Brazil star Rodrygo: Football is the ‘centre of our universe’ at World Cup 2026

Brazil forward Rodrygo has described how football’s grip on his homeland dwarfs its standing in the United States, writing in a Guardian column that the sport remains “the centre of our universe” during the 2026 World Cup.

The Real Madrid attacker, who followed Brazil’s group-stage campaign in North America before returning home, contrasted the relatively contained World Cup buzz he witnessed in US host cities with the all-consuming atmosphere that grips Brazil whenever the Seleção take the field.

A different kind of football country

According to Rodrygo, the World Cup fervour in the United States was largely confined to stadiums, surrounding fan zones and festivals, with football having to compete for attention alongside American football, baseball, basketball and the Olympics. He said this reflected a “data-backed reality” that football is not yet the dominant sport in North American culture.

He recalled struggling to find matches on television during his time in the US, a stark contrast to Brazil, where football coverage is constant and games from around the world are broadcast at almost any hour.

Life built around the Seleção

Rodrygo explained that in Brazil, daily routines, work schedules and even certain public services are shaped around the national team’s fixtures during the tournament, with life effectively paused before being caught up on afterwards. He described football as a source of pride and catharsis for a “hard-working and longsuffering” population, pointing to Brazil’s five World Cup triumphs as part of a deeper cultural bond with the game rather than simply a list of honours.

He added that this passion extends beyond Brazil’s own matches, with fans across the country – from major cities to small villages – also enjoying high-quality fixtures involving other nations. Rodrygo singled out matches including the Netherlands against Japan, Ecuador against Germany, Uruguay against Spain, Portugal against Croatia, France against Sweden, and England against the Democratic Republic of the Congo as games that had been widely appreciated by Brazilian supporters.

Norway awaits in the last 16

Brazil’s own World Cup 2026 journey has taken in a draw against Morocco followed by group-stage victories over Haiti and Scotland, before a keenly anticipated meeting with Japan. Rodrygo noted that excitement back home has continued to build with each round, ahead of a last-16 tie against Norway on Sunday.

He is part of a Brazil squad working under Carlo Ancelotti, who took charge of the Seleção in the buildup to the tournament, as the five-times world champions aim to progress further in the competition.