Brazil’s Cunha emerges as tactical mastermind in World Cup resurgence

Brazil’s World Cup renaissance has found its mastermind in an unlikely figure: Matheus Cunha, the unconventional centre-forward who has emerged as the tactical lynchpin of Carlo Ancelotti’s side. As the tournament advances and the knockout stages loom, Cunha’s three goals and nuanced playing style have become central to Brazil’s better results, which has gathered strength throughout the group stage. Unlike the archetypal number nine of Brazilian football tradition—the pure strikers of Ronaldo, Adriano and Romario’s ilk—Cunha operates as something altogether different: a hybrid nine-and-a-half who effortlessly transitions between leading the line and dictating proceedings from deeper positions. His ability to drop deep, open up opportunities for wingers Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, and help out at the back has answered a question that left even Ancelotti uncertain before the tournament began.

The nine-and-a-half revolution

Cunha’s role demonstrates notable parallels to Roberto Firmino’s method throughout his time at Liverpool, where the Brazilian playmaker would regularly move deep to disrupt his marker’s positioning. When defenders track Cunha’s positioning towards the midfield, it opens up vital room for Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo to exploit on the flanks. Conversely, when opponents maintain their shape, Cunha obtains the freedom to function between the lines, receiving possession and either playing incisive passes or attempting shots himself. This strategic adaptability has transformed Brazil’s offensive structure, delivering the balance and fluidity that Ancelotti’s system demands whilst maintaining defensive solidity.

What renders Cunha’s input especially worthwhile is his openness towards the less glamorous dimensions of his responsibilities. He presses opponents with intensity from the front, initiates defensive transitions, and sometimes descends into midfield to defend the backline—duties that conventional strikers often sidestep. His comfort with these duties showcases a modern player’s grasp of positional play. The fact that Cunha appears genuinely satisfied with this multifarious role, rather than pursuing individual glory, has fostered a collective harmony within Brazil’s attacking contingent that produces harmonious team showings.

• Withdraws into deeper areas to open up room for wide attackers
• Scores goals whilst enabling others’ attacks
• Adds defensive value through pressing and tactical positioning
• Provides tactical versatility Ancelotti’s system requires

Departing from the conventional mould

Brazil’s football culture has traditionally celebrated the classic centre-forward—the out-and-out striker who operates primarily in the penalty area. Legends like Ronaldo, Adriano, and Romário embodied this tradition, their goal-scoring prowess shaping Brazilian football for decades. Cunha’s rise signifies a philosophical departure from this lineage. He is neither a traditional nine nor a playmaking ten—instead a versatile player that challenges traditional positional definitions. This evolution reflects contemporary football’s direction towards versatility and tactical intelligence over rigid positions.

Ancelotti’s exploration prior to the competition—trialling Cunha, Igor Thiago, Endrick, João Pedro, and Richarlison—underscored Brazil’s doubt about their optimal centre-forward configuration. That fitness issues unintentionally facilitated this discovery demonstrates how occasionally tactical innovations emerge through circumstance rather than careful preparation. Cunha’s rise as Brazil’s focal point validates this accidental solution, demonstrating that at times the most game-changing strategic decisions come not through intentional planning but through necessity and adaptation.

Ancelotti’s strategic framework emerges

Carlo Ancelotti’s path to discovering Brazil’s best formation has been one of steady improvement rather than revolutionary overhaul. The Italian manager began the tournament with significant doubt about his preferred starting eleven, necessitating a phase of strategic adjustment across the group stage. Yet with each successive match, the pieces have fallen into place with increasing clarity. Brazil’s progress has been evident and quantifiable, with the team accumulating drive and assurance as the tournament unfolds. This deliberate strategy—permitting the team to bond naturally rather than applying inflexible frameworks—has delivered benefits precisely when they are most crucial, with the elimination rounds now approaching.

The timing of Ancelotti’s tactical realisation is crucial. As Brazil get ready to play Japan in the round of thirty-two, they have a clearly defined system and a established squad of players who understand their individual roles. This clarity of purpose represents a significant advantage over teams still wrestling with formation and personnel questions. Ancelotti’s readiness to evolve and adjust his thinking, rather than stubbornly adhering to preconceived notions, has been vital in Brazil’s revival. The manager has essentially constructed a customised tactical system around Cunha’s unique skill set, creating a system where every outfield player’s role complements the whole.

