グループ C · FIFA ワールドカップ 2026
Vinícius Júnior
Real Madrid
€150m Real Madrid forward and Brazil's most dangerous attacker. Ancelotti deploys him as a roaming central-left forward rather than a wide winger — which gives him more goal threat and less defensive burden. Needs this World Cup to prove he can deliver at tournament level after disappearing at Copa América 2024.
Matheus Cunha
Manchester United
€70m Manchester United forward who brings a completely different profile to Vinicius — physical, combative, and able to hold the ball up as well as run in behind. A key rotation option and set-piece weapon, providing Brazil's attack with a direct outlet when space is limited.
Gabriel Martinelli
Arsenal
Arsenal Premier League winner who provides defensive discipline as well as attacking threat. Ancelotti values his pressing work-rate and positional reliability — Martinelli does not just attack, he helps the team defend, which is critical in the counter-attacking 4-4-2 system.
Marquinhos
Paris Saint-Germain
The captain and organiser of Brazil's defence. Reliable under pressure, composed in possession, and a vocal leader — Marquinhos provides the stability that Brazil's previous World Cup squads lacked in the knockout rounds. His partnership with Gabriel is the defensive foundation.
Casemiro
Manchester United
The experienced defensive midfielder who shields the back four and provides a physical barrier in front of the defence. In three previous World Cups, Brazil's holding midfield collapsed under pressure. Ancelotti has brought Casemiro back precisely to prevent this from happening again.
Vinicius
FW
Age
25
Height
176cm
Foot
Right
Value
€150M
Enderic
FW
Age
19
Height
173cm
Value
€35M
Ancelotti has won the Champions League five times — at Milan (twice), Chelsea, Real Madrid (twice) — making him the most decorated club coach in history. Appointed Brazil head coach in 2024, he immediately signalled a new direction: no special treatment for star players, collective pressing, and a return to the disciplined 4-4-2/4-2-2-2 that won Brazil's previous titles. His working relationships with Vinícius, Rodrygo, and Militão from Real Madrid give him immediate dressing-room credibility.
Brazil have won more World Cups than any other nation — but not since 2002. Five consecutive tournaments have ended in failure, including the 2014 7-1 humiliation on home soil. The 24-year gap matches their longest-ever wait (1970–1994). This squad carries the accumulated weight of a nation's expectations.
Brazil open against Morocco — who beat them 2-1 in a March 2023 friendly. The group also includes Haiti (weak) and Scotland (organised and disciplined). Ancelotti must treat the Morocco match as a serious contest, not a tune-up. A stumble against the African champions would put immediate pressure on the rest of the group stage.
Brazil's last golden era produced three consecutive World Cup finals and two titles (1994, 2002). This was achieved by building around collective structure and one or two individual match-winners — Romário, then Ronaldo. Ancelotti's approach is consciously modelled on that era: disciplined defence, fast transitions, and Vinícius as the Ronaldo figure who can change a game alone.
Under Ancelotti, Brazil have abandoned the attacking free-expression football of recent years. His 4-4-2 is built on compact defending, rapid transitions, and getting the ball quickly to Vinícius and Cunha in space. The system is designed to defeat European opponents — who press high and leave space in behind — by exploiting exactly that space. The Croatia win in March was the first proof it can work against elite opposition.
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Bento
GK
Danilo
DF
Age
34
Height
184cm
Foot
Right
Value
€2.5M
Marquinhos
DF
Age
31
Height
183cm
Foot
Right
Value
€30M
Edson
GK
Age
32
Height
188cm
Foot
Left
Value
€13M
Pedro
FW
Age
24
Height
182cm
Foot
Right
Value
€75M
Louis Enrique
FW
Martinelli
FW
Age
24
Height
180cm
Foot
Right
Value
€45M
Cunha
FW
Age
26
Height
183cm
Foot
Right
Value
€70M
Sousa
GK
Age
27
Height
199cm
Foot
左右脚
Value
€11M
Santos
MF
Age
22
Height
180cm
Value
€45M
Casemiro
MF
Age
34
Height
185cm
Foot
Right
Value
€8M
Douglas Santos
DF
Bremer
DF
Age
29
Height
188cm
Foot
Right
Value
€35M
Pereira
DF
Age
30
Height
189cm
Foot
Left
Value
€10M
Rogé Ibanez
DF
Fabinho
MF
Age
32
Height
188cm
Foot
Right
Value
€13M
Danilo
MF
Age
25
Height
177cm
Value
€24M
Rodriguez
FW
Age
24
Height
188cm
Foot
Right
Value
€50M
Rocha
FW
Age
19
Height
186cm
Value
€40M
Gabriel
MF
Kickie
DF
Reis
DF
Age
20
Height
186cm
Value
€30M
Yes. Brazil have qualified for every World Cup since the competition began and are the most successful team in the tournament's history with five titles. They are in Group C alongside Morocco, Scotland, and Haiti.
