Brazil and Scotland kicked off their World Cup match in Miami, with Carlo Ancelotti in charge of Brazil and Steve Clarke on the Scotland bench. The game opened with Brazil carrying the weight of a near-certain place in the next round and Scotland still alive even if it lost.
That was why the match was drawing so much attention as it began: a Brazil clean sheet would do more than settle Group C business. It would make Brazil the first team to reach 50 World Cup matches without conceding a goal, moving past Germany on 41, England on 37 and Italy on 32.
The start itself came after thousands of fans from both sides were already gathered near the stadium in Miami, and the atmosphere outside remained calm despite long lines. No major weather-related problems had been reported in the area at the time of publication, allowing the focus to stay on the field and on what Brazil might do next under Ancelotti.
The selection he made was the one that stirred debate before kickoff. Ancelotti picked Rayan to replace Raphinha, while some Brazilian media argued that Luiz Henrique would have been the stronger option against Scotland. That decision sat at the center of the pre-match conversation because Brazil had been described as practically guaranteed to advance, yet this game still carried a historic edge if the defense held.
Group C has already shown how much can still shift inside a live tournament day. Haiti was already eliminated, Morocco had four points and was in a strong position, and the wider update from the same round included Bosnia and Herzegovina leading Qatar 2-0 in the first 30 minutes, with Edin Dzeko hitting the post before Ermin Mahmic scored after a series of rebounds. Qatar did pull one back and came close again when Pedro Miguel struck the post. Switzerland was also ahead of Canada 2-0 after Rubén Vargas scored in the 46th minute off a pass from Johan Manzambi, and Promise David found a goal after coming on for Canada.
For Brazil, though, the live question is simpler and sharper: can Ancelotti’s team take care of Scotland and keep the sheet clean enough to claim a place in World Cup history, or will the record wait for another day?
