Brazil World Cup 2026 team preview: Players to watch, group matches, squad

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Previous World Cup appearances: 22
Best performance: winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
First appearance: 1930 (Uruguay)
Top goal scorer: Ronaldo (15)
Most appearances: Cafu (20)
Player to watch: Vinicius Jr
FIFA world ranking: 6

Brazil are the only team to have played in every World Cup and are also the tournament’s most decorated side with five titles. Yet they have now gone a full 24 years without lifting the trophy as recent disappointments have ranged from traumatic losses (7-1 at home to Germany in 2014) to damp squibs (losing to Croatia on penalties in the quarterfinals of 2022).

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Brazil come into this World Cup as one of the least fancied Brazilian World Cup sides of all time, but their relative underdog status could free them to make use of their still sublime talents. And they also have the great coach Carlo Ancelotti at the helm.

Moreover, Brazil have happy memories of a North American World Cup, having won the 1994 title in the United States on penalties after Roberto Baggio’s famous miss for Italy. That victory also ended a 24-year drought.

Ancelotti’s appointment

Dorival Jr was sacked as manager after a poor qualifying campaign that saw Brazil finish fifth in the CONMEBOL table. Ancelotti replaced him as Brazil’s first permanent foreign manager last year.

The Italian brings an impressive European pedigree to the role after winning five Champions League trophies as a manager across stints at Real Madrid and AC Milan. He has also won the title in all five of Europe’s big five leagues.

He has a track record of managing egos and building winning, pragmatic sides that tend to be tactically astute while also infused with belief.

However, he remains unproven at the international level, and the results so far have been mixed with friendly victories over Colombia and Chile and a 2-1 defeat to France in March.

Ancelotti has worked with some of the Brazilian squad before, including getting the best out of star player Vinicius Jr while at Madrid.

Can Vinicius deliver?

The Real Madrid forward is probably Brazil’s most potent attacking weapon with his pace, trickery and goal threat.

He struggled in the first part of this season in Madrid amid tensions with then-boss Xabi Alonso but thrived after Alvaro Arbeloa replaced him as manager and ended up scoring 16 goals in La Liga.

While he seems to thrive on the biggest stage for Madrid, he has not delivered as much in a Brazil shirt, having scored just eight goals in 43 appearances for A Selecao.

Ancelotti has moved him from the left wing to play as a central striker, but that can leave him with less space in which to operate and also means he is less able to track back and provide cover for Bruno Guimaraes and the slowing Casemiro in midfield.

But when Vinicius is on form, he is almost unplayable, and he has the talent and unpredictability to make the difference in tight, cagey knockout games against the most unyielding defences.

Ancelotti takes a punt on Neymar

Brazil’s injury-plagued all-time leading scorer with 79 goals has not played for the national team since suffering a serious knee injury in October 2023, which was followed by several other issues.

From 2015 to 2025, he reportedly endured at least 33 injuries and missed almost four years of football in total.

Neymar, now back in Brazil with Santos after a troubled stint in Saudi Arabia, was left out of the squad for the March friendlies due to a lack of match fitness, so it was a surprise when Ancelotti named him in his World Cup squad while cutting Chelsea’s player of the season Joao Pedro.

“We evaluated Neymar throughout the year and noticed that recently he has been playing consistently and has improved his physical condition,” Ancelotti told reporters during the squad announcement.

“He has the same role and responsibilities as everyone else, but he is an experienced player. It’s true that in some positions we prioritised experience.”

Neymar, 34, will be hoping to emulate the great Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who came back after a two-year injury layoff to lead Brazil to glory in 2002.

However, he is significantly older than Ronaldo was then and – while his inclusion has certainly delighted many fans – there’s always the possibility that he could be a divisive figure.

Indeed, he has recently hit the headlines for slapping a teammate as well as for refusing to leave the pitch after being substituted.

A talented supporting cast

Brazil boast a lot of serious talent beyond Vincius Jr and Neymar. Raphinha arrives high on confidence after a sensational season at La Liga champions Barcelona, combining creativity and direct running with composure and deadliness in front of goal.

There is also plenty of other attacking quality in the shape of Gabriel Martinelli, Endrick and Mattheus Cunha – although the absences of Rodrygo and Estevao due to injuries are big blows.

Guimaraes has become one of the most accomplished midfielders in the Premier League at Newcastle, and Casemiro has enjoyed something of a late career renaissance under Michael Carrick at Manchester United.

The defence, meanwhile, is experienced and well marshalled by the indefatigable Marquinhos and should have the luxury of playing in front of the still world-class Alisson.

Does it all hold together? Will their elite players turn up? Do they have the mental strength to prevail through the inevitable moments of hardship? If they can answer these questions in the affirmative, Brazil possess the ability to be the surprise champions this summer.

How does their group look?

Group C holds some nostalgia for three of the teams – Brazil, Morocco and Scotland – who all faced each other at this stage in 1998. Haiti are the wildcard. They are appearing in their first tournament since 1974.

Morocco, semifinalists in 2022, will provide a stern test and will probably fancy their chances of causing an upset in the first game of the group, but if Brazil play to their potential, they should emerge the winners from that tie.

Brazil should prove far too strong for Scotland and Haiti and go on to top the group if they beat the Atlas Lions in that crucial opener.

Brazil’s group stage matches

⚽ June 13: Brazil vs Morocco (East Rutherford, New Jersey), 6pm (22:00 GMT)
⚽ June 19: Brazil vs Haiti (Philadelphia) 9:30pm (01:30 GMT June 20)
⚽ June 24: Scotland vs Brazil (Miami), 6pm (22:00 GMT)

Al Jazeera’s prediction

Quarterfinals.

Despite their talent and a first-class manager, Brazil’s flaws and their rivals’ strengths are likely to prove decisive.

Brazil squad for World Cup 2026

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Fenerbahce), Weverton (Gremio)

Defenders: Alex Sandro, Danilo, Leo Pereira (Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Ibanez (Al-Ahli), Wesley (Roma), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Gabriel Magalhaes (Arsenal), Douglas Santos (Zenit St Petersburg)

Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), Lucas Paqueta (Flamengo)

Forwards: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Raphinha (Barcelona), Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid), Luiz Henrique (Zenit St Petersburg), Neymar (Santos), Rayan (Bournemouth)