Brazil: a round of 16 elimination unseen since 1990

Brazil are already out of the 2026 World Cup. Beaten 2-1 by Norway in the round of 16, the Seleção have recorded their worst performance at the tournament in 36 years. You have to go back to the 1990 edition to find an exit this early for the five-time world champions.

Since that round of 16 exit in 1990, Brazil had always reached at least the quarter-finals. World champions in 1994 and 2002, finalists in 1998, the Seleção then bowed out in the quarter-finals in 2006, 2010, 2018, and 2022, while they made it to the semi-finals on home turf in 2014 before finishing fourth.

The 2026 edition truly marks a turning point. Despite an expanded tournament format with the introduction of the round of 32, Brazil couldn't do better than a round of 16 spot, where they were stunned by a solid Norwegian side (2-1).

This elimination ends a streak of nine World Cups in which the Seleção had consistently finished among the tournament's top eight nations. After 36 years without such a premature exit, the South American giants will now have to learn from this historic setback.

Nouya M'toama

Editorfr, en

Versatile journalist specializing in sports and political news, with extensive experience across radio, print and digital media platforms.