Brazil opened its 2026 FIFA World Cup campaign against Morocco at MetLife Stadium, and the question hanging over the team was simple: did Brazil win the opener that was meant to launch Carlo Ancelotti’s push for a first World Cup title in 24 years?
That search makes sense because this was not just another group-stage match. It was Brazil’s first test of the tournament, played under a coach hired to steady a squad built around Alisson, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Casemiro, Bruno Guimaraes and Paqueta, with the attack expected to come from Raphinha, Vinicius Junior, Martinelli, Matheus Cunha and Neymar.
Paul Clement, speaking last month before the squad was announced, said the atmosphere around Brazil was “very religious and very spiritual,” with prayer before and after matches and senior figures helping set the tone. He called the spine of the side very strong and said the real strength was in the attacking positions, a view that fits a squad meant to carry the burden of expectation for a country that has not won the World Cup in 24 years.
But the optimism comes with a catch. Neymar, now 34, was called into the squad almost three years after his most recent of 128 caps, yet he was still battling to overcome a calf injury. That leaves Brazil with star power and leadership, but also with one of its biggest names arriving short of full certainty at the moment the campaign begins.
Clement also said Ancelotti is a natural fit for a big dressing room, pointing to his time at Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. The next thing readers needed from this opening game was the result, because a World Cup run built on ambition can only be judged one match at a time, and Brazil’s answer in East Rutherford would set the tone for everything that follows.
