“When we wear this shirt…”: United maestro outlines selfless World Cup ambitions

Matheus Cunha has become a mainstay in Manchester United’s starting XI since arriving at Old Trafford from Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer. The Red Devils were looking for attacking reinforcements when they set their sights on the Brazilian forward. Cunha joined the Midlands club initially on loan from Atletico Madrid in January 2023, before the move was made permanent later that summer. The Brazilian took very little time to settle at Molineux and enjoyed a decent 2023/24 campaign, scoring 14 goals in 36 outings. Last season, Cunha hit a higher gear, finding the back of the net 17 times in 36 games. The Brazilian’s creativity, flair, and eye for goal prompted United to invest heavily in his signature last summer, and it has turned out to be a wise decision so far. Cunha’s debut campaign at Old Trafford Cunha was handed the No. 10 shirt vacated by Marcus Rashford, who moved to Barcelona on loan at the beginning of the season. While the Brazilian experienced a slow start to the campaign, he has picked up the pace of late. Cunha has predominantly played in the centre-forward position, but has also been regularly utilised as a left-forward. The 26 year old’s versatility has been an asset for United this season, and he has already registered seven goals and four assists in 30 appearances across competitions. Matheus Cunha Stats: 2025/26 Season CompetitionAppearancesStartsGoalsAssistsYellow CardsRed CardsMinutes Played Premier League2824741-2,075′ FA Cup11—-90′ EFL Cup11—-90′ TOTAL3026741-2,255′ Source: Transfermarkt.While Bruno Fernandes remains the Premier League giants’ creative fulcrum, Cunha’s quick feet, change of pace, and intelligence have been indispensable as well. The Brazilian’s form with the Red Devils has already strengthened his pursuit of a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Cunha is currently on international duty with the Selecao and was part of the team that lost 2-1 to France in a friendly last week. The Brazilian has now revealed that he is willing to make individual sacrifices in a bid to achieve glory with his nation. Cunha not seeking individual glory Speaking ahead of the 3-1 win over Croatia on Tuesday, as cited by ESPN Brazil, Cunha insisted that he is putting collective achievement with Brazil ahead of individual glory. He said: “Whenever I put on this shirt, I’m not looking to be the centre of attention. When we wear this shirt, it’s about much more than just being remembered; it’s about being part of a winning team, like so many others.” “We want to come here and give it our all. Those who’ve been here longer understand things quicker; they know what the manager wants, but we still need to adapt.” Cunha also stressed that the team was not affected by the defeat to France, and is aiming to win the 2026 FIFA World Cup. He said: “France and Croatia are two top-tier teams. We don’t usually have much experience in these kinds of matches, so it’s wonderful to have this opportunity.” “It hasn’t affected our confidence at all. We all share the same vision of what we need to do and what we want, which is to win the World Cup. We want to make our mark on the national team. Despite the defeat, which leaves us disappointed, there is a certain sense of calm in knowing that we are on the right path. They’ve had more time to prepare, but we felt we could have come away with a win.” Cunha started this week’s friendly win over Croatia before being replaced by Bournemouth sensation Rayan in the 78th minute. Final Thoughts Cunha has played a key role in United’s rise to third in the Premier League after 31 games this season. If the Red Devils are to secure a top-four finish this season, they will need their Brazilian wizard to keep up his form. Featured image Lewis Storey via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Deepungsu Pandit Deepungsu has been a Manchester United fan since 2000. In his playing days, he was an attacking midfielder with a proclivity for the back heel. Right now, however, he prefers to operate as a regista. Deepungsu has been writing about the Red Devils, Football, and other things since 2009. He has worked for over seven years with Sportskeeda, writing football reviews, opinions and news articles. Deepungsu also maintains a blog, The Thinking Me, where he writes about life and things that interest him. His favourite Manchester United player is Paul Scholes.