Japan, South Africa Exit World Cup Round of 32 After 2-1 Brazil Loss, Canada Defeat

Q: Did Brazil's narrow win over Japan expose an aging squad too vulnerable to win the World Cup?

Yes — Brazil’s 2-1 comeback over Japan raised legitimate questions about whether this squad is too old and physically fragile to be a clear World Cup favorite. The match itself exposed several warning signs. Brazil fell behind to Japan, needed Casemiro, 34, to equalize, and only won through Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time goal. Casemiro then limped off with a groin issue, underlining a broader concern: Brazil are relying heavily on veteran players deep into a long tournament. The age profile supports that concern. Reports put Brazil’s average squad age at roughly 29, making it one of the older teams in the field, with 11 players aged 30 or above. Key names such as Casemiro, Alisson and Alex Sandro are experienced, but age becomes a bigger issue when combined with injuries and the physical demands of knockout football. Neymar, also in his mid-30s, entered the tournament managing a muscle problem. That said, one narrow win does not prove Brazil cannot win the World Cup. They still have elite younger attackers such as Vinícius Júnior and Martinelli, plus high-end tournament experience and enough quality to survive difficult matches. Knockout rounds are often decided by resilience as much as fluency. What the Japan game did show is that Brazil do not look dominant. Their older core remains influential, but it also appears vulnerable to fatigue, injury and fast transitions. Against stronger opponents than Japan, those weaknesses could become decisive.

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 29

Japan and South Africa were eliminated from the 2026 World Cup Round of 32 after losses on June 28-29, ending both teams' knockout runs.
Japan fell 2-1 to Brazil in Houston, with the one-goal defeat sending the Asian side out of the tournament.
South Africa also exited after losing to Canada in Inglewood, adding a second elimination to the close of the Round of 32.
The defeats completed the latest knockout cull as the 2026 World Cup field narrowed further toward the quarterfinal stage.