Marquinhos Says 2026 May Be His Last Shot at World Cup
Brazil captain Marquinhos arrives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup carrying the weight of experience, regret and ambition, insisting the campaign in North America may be his final opportunity to lift football’s ultimate prize.
The 32-year-old centre-back, fresh from back-to-back UEFA Champions League triumphs with Paris Saint-Germain, has urged Brazil to convert elite pedigree into World Cup success as the Seleção target a record-extending sixth title. He made the remarks in an interview published on the FIFA website on Friday, titled “Marquinhos vows to battle pressure in pursuit of World Cup prize with Brazil.”
Brazil head into the tournament under Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti after a turbulent qualification cycle. The team came through a four-year campaign that saw four head coaches take the reins and a fifth-place finish out of 10 CONMEBOL teams in South American qualification. Despite the inconsistency, belief inside the camp remains firm, with Marquinhos set to lead a squad rich in attacking options and reshaped tactically under one of the game’s most decorated managers.
Reflecting on the demands of elite competition, the defender drew on PSG’s path from repeated European disappointment to continental dominance. “I’ve experienced that frustration at club level and so have some of the others in the squad,” he said. “We know that standards are extremely high and that it all comes down to the finest details: making as few mistakes as possible, capitalising on our opponents’ errors and staying strong because we know we’ll have to pull through some difficult moments.”
Marquinhos has endured World Cup elimination at the quarter-final stage twice. In 2018, Brazil were edged out 2-1 by Belgium, and four years later they fell on penalties to Croatia after a 1-1 draw, with the defender’s spot-kick striking the inside of the post in the shoot-out. He believes leadership matters most in adversity, particularly for younger players.
“Leaders really come into their own in difficult and challenging circumstances,” he said. “That’s when you need to step up and carry the mantle of responsibility, especially for the younger players, for those who aren’t used to the pressure cooker and the furore that surrounds the national team when times get tough.”
He added that the duty extends beyond matchdays. “When times get tough, you need to be strong, help maintain a sense of calm and understand that you can turn things around through hard work, training and dedication.”
On the squad’s strength in transition, Marquinhos pointed to its depth. “We’ve got so many great players, with a plethora of options in all areas. We need to continue to mould our identity and understand how we can hurt our opponents and how best to adapt when the going gets tough,” he said.
He also credited Ancelotti’s influence. The Italian is the only manager to have won the UEFA Champions League five times and to have secured the league title in each of Europe’s top five leagues: Italy, England, France, Germany and Spain.
“Ancelotti is a serial winner who has proven that he knows how to transform a team into champions,” Marquinhos said. “He’s brought a real spark to the group, that extra edge we needed going into this World Cup.”
The tournament carries personal significance for the captain, rooted in childhood.
“When I was a kid, I saw our country become five-time champions with that win at the 2002 tournament. That lit the touchpaper for my passion for football, Brazil and the World Cup,” he recalled. Having featured at Russia 2018 and started in Qatar 2022, he now enters what could be his defining campaign.
“Every player who gets their hands on the trophy says that it’s without question the greatest moment of their lives. I want to experience that for myself. If I were to win the World Cup, it would be the pinnacle of my life and career,” he said. “At 32, this might be my last chance.”