Striker Matheus Cunha continues to build a memorable trajectory in this edition of the World Cup. He scored another goal during the Brazilian team’s 3-0 victory over Scotland, last Wednesday (24), once again demonstrating his crucial role for the team. In addition to the accurate finish, a specific detail of his celebration caught the attention of fans and the media.
After finding the net and scoring his third goal in the competition, Cunha replicated an iconic gesture by Ronaldo Fenômeno. The celebration refers to the former number 9’s first goal in the 2002 World Cup final, against Germany, marking a historic tribute.
The similarity between the celebrations did not go unnoticed by Ronaldo himself. O Fenômeno used its digital platforms to share a side-by-side montage of the two images, accompanied by a humorous comment about the situation.
In his post, Ronaldo joked: “The last time a 9 celebrated like that, you know what happened.” This phrase evokes Brazil’s victory in the 2002 World Cup, when the Seleção won its fifth championship. The mention serves as a reminder of the glorious precedent and adds symbolic weight to the celebration of Matheus Cunha, connecting the present with the hope of new success.
With three goals in three clashes, Matheus Cunha arrives with great morale for the knockout phase of the World Cup. The Manchester United player expressed his gratitude and emotion for receiving recognition from an idol like Ronaldo, saying he was speechless.
In addition to Cunha’s individual performance, Brazil’s offensive sector shows excellent form, having found the opponent’s net seven times in the first three duels of the World Cup. The 3-0 defeat against Scotland guaranteed the Seleção the isolated leadership of Group C in the group stage.
Now, Brazil awaits the definition of its opponent for the round of 16 of the tournament. The team led by coach Carlo Ancelotti will face the second placed team in Group F next Monday (29), in a match scheduled for 2pm (local time).