Cunha scores third World Cup goal as Brazil crush Scotland 3-0 to top Group C

Matheus Cunha continued his impressive World Cup 2026 campaign by scoring his third goal of the tournament as Brazil beat Scotland 3-0 on Wednesday to finish top of Group C and advance to the Round of 32. The Manchester United forward played 75 minutes at the Selecão’s spearhead, drawing lavish praise from the Brazilian media for a performance that went well beyond the scoresheet.

Cunha’s goal came on the hour mark, calmly slotted past the goalkeeper after Bruno Guimarães unselfishly picked him out. He had also seen an earlier effort cleared off the line by Lewis Ferguson before making his mark in the most decisive way. Brazilian publication Veja described him as an “intelligent player” who is “well-positioned” at all times, while GE Globo awarded him a generous 7.5/10 match rating, writing: “He started scoring again and was important in other ways. He was very combative without the ball and helped in the build-up play, dropping back a little to provide passing options and act as a target man. Brazil’s second goal came after he recovered the ball with a sliding tackle at the edge of the penalty area.”

ESPN Brasil rated him 6.5/10, noting that despite his goals, his off-the-ball contribution is even more valuable given the crucial role he plays in maintaining Brazil’s tactical shape.

For Scotland, former Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay was the standout performer in an otherwise difficult evening. After a quiet first half, McTominay grew into the game, winning three duels and registering three shots on target — including a header that forced Alisson Becker into a scrambling save and a poked effort from a recycled corner that the goalkeeper held.

The result confirms Brazil at the summit of Group C heading into the knockout rounds. They will next face the runner-up of Group F in the Round of 32, with Japan, the Netherlands, and Sweden all still in contention for that spot.