The progression from 4-2-3-1 to 4-3-3

Ancelotti’s utilisation of Cunha has demanded subtle but significant adjustments to Brazil’s core structure. The traditional 4-2-3-1 formation, which stresses defensive strength through a double pivot, has slowly shifted to a more fluid 4-3-3 structure. This transition allows increased attacking licence whilst preserving adequate defensive protection. Cunha’s ability to retreat and sit deeper in midfield has been essential to facilitating this structural change. The formation now facilitates Vinicius Júnior and Raphinha’s attacking intent on the flanks whilst sustaining tactical balance through smart positioning.

What sets apart Ancelotti’s approach is its flexibility within apparent rigidity. Whilst Brazil nominally play in a 4-3-3 formation, the setup is adequately fluid to allow for player movement between positions. Cunha’s movements generate constant unpredictability for defensive opponents, whilst the three midfielders adapt their positioning to adjust accordingly. This tactical fluidity, underpinned by defined principles rather than strict tactical prescriptions, has become the hallmark of Brazil’s improved performances. Ancelotti has fundamentally established a system where organisation serves the players’ strengths rather than constraining them.

• Cunha’s deeper placement provides opportunities for attacking wingers
• Central midfield trio delivers defensive protection and build-up play
• Full-backs gain offensive licence with defensive support
• Formation adapts flexibly according to possession and stage
• System optimises Brazil’s offensive quality without sacrificing equilibrium

Owning without fixation

Brazil’s approach under Ancelotti constitutes a significant shift from the possession-obsessed football that prevailed in European clubs across the 2010s. Rather than chasing meaningless pass completion percentages, the Seleção have embraced a more purposeful philosophy where ball retention fulfils a strategic purpose. Cunha’s movement and positioning demonstrate this change. By dropping deep and moving between the lines, he transforms possession into offensive chances rather than mere statistical accumulation. The team’s enhanced results stem not from dominating possession, but from utilising it tactically to generate high-quality chances for their forward players.

This sensible approach has freed Brazil from the limitations of strict possession-based systems. Against Japan, for instance, Brazil need not necessarily control the ball for 70 per cent of the match to obtain victory. Instead, Ancelotti’s strategic approach allows the team to be efficient in their use of possession, striking with sharpness when opportunities arise. Cunha’s versatility enables Brazil to move fluidly between defensive solidity and fluid attacking. The team can withstand pressure when required, then swiftly move through Cunha’s intelligent positioning to execute devastating counter-attacks that exploit the space left by opposing defences.

Establishing traps and governing the game

Cunha’s defensive contributions are frequently underrated in discussions of Brazil’s resurgence, yet they prove fundamental to Ancelotti’s tactical approach. When Brazil press, Cunha operates as the first line of pressure, compelling opposing defenders into hurried decisions. His willingness to track back and operate like a makeshift number six provides additional defensive cover, enabling midfielders to advance with greater confidence. This shrewd pressing system, orchestrated through Cunha’s placement, enables Brazil to control matches without necessarily controlling the possession count. The result is a team that seems progressively hard to penetrate whilst staying genuinely dangerous in attack.

A emerging Brazilian cultural identity develops

Brazil’s international football campaign has witnessed a radical rethinking of what it means to be a Seleção striker. For decades, the nation’s offensive approach revolved around the archetypal number nine—a prolific finisher playing in the traditional centre-forward role. Yet Cunha’s emergence constitutes a break with this proven formula, one that demonstrates a broader evolution in how Ancelotti conceptualises Brazilian football. Rather than pursuing another Ronaldo or Adriano, the manager has embraced a more fluid, multifaceted approach to spearheading the attack. This strategic adjustment has delivered impressive results, converting what seemed at first a area of doubt into Brazil’s greatest strategic asset.

The versatility Cunha provides goes well past his proficiency with the ball. His readiness to play across different roles—functioning simultaneously as a nine, a ten, and even a defensive anchor—has afforded Ancelotti unprecedented tactical options. This flexibility has enabled Brazil to maintain structural integrity whilst optimising attacking prowess, a equilibrium that escaped the team during qualifying. The mental transformation is just as crucial; Brazilian supporters and analysts alike have started recognising that innovation need not undermine identity. Cunha embodies this modern blend, proving that Brazilian football can develop without departing from its essential attacking tenets.

• Cunha’s versatile function creates defensive uncertainty for enemy backlines during games
• Brazil transition rapidly between defensive solidity and offensive dynamism through his positioning
• The tactical system releases the team from rigid possession-based philosophical constraints