Matheus Cunha will have been given a timely boost in confidence after impressing for Brazil during the international break.
Cunha hasn’t had the best start to life at Manchester United after arriving from Wolves in a £62.5million deal during the summer, but he has displayed some promising glimpses.
A supremely talented player, the tricky forward picked up an assist during his country’s 5-0 thumping of South Korea on Friday, setting up Vinicius Junior for the fifth and final goal.
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He racked up some impressive numbers throughout the friendly, and United will be eager for him to continue in the same vein when he returns to club duties next week.
There is, however, one simple way they can help him achieve this.
Photo by Han Myung-Gu/Getty ImagesHow Brazil got the best of Matheus Cunha
Matheus Cunha popped up everywhere against South Korea and combined sharply with his team-mates. As a reward for his tireless efforts, he also created more chances than any other player on the pitch.
The 26-year-old is one of the deadliest attackers on the counter, and United just don’t make use of this enough. This must change, starting against Liverpool at Anfield.
He is at his magical best when he is afforded space on the ball and bodies making runs around him, as demonstrated when he released Vinicius Jr to score for Brazil.
There was another eye-catching moment when Cunha collected in the centre of the pitch before spreading play out wide and darting down the inside-right channel.
Matheus Cunha’s game by numbers vs. South Korea:
44 total touches
4 defensive contributions
3 chances created
2 fouls won
1 big chance created
1 assist
Created more chances than any other player on the pitch. 👏 pic.twitter.com/xHl9fun8zM
— Statman Dave (@StatmanDave) October 10, 2025
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Cunha possesses bags of swagger, making him a stunning watch on his day, but he is also direct, an approach that has historically gone down very well at Old Trafford.
His heat maps for United this season show he has moved across the entire width of the pitch to get involved, so getting him on the ball is not the issue. Where he has come up short is directly related to the lack of space and support in tight areas he is usually being afforded.
United have too often been predictable in attack, either during patient build-up or on transition, and Cunha has suffered. He is a virtuoso and relishes a degree of freedom which he just hasn’t found at club level.
Brazil showed the Red Devils the error of their ways, and it is down to Ruben Amorim and his coaches to release the handbrake. Only then will Cunha remind the world of what he can do.
Photo by Shaun Brooks – CameraSport via Getty ImagesRuben Amorim on Matheus Cunha
Amorim has been impressed with Cunha’s early impact at United, however, believing his “crazy” nature on the pitch is just what his side need.
“We have a lot of players who have been here for many years and we are struggling, so that is always in your mind,” the head coach said last month. “It’s not just the leaders, we need leaders, but sometimes what I’m thinking is we miss some crazy guys, you know?
“The guys, I think Cunha is a little bit like that. He’s a guy who is a good guy but he doesn’t care who you are. He can play wherever and he will go with the ball. This kind of feeling, we need that.”
Cunha is still getting up to speed after returning from injury, but it is surely just a matter of time before it properly clicks for him at United. Watch out, Premier League.