Brazil cruised through the group stage as Group C winners Thursday, keeping their bid for a record sixth World Cup title firmly on track. The Seleção demonstrated overwhelming firepower across all three matches, and their campaign received a boost when superstar Neymar returned to the pitch after a lengthy injury absence.
Brazil, coached by Carlo Ancelotti, defeated Scotland 3-0 in their final Group C match at Miami Stadium in Florida on Thursday at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in North and Central America.
Brazil finished with two wins and a draw — seven points — and advanced as group winners on goal difference over Morocco, which matched their points total. Brazil's goal difference of plus-6 edged Morocco's plus-3, securing Brazil's place in the round of 32.
Brazil's attack was sharp from the outset. In the seventh minute, young Brazilian forward Rayan intercepted a pass from a Scotland center back, and Vinicius Junior collected the ball and coolly rounded the goalkeeper to open the scoring.
Vinicius added a second just before halftime, meeting a precise cross from Bruno Guimaraes with a well-timed header to complete his brace. In the 60th minute, Matheus Cunha put the result beyond doubt, finishing with his right foot from the right side of the penalty area after another assist from Guimaraes.
Brazil's attack has been relentless throughout the group stage, combining pace with individual brilliance to unsettle opposing defenses. Vinicius scored in all three group matches, netting four goals in total, and sits joint second in the tournament's scoring charts alongside Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland. He has emerged as the central figure in Dorival Junior's tactical setup.
The defining moment of the night at Miami Stadium came in the 76th minute, when Neymar — recovered from a calf injury — came on as a substitute for Cunha to a thunderous roar from the crowd. It was his first appearance in a Brazil shirt since he tore his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus in a South American World Cup qualifier against Uruguay in October 2023, a gap of nearly two years and eight months.
Neymar played roughly 15 minutes, including stoppage time, and did not register a goal or assist, but he showcased his trademark ball control, incisive forward passing and ability to dictate tempo as he shook off the rust. NBC assessed his return, noting that "Brazil's ceiling may be dictated by his impact off the bench."
shee@heraldcorp.com
