Brazil come from behind to beat Japan 2-1 and reach the 2026 World Cup round of 16

Twenty years after their only meeting at a World Cup, Brazil and Japan ran into each other again — this time in the knockout round. At NRG Stadium in Houston, the Seleção dominated possession, got a scare in the first half, and then turned the game around in stoppage time through Gabriel Martinelli to seal a place in the quarterfinals.

Their only previous World Cup meeting: Germany 2006

The only time Brazil and Japan had met at a World Cup was in 2006, in Dortmund. Brazil's side of Ronaldo, Ronaldinho Gaúcho and Kaká beat Zico's Japan 4-1 in the third round of Group F. Ronaldo scored twice that day and became, at the time, the all-time top scorer in World Cup history. Juninho Pernambucano and Gilberto Silva rounded off the scoring; Tamada pulled one back.

The detail is that that Brazilian side bowed out in the quarterfinals, eliminated by Zinedine Zidane's France — the start of a drought that still goes on today.

Overall head-to-head

Counting friendlies, the Confederations Cup and World Cups, Brazil dominate the all-time record by a wide margin: 13 wins, 2 draws and just 1 defeat, with a goal difference of 37-8.

That single defeat is recent and still stings: in October 2025, in a friendly in Tokyo at the start of the Carlo Ancelotti era, Japan won 3-2 — a wake-up call that the Japanese tried to repeat tonight.

Japan's round-of-16 curse

Japan are one of the most compelling stories in modern football, but they keep hitting the same wall: they have never made it past the round of 16. The 2026 World Cup was their fifth attempt — and once again, that's where the journey ended.

The script in 2026 looked a lot like the 2018 game against Belgium: Japan dominating much of the match, scoring early, and being undone by a late rival comeback. Only this time, the Japanese were on the wrong side of history.

Brazil 2-1 Japan: how the match unfolded

Brazil started in control, with the ball and more attacking volume, but it was Japan who opened the scoring. In the 28th minute, Danilo gave the ball away cheaply and Kaishu Sano showed no mercy: a low strike from outside the box, no chance for Alisson.

At halftime, Ancelotti made a change: he took off Lucas Paquetá and sent on Endrick to tighten the attack. The pressure paid off. Ten minutes into the second half, Gabriel Magalhães swung in a cross from the left and Casemiro rose unmarked to equalize with a header.

From there the game opened up, tense, with Brazil pushing and Japan looking for the counter. In the 95th minute, Bruno Guimarães slipped in Martinelli inside the box, the ball deflected off the Japanese keeper and rolled in. Brazilian celebrations in Houston.

Match facts

• 28' — Kaishu Sano (JPN), after a defensive error by Danilo
• 55' — Casemiro (BRA), header, from a Gabriel Magalhães cross
• 90+5' — Gabriel Martinelli (BRA), with a deflection off the keeper, assist by Bruno Guimarães

Yellows: Casemiro and Danilo (Brazil); Kaishu Sano, Daichi Kamada and Junnosuke Suzuki (Japan). Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy).

Next opponent

In the quarterfinals, Brazil face the winner of Ivory Coast vs Norway. The match will be played next week, still in the United States. Right here on Guriball you'll get the buildup, lineups and everything else until kickoff.