Bruno Guimaraes: An ‘Indisputable’ Figure for Club and Country
Bruno Guimaraes has firmly established himself as one of the first names on the team sheet for both Newcastle Unitedand Brazil.
The Newcastle captain recently ended an impressive run of 69 consecutive Premier League starts when he was rested for the match against AFC Bournemouth last month. It was a rare break for the midfielder, coming during a congested fixture schedule for the Magpies. For Guimaraes, the workload is even more demanding due to his international commitments, which often see him travel across continents to represent Brazil.
Since Carlo Ancelotti took over as Brazil’s head coach, Guimaraes has started all five matches under his management. In fact, the 26-year-old has featured in 25 of Brazil’s last 30 fixtures since the 2022 World Cup, earning the label of an “indisputable starter” from Ancelotti himself.
That level of consistency has brought praise, but also pressure — maintaining peak form and fitness for both club and country is no easy task. Yet Guimaraes has managed it impressively in recent seasons.
Looking ahead to the 2026 World Cup, with Brazil’s qualification already confirmed, Guimaraes reflected on his growth within the national team setup.
“It’s one of my best moments with the national team,” he told Globo Esporte. “It’s been a turbulent cycle with many changes, but we’ve grown stronger both individually and collectively. We’re performing well in every formation the coach uses. I want to keep doing well for Newcastle to earn my place, make the coach happy, and stay in the starting lineup — maybe not ‘undisputed,’ but certainly effective.”
Guimaraes contributed an assist in Brazil’s 5–0 victory over South Korea on Friday and is expected to feature again when they face Japan in Tokyo on Tuesday. His Newcastle teammate Joelinton was part of the squad but did not appear in the match against South Korea.
“The coach has shown great confidence in me, and I’m living my best moment with the national team,” Guimaraes added. “I’m happy to return to Japan, where I have special memories from winning the Olympics. We’ve studied Japan well — the key will be how we perform on the day. We don’t know the lineup yet, but whoever plays will deliver great football. The World Cup is coming, and our country is excited. I’m just happy with the form I’m in.”
Guimaraes was part of Brazil’s 2022 World Cup squad in Qatar, where the five-time world champions were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Croatia after a penalty shootout.
“We understand the squad isn’t final — it’s natural for the coach to keep experimenting,” Guimaraes concluded.
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