Manchester United forward Matheus Cunha has insisted he is not chasing individual recognition with Brazil, even as his club form continues to strengthen his standing ahead of the World Cup.

The Brazilian spoke ahead of the friendly against Croatia, making it clear that his priorities with the national team differ from the expectations often placed on attacking players.

“I’m not looking for the spotlight,” Cunha said to ESPN Brazil. “When we wear this shirt, it’s much more than being remembered. It’s about being part of a winning group, like so many before us.”

That stance offers an interesting contrast to his situation at Manchester United, where he has been one of the key attacking figures during the club’s recent rise under Michael Carrick.

Club form vs international reality

Cunha’s performances in England have been consistent. He recently spoke about his spell at Manchester United in an interview for a Brazilian channel. However, he admitted that translating that form to Brazil is not always straightforward.

“We want to come here and give everything we can,” he explained. “Those who have been here longer understand things faster, they know what the manager wants. But we still need some adaptation.”

That adjustment period has been visible. Cunha started in Brazil’s recent 2-1 defeat to France but did not register a goal contribution.

Still, the forward dismissed any suggestion that the result has affected confidence within the squad.

“Nothing has changed in our confidence,” he said. “We all have the same idea of what we want, which is to win the World Cup.”

Keeping perspective ahead of the World Cup

For Cunha, the level of opposition in recent matches is part of the process.

“France and Croatia are two top-level national teams,” he said. “We don’t usually have that much experience in these games, so it’s great to have this opportunity.”

He also pointed to differences in preparation time as a factor, while maintaining belief in the group.

“They’ve had more time to prepare, but we felt we could have won,” Cunha added. “Even in defeat, it shows we are on the right path.”

That mentality aligns with the approach he described earlier. Individual performances may shape perception, but Cunha’s focus remains elsewhere.

For Manchester United, that could be a positive sign. A player less concerned with individual spotlight and more focused on collective success tends to fit well within a team pushing for long-term stability.

As Cunha put it, the objective is simple – contribute to something bigger than himself, whether at Old Trafford or on the international stage.

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