During Thursday's South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup, Vinicius Junior found himself at the center of a heated Brazil-Venezuela encounter, which ended in a 1-1 draw. Early in the game, the Real Madrid winger was visibly upset after the referee opted not to play advantage in a potentially crucial moment. His frustration boiled over, and cameras captured him uttering an expletive, a moment highlighted by Spanish outlet *Sport* and confirmed by a Brazilian commentator who noted, "You don't need to be a lip-reading expert to catch that."
The forward has been under scrutiny lately, especially after being omitted from the Ballon d’Or top three. This exclusion seemed to weigh on his performance, and his mounting frustration was evident throughout the match.
In the second half, with the score still tied, Vinicius stepped up to take a penalty that could have changed Brazil's fortunes. However, Venezuela’s goalkeeper denied him, further compounding his difficult night.
The game grew more contentious when Venezuelan player Alexander Gonzalez fouled Vinicius, then retaliated with a slap during a heated exchange. The referee promptly sent Gonzalez off, leaving Venezuela to play with 10 men for the remainder of the match.
Despite dominating possession and creating more chances, Brazil couldn't secure the win. The result places them in third in the South American qualifying standings, with a vital clash against Uruguay looming in five days. Coach Tite and his squad will aim to bounce back from this setback as they push toward World Cup qualification.