‘A dream for me’ – Bruno Guimaraes celebrates birthday alongside Lucas Paqueta and Brazil squad

Guimaraes sat alongside West Ham United star Lucas Paqueta in the Brazil team hotel as a birthday cake was brought out for him. The Newcastle midfielder suffered an injury scare in training on his birthday as he had to briefly withdraw from a training session following a challenge from Liverpool’s Fabinho.

Fortunately the midfielder was able to return to training as he looks to make his World Cup debut against Serbia next Thursday in Qatar.

As Guimaraes’ cake was brought out, the Brazil players chanted: “Ô Bruno eu vou comer seu bolo. A chuva cai, a rua inunda...ô Bruno eu vou comer seu bolo.”

Roughly translated from Portuguese, it means: “Hey Bruno, I’m going to eat your cake. The rain is falling, the street floods... hey Bruno, I’m going to eat your cake.”

Guimaraes stood up and gave a small speech which acknowledged his move to Newcastle United in January and the birth of his son Matteo last month.

“It’s been a very special year for me, since I changed clubs, I found out I was going to be a father,” Guimaraes said (translated from Portuguese). “Being here [with the Brazil national team] is also a dream for me.

“Thanking everyone, to crown it, that the [World Cup] title comes.”

Brazil head into the World Cup as favourites as Guimaraes looks to return to Newcastle next month after helping his country claim its sixth title. The midfielder helped Brazil win Olympic gold in Japan in 2021.