Matheus Cunha is one of the best players in the Premier League right now, but how does it impact his national team chances? Molineux News spoke to a Brazilian journalist to find out.
The verdict was unclear when Julen Lopetegui signed Cunha from Atletico Madrid in January 2023, with his £45m transfer fee now looking like a bargain.
Wolves knew they were signing a player of elite quality but, recognised that the Brazilian was struggling in front of goal.
Cunha’s past struggles are now hard to believe, as the 25-year-old is unstoppable in the final third and relishing life under Vitor Pereira, just as he did Gary O’Neil.
How Wolves star Matheus Cunha could surprise Brazil with national team chance
Despite contributing to 36 Premier League goals since the start of last season, Cunha is being neglected when it comes to his presence at international level.
Since the start of 2023/24, the forward has played only 36 minutes for his country, not earning a call-up since September 2023.
It’s difficult to comprehend why Cunha is experiencing such bad luck at international level, which is why Molineux News sought the expertise of Brazilian journalist Rogerio Amaral Junior.
The Editor-in-Chief at Vamo Futebol started by sharing an insight into why some in Brazil have an opposing opinion to those in the West Midlands.
“Because he is a player who left Brazil without having played for a big [Brazilian] club, he doesn’t have much appeal among the fans. So it’s not common to see fans campaigning for his call-up to the national team.”
| Competition | Apps | Goals | Assists |
| World Cup Qualifiers | 9 | 0 | 0 |
| International Friendlies | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 11 | 0 | 0 |
While the consensus of fans of the Selecao is that Cunha isn’t as popular as others who have made a name for themselves in South America, like Joao Gomes and Andre for example, Junior insisted that members of the media have an opposing view.
“Among journalists who follow international football, Matheus Cunha is seen as a potential starter for the Brazilian team at the moment and has been highly praised for the phase he is experiencing at Wolves.”
The Brazilian journalist, who has worked in the industry for over ten years, then backed the Wolves star to surprise many with the quality he could offer to the national team in the near future.
“Today, Brazil doesn’t have many options for the position and coach Dorival Junior has been testing some names. At the moment, personally, I don’t see any other player doing as well as Matheus.”
Cunha’s eyes will be on continuing to hit top form to ensure he has a spot in the 2026 World Cup squad, something that the player will see as essential given the recent lows he’s experienced.
Cunha was devastated by missing World Cup squad in 2022
Devastatingly, Cunha wasn’t selected for the 2022 World Cup squad, seeing the former Atletico Madrid star miss out on another major tournament in his career.
Speaking to BBC, the Wolves superstar admitted he suffered depressive feelings after missing out on the opportunity, leading him to thank Wolves for their trust at a difficult time in his career.
“It is a little bit of depression. You go down, you don’t want to go to training, you don’t want to do things,” Cunha said in reaction to his 2022 World Cup rejection.
“I had good days in Atletico, but after there was a lot of doubt inside me. When Wolves came in, one of my dreams was playing in the Premier League and Wolves gave me the opportunity to be here.”
Things are looking up for the forward since the lows of 2022, with his form at Molineux only strengthening his claim to make a name for himself at international level.