Marquinhos warns Brazil not to underestimate Japan in World Cup clash

Marquinhos warned that Brazil could not treat Japan as a routine opponent as the five-time champions prepared for their World Cup round-of-32 meeting in Houston. The Brazil defender said Japan would not be easy to break down, a warning that reflected how far the balance of power has shifted in global soccer.

Brazil entered the knockout round as group winners and still carried the weight of a sixth-title chase, one that has stretched back to 2002. Carlo Ancelotti has tried to channel that pressure into discipline rather than complacency, telling the squad to grow at the right moment and describing Japan as one of the best teams in the world. Brazil’s 26-man tournament list includes Neymar, Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha and Marquinhos, a core that gives the Seleção more depth than in recent editions but also raises the expectation to advance deep into the tournament.

Japan arrived with its own proof that it belongs on this stage. The team finished second in Group F after a 1-1 draw with Sweden in Dallas, a result that sent Japan into the next round and set up the clash with Brazil. Japan also carried the memory of October 2025, when it beat Brazil 3-2 in Tokyo for the first victory in its history over the Seleção. Hajime Moriyasu has pointed to that result as evidence that Japan can compete with elite teams, while Yukinari Sugawara has said Japan must give 120 percent against Brazil.

That backdrop has made the matchup less about reputation than about execution. Marquinhos said the Tokyo defeat had been a lesson for Brazil, not a footnote, and he stressed that even teams with modest pedigrees can produce a surprise at the World Cup. With Japan now viewed as a credible threat rather than a simple underdog, Brazil’s task in Houston was not just to advance, but to do so without the hesitation that has undone traditional powers before.