Confirmed: 2 Manchester United stars guaranteed a spot at the World Cup

The Manchester United pair Casemiro and Matheus Cunha stand a great chance to represent Brazil at the upcoming 2026 World Cup.

Both Casemiro and Cunha are performing at a high level, especially as Manchester United have improved since Michael Carrick temporarily replaced Ruben Amorim as head coach. Casemiro started all three matches under Carrick, playing a key role in victories over Manchester City, Arsenal, and most recently Fulham.

In particular, during the match against Fulham, Casemiro delivered an outstanding performance by scoring the opening goal and then assisting Cunha for Manchester United’s second goal. As a result, he was voted Premier League Player of the Week and was included in the Team of the Week selected by Alan Shearer.

Similarly to Casemiro, Matheus Cunha has also impressed under Carrick’s management. Although he didn’t start the first two matches, he still made a decisive impact. Cunha assisted Patrick Dorgu’s goal to make it 2-0 against Man City, then scored the winning goal against Arsenal. When Dorgu got injured, Cunha started against Fulham and did not disappoint, confidently finishing from a tight angle to double Manchester United’s lead.

Although both performed well under Amorim, this duo has clearly elevated their game under Carrick. Casemiro and Cunha are expected to be key players for Brazil at the upcoming World Cup, and they have just received positive news related to that.

According to ESPN, Casemiro and Cunha are part of a group of 11 players who are essentially guaranteed spots in Brazil’s World Cup squad. While coach Carlo Ancelotti and his staff continue evaluating the team, these 11 names are almost certain to be included, regardless of future decisions. ESPN reports: “Out of the 26 players Ancelotti will announce in May, 11 are already secured unless something unexpected like an injury occurs.”

This list includes goalkeeper Alisson; defenders Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhães; midfielders Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães; and forwards Vinicius Jr., Estêvão, Raphinha, Rodrygo, Matheus Cunha, and Gabriel Martinelli.

Having captained Brazil last year, Casemiro is likely to retain this role due to his extensive experience. However, by the time the World Cup takes place, he will no longer be a Manchester United player, having confirmed his departure from the club at the end of the season.