo”, Casemiro reassured the Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti and his technical staff, stressing that what he suffered was nothing more than a ligament spasm and did not represent a serious injury that could threaten his continuation in the tournament.

The Brazilian midfielder had a shaky evening against Japan after scoring an own goal to give the opposition the lead before he quickly made up for his mistake with a superb header to equalise. He then left the field before the final whistle due to muscle soreness, causing concern in the Brazilian camp.

However, preliminary tests have allayed those fears, confirming that the Manchester United player will remain in Brazil’s squad for the qualifiers.

Despite his readiness, the former Real Madrid player will have to be careful in the next match, as receiving another yellow card will prevent him from taking part in the quarter-finals if his country qualifies.

Brazil’s national team will face the winner of Cote d’Ivoire and Norway next Sunday in New Jersey, in a game where the Seleção enter as strong contenders to continue their journey to the world title.