Mauricio seeks new status at Palmeiras after Paraguay ousted Germany and he beat Neuer from the spot | OneFootball

Mauricio was the standout in Palmeiras’ first match after the World Cup, scoring twice in a 3-1 win at Coritiba, and he is pushing for a new status at the club on the back of his Paraguay campaign.

According to Globo.com, inside the club he is now seen as carrying greater responsibility after the tournament. Assistant João Martins said he has gradually embraced that burden and that the national team experience helped.

Naturalised Paraguayan and wearing No 18, he went to the World Cup with Gustavo Gómez and Sosa. Used off the bench, he appeared in four of five matches, scored against the United States and converted his penalty in the shootout win over Germany in the second phase, beating Manuel Neuer, with Gómez also scoring.

Palmeiras signed Mauricio from Internacional in June 2024 for a little over R$ 60 million, when he was 23. In 2025 he posted 10 goals and 11 assists but did not cement a starting spot.

Despite not being first choice, he is viewed as a player who can develop further. The board signalled after the World Cup that he would not be sold for low fees.

Amid absences in that return fixture, he started at Couto Pereira. He is expected to start again on Sunday when Palmeiras face Atlético-MG at 19:30 Brasília time at Nubank Parque.

Source: Globo.com