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Grêmio goalkeeper Weverton collapsed and was unconscious for a moment after being named in Brazil's 2026 World Cup squad, while his family continued to celebrate around him, seemingly unaware of his condition.
A home security video captured Weverton and his family anxiously watching the announcement in their living room as head coach Carlo Ancelotti unveiled the official Brazil squad for the upcoming World Cup via a live broadcast on May 18.
When Weverton's name was read out as one of the selected goalkeepers, the room erupted. Relatives screamed, embraced and sprinted around in pure joy. Weverton initially stood up to celebrate before collapsing onto the sofa, his head slumping toward the floor.
The video quickly went viral and sparked online debate because almost no one in the room noticed the 38-year-old lying motionless behind them. For nearly a minute, the family continued to dance and embrace. Eventually, Weverton sat up under his own power just as some relatives finally realized something was wrong.
The veteran goalkeeper later confirmed that the overwhelming emotion of the moment caused him to briefly black out.
"I don't know exactly what happened," Weverton explained during a press conference on May 20, as reported by Globo. "I probably passed out for a few seconds. Luckily, my brother didn't fall on my head. Otherwise, the joy could have turned into a tragedy."
Weverton brushed off concerns about his family's lack of immediate reaction, noting that they are highly emotional and their chaotic celebration was normal.
"My sister was running around everywhere. It's always like that at home," he added.
The incident drew mixed reactions online. On Reddit, a user commented: "It's crazy that nobody noticed he was lying motionless for almost a minute. If he really needed emergency care, it would have been very dangerous."
Some suggested that the family simply misunderstood the situation. Another account replied: "Maybe they thought he was just overwhelmed with emotion and sat down to cry."
Home security camera footage shows moment Weverton collapsing while his family were celebrating his World Cup selection, May 18, 2026.
This will be Weverton's second World Cup appearance. He traveled to Qatar in 2022, coming on for the final 10 minutes of Brazil's 4-1 victory over South Korea in the round of 16. The veteran goalkeeper also won Olympic gold on home soil in 2016 and participated in the 2021 Copa America.
At 38 years old, Weverton secured his place as Ancelotti's third-choice keeper behind Alisson and Ederson in the final 26-man roster.
During his first training session back with Grêmio following the call-up, Weverton was the center of attention. Teammates and coaching staff welcomed him with a lighthearted gauntlet run, a familiar celebratory ritual in Brazilian football. The club even presented him with a bespoke set of World Cup stickers.
The official squad announcement event took place at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro. Much of the media focus that evening centered on 34-year-old Neymar, who earned a surprise call despite ongoing doubts regarding his fitness following severe knee injuries.
Brazil will kick off their group stage campaign against Morocco on June 14, followed by matches against Haiti on June 20 and Scotland on June 25.
