Danilo hails Brazil's Copa organisation, praises Endrick, eyes Haiti clash | OneFootball

Right-back Danilo praised the Brazilian National Team’s organization for the World Cup, spoke highly of Endrick’s quality and talent, and looked ahead to the match against Haiti in the second round of the competition.

In a press conference held this Wednesday (17) at The Ridge hotel in New Jersey, United States, he praised the structure provided by the federation for the tournament.

“I have to acknowledge that the work of the people who took over the CBF has brought greater peace of mind with things players shouldn’t have to deal with. Today there is planning and organization that is among the best I’ve ever had here. It will bring short-term benefits in this World Cup. In the medium and long term, it will help create an identity with the players coming up through the youth ranks. I truly believe we will have a beautiful World Cup, but this direction will bear good fruit in the medium term, and we have to be resilient enough to wait for the processes, which is not always easy,” he said.

Danilo during a press conference for the Brazilian National Team in New JerseyCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

Experienced, the No. 13 of the Canarinho highlighted the potential of forward Endrick, seen as one of the most promising players in Brazilian football and currently playing in his first World Cup.

“Endrick is a rare gem of Brazilian football. He is a player with power, decisiveness, a star. (...) We want him to have the biggest possible role. For me, Casemiro, Neymar... This is our last chance, the National Team will keep going with these guys. Whatever we can do to make them feel important, we will do. In the last match, he didn’t come on by the Mister’s decision, but he is a player who will be important,” he stressed.

Two days before facing Haiti, the defender refused to talk about a rout by Brazil in the match. For him, the focus of Carlo Ancelotti’s team should be “showing the fans the desire to win.”

“There’s expectation and there’s reality. We need to approach the match with reality in mind. It would even be disrespectful to talk about a rout (against Haiti), especially given the way football has changed and evolved. We need to show the fans that we have the desire to win. And we do that by controlling possession, pushing the game, and wanting to win at every moment", he said.

Danilo during a press conference for the Brazilian National Team in New JerseyCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

National Team in camp for 21 days

Brazil right-back Danilo highlighted the importance of the last three weeks of preparation, during which the Brazil delegation was fully immersed in planning for the World Cup. In the press conference, he said that this period allowed the group to “dive into the philosophy the players are looking for in the Brazilian National Team.”

“These three weeks of work allowed us to set aside, a little, all the competitions each of us has with our own teams and, in a way, dive into a philosophy we want to have on the field with the Brazilian National Team. Each one plays for a club, where they work in a certain way, and when you bring all that together, it’s not easy to arrive at a final product with a lot of coherence,” he said.

The Canarinho has been in camp for the World Cup for 21 days, since May 27, the date the players reported to Granja Comary.

Danilo during a press conference for the Brazilian National Team in New JerseyCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

Goals for the World Cup

The 34-year-old player also commented on the Brazilian National Team’s goals for the 2026 World Cup. According to him, the main objective in the group stage is to secure qualification for the next round.

“When you enter a group stage where there are three opponents, you want to beat them. That is our goal: to qualify in first place. If we have to qualify in second and still have a path that leads to a happy ending, we don’t have to think about that. The focus is to qualify, get through this stage, improve our play every day, and strengthen the connection between us and what happens on the field. From there, opponents, logistics, all of that becomes secondary because we don’t control it, and it’s part of the journey,” he said.

The Flamengo player assessed the current moment of the Canarinho and said that the Brazilian National Team “remains in the front row” of world football. He also stressed the importance of previous generations in building that status and said the current group’s goal is to “put one more star on the shirt.”

“Brazil remains in the front row. Obviously, this wasn’t built by me or by the players who are here. There are a lot of people behind us who need to be respected, and they are the ones who built this status, these achievements, and these five stars we wear on our chest. Our duty is to try, as much as possible, to honor that. If we show great commitment, responsibility, and a spirit of sacrifice to put one more little star on the shirt, that would be wonderful,” added the National Team’s No. 13.

Danilo during a press conference for the Brazilian National Team in New JerseyCredits: Rafael Ribeiro/CBF

Lessons learned from the opener against Morocco

Danilo also analyzed Brazil’s draw in the opener against Morocco. For him, the match was an opportunity for the team to take positive lessons and grow in the face of adversity.

“The best way to grow is to face situations with realism and clarity. We are doing that very well. That first half (against Morocco) was below what the National Team can deliver. We can find different mechanisms, maybe defend deeper, accept that they will have more possession at times. That is also maturity, understanding the moment we are in,” he concluded.

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