Brazil are in Group C alongside Morocco, Scotland, and Haiti. They open against Morocco — who beat them in a 2023 friendly — then face Haiti, and close with Scotland. Despite the group's apparent managability, Morocco represent a genuine first-game danger.
Carlo Ancelotti is the head coach of Brazil. The Italian manager — winner of five Champions League titles — was appointed to lead Brazil into a new tactical era: abandoning the star-system approach in favour of a disciplined counter-attacking 4-4-2/4-3-3 built on collective effort. He has worked with several of Brazil's current squad at Real Madrid.
Brazil's key players are Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid, €150m), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Marquinhos (PSG, captain), and Bruno Guimarães (Newcastle). Neymar — back from a 944-day injury absence — has been recalled and may play a "super-sub" role similar to Ronaldo at the 2002 World Cup.
Yes — five times, more than any other nation (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002). They have never missed a World Cup. Their last title was in 2002, meaning 2026 marks 24 years without a trophy — matching their longest-ever drought (1970–1994). Five consecutive tournaments of underperformance make this the most important World Cup in a generation.
Brazil are among the top five favourites. Their squad is deep and experienced, Ancelotti's tactical system is settled, and Vinícius at his best is unplayable. The risk factors: Vinicius has yet to prove himself at tournament level; Neymar's fitness is uncertain; and Brazil have lost to European opponents in every knockout exit since 2006. If the counter-attack clicks, they can beat anyone.
Vinícius Júnior (€150m, Real Madrid) is Brazil's most dangerous player — and their biggest question mark. At Copa América 2024, he was invisible in two of three group games, accumulated yellow cards that led to suspension, and directly contributed to Brazil's quarter-final exit. He has never delivered at a major tournament for Brazil. This World Cup is his chance to finally match his club form on the international stage.
Ancelotti's key tactical decision is deploying Vinícius as a roaming central-left forward rather than a traditional left winger. This reduces his defensive responsibilities and gives him more space to create in central zones — the same approach used at Real Madrid that brought Vinícius to within one vote of the Ballon d'Or. It is the system designed specifically to get the best from him.
Neymar was not in Ancelotti's plans. Then Rodrygo and Estêvão were injured; then Neymar returned from a 944-day injury absence and averaged the highest match rating in the Brazilian league. Public pressure became irresistible. The article draws the explicit parallel: Scolari (Ancelotti) + an injured star returning from the wilderness (Neymar = Ronaldo 2002). Whether the alchemy works is the tournament's biggest story.
Ancelotti has been clear that Neymar will not start. His lack of match time with current squad members, his stylistic mismatch with the counter-attacking system, and his physical durability concerns all point to a super-substitute role. If he can come on at 70 minutes, attack a tired defence, and deliver one moment of decisive quality — that is his value to this team.
Brazil's last three World Cups were defined by their midfield collapsing under pressure (Fernandinho twice, Casemiro and Paquetá in 2022). Ancelotti's solution is to use two genuine defensive midfielders as the base — Casemiro and Guimarães — with attacking contributions coming from the wingers and full-backs rather than the central midfield. It sacrifices creativity for structure.
The article identifies Gabriel (Arsenal) as the real defensive organiser, despite Marquinhos wearing the captain's armband. Gabriel's aggressiveness, aerial dominance, and set-piece threat (both defending and attacking) make him Brazil's most important outfield player in their own half. His partnership with Marquinhos is the best defensive pairing Brazil have had in years.
Wesley (Roma) and Douglas Santos (Zenit) are not famous names globally, but the article makes the case that both are quality players who have been undervalued. Their ability to join attacks in the 4-4-2 system — providing width and crossing from deep — is critical. Ancelotti expects them to combine with the wide forwards to create overloads on both flanks.
With Rodrygo and Estêvão absent through injury, Ancelotti has three different "super-sub" options: Neymar (central dribbling and creativity), Raphinha (wide threat and set-piece delivery), and Igor Thiago (direct centre-forward). Each changes the game in a completely different way. This tactical flexibility from the bench is a significant advantage in tight knockout matches.
Since 2006, Brazil have beaten zero European teams in World Cup knockout rounds — losing to France, the Netherlands (twice), Germany, Belgium, and Croatia. European teams' structural organisation consistently neutralises Brazil's individual quality. Ancelotti's system is explicitly designed to solve this: by countering their high press with direct transitions rather than trying to beat them through possession. The Croatia win in March was the first evidence it works.
Brazil have the squad depth, the tactical identity, and the coach to reach the semi-finals. A final requires Vinícius to deliver at tournament level for the first time, the counter-attack to work against at least one elite European side, and Neymar to contribute as a super-sub at the right moment. All three are possible — which is why Brazil remain co-favourites alongside France and England.