Brazil forward Vinicius Junior has explained why he did not take his side’s crucial penalty in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 defeat to Norway, insisting the decision was made by head coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Brazil’s hopes of winning a record sixth World Cup ended with a 2-1 defeat after Bruno Guimaraes saw his first-half penalty saved by Norway goalkeeper Orjan Nyland with the score still goalless.
The missed spot-kick immediately sparked debate over why Vinicius, one of Brazil’s leading attacking players, did not step forward to take the penalty.
Breaking his silence after the defeat, the Real Madrid star said the decision had already been made by the coaching staff.
Vinicius said: “Why didn’t I take the penalty? Because it was the manager’s decision. I never hide or shirk my responsibilities.”
The 25-year-old rejected suggestions that he avoided taking responsibility, saying he simply respected the team’s instructions.
He said: “At Real Madrid, whenever the manager asked me to, I took them. Here, I followed the decision that had been made.
“This shows that I haven’t been selfish or acted in bad faith by seeking the spotlight.”
Vinicius also threw his support behind Guimaraes, expressing hope that the missed penalty would not define the midfielder’s international career.
He said: “I hope that Bruno Guimaraes’s career with the Brazilian national team isn’t marred by this mistake.”
The winger also reaffirmed his confidence in Ancelotti despite Brazil’s disappointing exit from the tournament.
Speaking about the Italian coach, Vinicius said: “He’s a manager who gives me a lot of confidence.”
Reflecting on Brazil’s elimination, Vinicius apologised to the country’s supporters for falling short of expectations.
He said: “We have to move on. I can only apologise to our ‘torcida’, who always believed in us and stood by us.
“There’s a lot of frustration because the Selecao haven’t won for a long time.”
Brazil entered the tournament as one of the favourites to lift the trophy, but their campaign came to an end after Norway secured a 2-1 victory to book a place in the World Cup quarter-finals.