Gabriel Magalhães wants Brazil to defend well and beat Haiti
Gabriel Magalhães during a press conference before Brazil vs. Haiti, in the second round of the World CupCredits: Hannah Peters – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
To secure their first win at the World Cup, Gabriel Magalhães expects the Brazilian National Team to keep a clean sheet against Haiti. In a press conference this Thursday (18), on the eve of the match, the center-back stressed that he does not want the Seleção to concede any goals.
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“We don’t want to concede goals. If we don’t, we’re closer to winning, but it takes collective work. We know how important it is not to concede. We’ll definitely go into tomorrow’s game (Friday) with a positive mindset, believing we’ll defend well and come away victorious,” he said.
After the 1-1 draw with Morocco in the opener, he explained that the players discussed the match among themselves and what they need to improve against Haiti.
Gabriel Magalhães during a press conference before Brazil vs. Haiti, in the second round of the World CupCredits: Hannah Peters – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
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“You can be sure we did, yes, we talk every day. We know we need to do that, and the coach has been talking to us a lot as well. We worked really well during the week, we know tomorrow is a big game, and we’re going all in to get the win,” reinforced the 28-year-old defender.
“We know we didn’t start the game well, and we’re fully aware of that. It’s not the kind of game we want, we are Brazil, the team that wants to have the ball all the time. That game is behind us, and it serves as a lesson for us. Tomorrow (Friday) we have another big game. We’ll definitely show all our strength,” he concluded.
Relationship with Marquinhos
Teammates on the national team and rivals in the last Champions League final, Gabriel Magalhães and Marquinhos shared a memorable moment before reporting to the Seleção. In the final of Europe’s top club competition, Marquinhos, captain of Brazil and of champions PSG, chose to comfort his friend Gabriel—who had just missed a penalty and effectively sealed the French side’s title—instead of celebrating with his fans.
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The video went viral on social media and highlighted the friendship between the two center-backs. According to Gabriel Magalhães, the hug and words of encouragement he received made him care for Marquinhos even more.
“That was a sad moment for me. The first thing he did was not celebrate, but give me a hug. All I can say is that he gave me all the support. I’ve been here with him on the national team for two or three years, and I learn every day whenever I’m with him. I’m a huge fan of him as a person and as a player. My affection for him grew even more after the Champions final,” he said.
Gabriel Magalhães during a press conference before Brazil vs. Haiti, in the second round of the World CupCredits: Hannah Peters – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.