Hugo Souza brushes off criticism, cites Flamengo after Brazil error

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·28 September 2026

Hugo Souza brushes off criticism, cites Flamengo after Brazil error

Hugo Souza conceded a free-kick goal for the National Team and was the target of criticism

Brazil could only draw with Australia in a friendly last Friday (25), 1-1. The Oceania side’s goal came from a free kick, on which goalkeeper Hugo Souza did not even jump. In an interview, the keeper cited Flamengo and Corinthians to ‘prove’ that he is not shaken by the criticism he receives.

— Man, to be very honest, I think I’ve been through the two biggest spotlights (Flamengo and Corinthians). I went through one and today I’m living the other. They are the two biggest media spotlights in Brazil. And obviously, it goes both ways. And we have to get used to that. And when it’s on the good side, it’s a lot; when it’s on the bad side, it’s also a lot —, Hugo Souza began. — And I think that gives me very thick skin to come here to the National Team and understand that it will be like this too. And when the pressure comes, it will come hard; when the criticism comes, it will come hard. And it doesn’t matter what I think about it, it doesn’t matter what my family thinks about it, the pressure will come hard —, added the Brazil national team goalkeeper in an interview with GE.

WHAT DID HUGO SAY ABOUT THE GOAL?

In the 23rd minute of the second half of the friendly between Brazil and Australia, Irankunda took a free kick that was not even that close to the top corner. However, Hugo dropped to his knees and watched the ball go in. In stoppage time, Rayan still equalized, saving Carlo Ancelotti’s team from an even bigger embarrassment.

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— I think the guy struck the free kick really well. When I thought about diving, the ball had already gone by. Obviously the criticism is going to come: “He didn’t jump for the ball, I think he could have gotten it, I think it was a mistake, I think it wasn’t a mistake…”. That’s going to happen with any goal that I or any other goalkeeper concede here with the National Team —, Hugo explained.

— It’s because of how big we are, the weight of the shirt we wear, and of course these kinds of versions and opinions are going to come up. Of course, for me it’s a bit frustrating not to have won yet with the Brazilian national team —, concluded the goalkeeper developed by Flamengo and currently at Corinthians.

NEXT MATCH

With Hugo Souza available, Brazil returns to the pitch next Tuesday (29), again in Australia, once more in the ‘Land of the Kangaroo’. Thus, the ball starts rolling from 7 a.m. (Brasília time), which will bring details about the participation of Flamengo players Samuel Lino and Pedro in the friendly.

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