World Cup still waits for real Brazil to show up

Brazil made a strong start in their World Cup campaign with a 3-0 victory over Haiti on June 20, 2026, at the Philadelphia Stadium. Goals from Matheus Cunha and a notable finish by Vinicius Jr ensured that Brazil secured their first win and clean sheet of the tournament. However, questions linger about Brazil's performance given that they faced a Haiti team ranked over 80 places lower in FIFA's rankings. Brazil struggled to find their form in the second half, failing to take a single shot on target. Haiti, who was eliminated from the World Cup following this match, managed to attempt seven shots in the second half compared to Brazil's two.

Despite the win, Brazil's overall performance in the tournament has raised concerns. After a lackluster 1-1 draw with Morocco in New Jersey, the team ended up with four points from two games, which is expected to advance them to the last-32 stage. Fans noticed that Brazil's eight shots against Haiti were historically low for a team scoring at least three goals in a World Cup match.

After the game, Brazil's manager Carlo Ancelotti addressed the media, expressing his satisfaction with the first-half performance, but noted that the second half was less impressive. Ancelotti discussed the potential of Matheus Cunha, who scored twice, and whether he would maintain his position against the upcoming match against Scotland on June 24, 2026, in Miami. He stressed the importance of improving and preparing well for the next game.

On the injury front, Neymar's availability for the match against Scotland was highlighted. Although Neymar hasn't played since October 2023 due to a calf injury and missed the match against Haiti, Ancelotti confirmed he would return to training ahead of the Scottish encounter. There are mixed opinions regarding Neymar's inclusion in the squad, particularly following past controversies surrounding his behavior and performance.

Additionally, Brazil had to cope with an injury to Raphinha, their top scorer in World Cup qualifying, during the match against Haiti. Ancelotti mentioned more details would emerge following assessments of Raphinha's injury. Brazil has a rich history in the World Cup, having scored three or more goals in a match for the 41st time, more than any other nation, and they have surpassed Germany in total goals scored in World Cup history.