Jair Cunha eyes Brazil start after denying Erling Haaland in Forest win

Nottingham Forest defender Jair Cunha could be handed another Brazil start under Carlo Ancelotti just days after producing a remarkable performance against Erling Haaland and Manchester City in the Premier League.

The 21-year-old Brazilian has emerged as one of the most encouraging stories of Forest's difficult start to the season, establishing himself in Oliver Glasner's defence after struggling for opportunities during his first year in England.

His progress was underlined last Saturday when he scored the opening goal in Forest's 3-1 victory over Manchester City before producing a crucial goal-line clearance to deny Haaland.

Now, with Paris Saint-Germain captain Marquinhos absent through injury, Cunha is competing for a place alongside Arsenal's Gabriel Magalhaes in Ancelotti's starting XI for Brazil's friendly against Japan on Saturday.

The Nottingham Forest youngster faces competition from Manchester City defender Vitor Reis, but his recent performances have strengthened his case for another opportunity on the international stage.

Jair Cunha's Nottingham Forest transformation highlighted by Erling Haaland heroics

Cunha's emergence has been particularly impressive considering how slowly his Premier League career began.

Forest signed the central defender from Botafogo in July 2025, handing him a five-year contract after he had impressed at the Club World Cup.

Previously developed by Santos, Cunha arrived in England with considerable promise, having also helped Brazil win the South American Under-20 Championship.

However, his first campaign at the City Ground proved challenging.

The Brazilian struggled to establish himself amid repeated managerial changes, making only three senior appearances by the end of February 2026.

He also spent time with Forest's Under-21 side while adapting to English football, before gradually receiving more opportunities during the closing months of the season.

The arrival of Glasner and another pre-season in England have helped accelerate his development.

Cunha has established himself as a regular option in Forest's three-man defence, alongside fellow Brazilian Murillo and experienced Serbian international Nikola Milenkovic.

His emergence is particularly noteworthy given the competition for places, with Forest having also invested approximately €40m (£35m) in the signing of Ousmane Diomande.

Although Glasner's side have struggled for consistency, Cunha has demonstrated the combination of physical presence, pace and composure in possession that initially attracted Forest to him.

Those attributes were evident in the victory over Manchester City on November 7.

After just six minutes, Cunha pressed high up the pitch, dispossessed Josko Gvardiol and drove into the penalty area before beating Gianluigi Donnarumma.

It was the defender's first goal for Forest and helped lay the foundations for a memorable victory, with Liam Delap subsequently scoring twice against his former club.

Yet Cunha's most important defensive contribution came shortly before half time.

Haaland had rounded goalkeeper Matz Sels and appeared set to score, only for the Brazilian to recover and clear the Norwegian's effort off the line.

The intervention preserved Forest's two-goal advantage and provided another illustration of the youngster's growing confidence at Premier League level.

Can Jair Cunha secure Brazil starting spot alongside Gabriel Magalhaes?

Cunha's improvement has already earned recognition from Ancelotti, who included him in his Brazil squad for the September and October international fixtures.

The defender made his senior debut against Australia and collected three caps during that international period.

He started the second meeting with Australia, completing 69 accurate passes and recording 78 touches, while impressing with his ability to track opposing forwards and cover space behind the defensive line.

Those qualities could prove useful as Ancelotti continues assessing his options in central defence.

Marquinhos remains an established figure in the national team, but his absence from the current squad has created an opportunity for younger defenders to impress.

Gabriel Magalhaes is among the leading candidates to start against Japan, leaving Cunha and Vitor Reis competing to partner the Arsenal centre-back.

Cruzeiro defender Jonathan Jesus is another option in the squad, while Arthur Dias offers additional cover.

Cunha's familiarity with the demands of Premier League football could work in his favour, particularly after his performance against one of the competition's most dangerous forwards.

However, his inclusion in the squad preceded the Manchester City victory, meaning the display against Haaland should be viewed as further evidence of his progress rather than the reason for his international selection.

Ancelotti has also indicated that the November fixtures will bring the current period of experimentation to a close, increasing the importance of opportunities for players hoping to establish themselves in his longer-term plans.

Brazil face Japan at Singapore's National Stadium on Saturday before meeting the hosts on November 17.

Cunha is already being considered for a starting role, with Sports Mole's predicted Brazil lineup against Japan placing him alongside Gabriel in central defence.

Whether Ancelotti selects him or opts for Reis remains to be seen, but the contrast with his situation at Forest earlier this year is striking.

A defender who was struggling for regular first-team football just months ago is now pushing for a place in Brazil's starting XI, having delivered arguably his finest Premier League performance against Manchester City.