Gabriel Magalhães wants positive, solid Brazil to beat Haiti | OneFootball

Gabriel Magalhães during a press conference ahead of Brazil vs. Haiti, in the second round of the World CupCredits: Hannah Peters - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

To secure their first victory at the World Cup, Gabriel Magalhães is hoping for a clean sheet from the Brazilian National Team against Haiti. In a press conference this Thursday (18), on the eve of the match, the center-back stressed that he does not want the Seleção to concede any goals.

“We don’t want to concede goals. If we don’t concede, we’re closer to victory, but it’s about working together collectively. We know how important it is not to concede. We will definitely go into tomorrow’s game (Friday) with a positive mindset, knowing that we’re going to defend well and come away with the win,” he said.

After the 1-1 draw with Morocco in the opener, he explained that the players discussed the match among themselves and what needs to improve against Haiti.

Gabriel Magalhães during a press conference ahead of Brazil vs. Haiti, in the second round of the World CupCredits: Hannah Peters - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

“You can be sure we did, yes, we talk every day. We know we need to do that, the boss has been talking to us a lot as well. We worked very well during the week, we know tomorrow is a big game, and we’re going all out to get the win,” reinforced the 28-year-old defender.

“We know we didn’t start the game well, we’re fully aware of that. It’s not the kind of game we want, we are Brazil, the team that wants to have the ball all the time. That game is behind us now, a match we can learn from, and tomorrow (Friday) we have another big game. We will definitely show all our strength,” he concluded.

Relationship with Marquinhos

Teammates on the national team and rivals in the most recent Champions League final, Gabriel Magalhães and Marquinhos shared a memorable moment before reporting to the Seleção. In the final of Europe’s top club competition, Marquinhos, captain of both Brazil and champion PSG, chose to console his friend Gabriel—who had just missed a penalty and effectively sealed the French side’s title—instead of celebrating with his fans.

The video went viral on social media and highlighted the friendship between the two center-backs. According to Gabriel Magalhães, the hug and words of encouragement he received made him care for Marquinhos even more.

“That was a moment of sadness for me. The first thing he did was not celebrate, but give me a hug. What I can say is that he gave me all the support. I’ve been here with him on the national team for two or three years, and I learn every day whenever I’m with him. I’m a huge fan of him as a person and as a player. My affection for him grew even more after the Champions final,” he said.

Gabriel Magalhães during a press conference ahead of Brazil vs. Haiti, in the second round of the World CupCredits: Hannah Peters - FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇧🇷 here.