Brazil begin their quest for a sixth World Cup title this Saturday (June 13), at 7 p.m. Brasília time, against Morocco at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. It is the opening match of Group C, which also includes Scotland and Haiti.
History is on Brazil's side
Brazil's national team is strong in World Cup openers. Its last defeat in an opening match came in 1934, in Italy, against Spain (3-1). Since then, it has 17 wins and three draws. In Qatar, Brazil beat Serbia 2-0, with two goals from Richarlison.
The opponent is no bit player
Morocco reached the semifinals in Qatar and sit seventh in the FIFA rankings — one place below Brazil. In the last meeting, on March 25, 2023, at the Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier, they won 2-1, with goals from Sofiane Boufal and Abdelhamid Sabiri; Casemiro pulled one back.
That match opened the very cycle that ends today.
Three coaches in three years
After the defeat in Tangier, the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF, Brazil's football federation) approached Carlo Ancelotti and ended up with Fernando Diniz as interim coach, after he won the Copa Libertadores with Fluminense. Diniz lasted six games: three straight defeats in the South American qualifiers led to his dismissal.
Dorival Júnior, who won the Copa do Brasil (Brazil's national cup) with São Paulo, took over in January 2024 and was let go in March 2025, after the 4-1 loss to Argentina in Buenos Aires.
Ancelotti was confirmed on May 26, 2025, announced by Ednaldo Rodrigues. The man who welcomed him on arrival, however, was Samir Xaud — the new CBF president after Ednaldo's second removal in six months, amid the organization's electoral turmoil. The Italian's contract runs until 2030.
Brazil finished the qualifiers in fifth place, the worst campaign in their history in the competition.
Lineup questions
Of the players called up, seven were in the 2023 match against Morocco: goalkeepers Weverton and Ederson; defenders Ibañez and Bremer; Casemiro, Lucas Paquetá and Vinícius Júnior. Éder Militão and Rodrygo, also part of that group, were left out through injury.
The doubts are at full-back. On the right, Danilo is competing with Ibañez after Wesley was cut from the squad; on the left, Alex Sandro with Douglas Santos. During the 15 minutes of daily press access at Columbia Park, in Morristown, Ancelotti gave no hints.
Probable lineup: Alisson; Danilo (Ibañez), Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães, Alex Sandro (Douglas Santos); Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães, Lucas Paquetá; Raphinha, Matheus Cunha, Vinícius Júnior.
Morocco also changed coaches
Six Moroccans from 2023 were called up: goalkeeper Yassine Bono, full-backs Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui, and midfielders Sofyan Amrabat, Azzedine Ounahi and Bilal El Khannouss. There would have been eight, but Nayef Aguerd and Abde Ezzalzouli got injured.
Walid Regragui, the coach behind the Qatar run, left in March after the controversial Africa Cup of Nations final: Morocco lost on the pitch to Senegal and were declared champions on appeal to the continental confederation, which cited the Senegalese players' "abandoning the pitch" when a penalty in Morocco's favor — later missed — was awarded.
In his place came Mohamed Ouahbi, who led Morocco to their first-ever Under-20 World Cup title in Chile in 2025, beating Argentina in the final.
The main threat is Brahim Díaz, of Real Madrid, who played for Spain's youth teams before choosing Morocco in 2024. He has 14 goals in 26 games.
Probable Morocco lineup: Bono; Hakimi, Chadi Riad, Issa Diop, Mazraoui; Ayyoub Bouaddi, Neil El Aynaoui, Ounahi; Brahim Díaz, Ismael Saibari, El Khannouss.
With information from Agência Brasil. Original report by Lincoln Chaves, published on June 13, 2026.
