Coach Minh Nguyệt: 'He won thanks to luck, Brazil paid a heavy price'

The Round of 16 of the 2026 World Cup keeps delivering wild storylines and unexpected outcomes. The main highlight is that title favorite Brazil had to say goodbye after losing 1-2 to Norway, a game in which they controlled their own destiny.

On the flip side, England managed to hold on to a thrilling victory against Mexico despite playing a man down.

From a professional perspective, coach Nguyễn Thị Minh Nguyệt, former Vietnamese Women's Golden Ball winner, believes that the ability to seize opportunities and systematic errors in the final minutes decided the fate of the two giants: "The clash between Brazil and Norway is a typical chapter illustrating the harshness of football.

A team that creates numerous chances but fails to finish off the opponent will pay the price with cruel punishments. In this match, Carlo Ancelotti's players executed a deliberate tactic by actively ceding control of the game to Norway in order to unleash their energy at the start and end of each half.

Brazil's counter-attacking system was highly lethal, but they encountered an extraordinary performance from the opposing goalkeeper Nyland.

The biggest turning point was Bruno Guimaraes's missed penalty. If that spot-kick had been successful, Brazil's counter-attacking setup would have become even more dangerous as Norway would have been forced to push their entire team forward.

That wastefulness opened the door for Erling Haaland to shine. With just two moments of laxity from Brazil's defense late in the game, the super striker immediately punished them with a classy brace.

Neymar's late goal was merely for honor, and perhaps it is time for Brazil to undergo a comprehensive squad revolution.

As for England, Thomas Tuchel's team advanced with a heavy dose of luck. The Three Lions were completely outplayed by the hosts Mexico, managing only 33% possession and a mere 6 shots.

In contrast, Mexico dominated with 67% ball possession and 13 dangerous attacks. If not for the incredible brilliance of goalkeeper Jordan Pickford with a series of point-blank saves, England's net would have bulged multiple times.

Even when reduced to ten men due to a harsh red card, Harry Kane's instinct and the collective defensive resilience helped England preserve their result. However, if Mexico's forwards had been sharper in the closing minutes, the match outcome would have taken a very different turn."

Having overcome nerve-wracking challenges, England and Norway will face off in the quarter-finals at 4:00 AM on July 12. This is a fateful encounter as the key players on both sides are very familiar with each other from the Premier League. Certainly, finding a way to contain the duo of Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard will be the toughest puzzle for strategist Thomas Tuchel to solve.