Vinícius Júnior rescues Brazil as Morocco take a World Cup point
Brazil avoided defeat, but Morocco made the stronger statement in a 1-1 World Cup opener.
In 30 seconds
- The official match record was Brazil 1, Morocco 1 in Group C.
- Ismael Saibari scored for Morocco in the 21st minute; Vinícius Júnior equalised in the 32nd.
- Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti said his team began anxiously and looked imbalanced.
- FIFA’s tournament schedule puts Brazil against Haiti next and Morocco against Scotland next.
Vinícius Júnior (Brazil forward for Real Madrid, one of the country’s central attacking players) scored Brazil’s equaliser. Ismael Saibari (Morocco midfielder born in Spain, raised partly in Belgium and a PSV Eindhoven player) scored Morocco’s opener. Carlo Ancelotti (Italian coach appointed to lead Brazil before the 2026 World Cup) is managing his first World Cup with the Seleção. Mohamed Ouahbi (Morocco head coach appointed in 2026 after youth-level success) leads the Atlas Lions. Achraf Hakimi (Morocco captain and Paris Saint-Germain right-back) is the team’s most recognisable defender. MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, New Jersey venue branded by FIFA as New York New Jersey Stadium) hosted the match. Group C (the World Cup group containing Brazil, Morocco, Haiti and Scotland) decides early knockout positioning. The FIFA World Cup 2026 (expanded men’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States) is the first 48-team edition.
Background
Brazil and Morocco have relevant World Cup history. Their previous World Cup meeting came on 16 June 1998 in Nantes, where Brazil won 3-0 in the group stage. Morocco’s modern reference point is Qatar 2022, when the team became the first African and Arab side to reach a men’s World Cup semi-final. Brazil’s burden is older: the five-time champions have not won the tournament since 2002. This 2026 draw therefore joins two arcs: Brazil trying to renew a fading World Cup aura, and Morocco trying to prove its 2022 breakthrough can become continuity.
Why now
The story is timely because Brazil and Morocco have just opened their 2026 World Cup Group C campaigns with a draw, creating the first major tactical and competitive signal for both teams in the tournament.
What happens next
Watch Brazil’s team selection and midfield structure against Haiti, and Morocco’s ability to control Scotland without the same underdog framing. Goal difference and fair-play tiebreakers could matter if Group C tightens after the second fixtures.
What to do
For Belgian readers planning viewing around the tournament, this result makes Group C more worth tracking beyond highlights. Morocco supporters in Belgium have reason to follow qualification scenarios closely, while Belgium fans can compare how other leading sides handle the pressure of the expanded format.
How we got here
- 1998-06-16
Brazil beat Morocco 3-0 in their previous World Cup meeting in Nantes.
- 2022-12-10
Morocco beat Portugal to become the first African and Arab men’s World Cup semi-finalist.
- 2026-06-13
Brazil and Morocco drew 1-1 in their Group C opener at MetLife Stadium.
- 2026-06-19
FIFA’s schedule lists Brazil vs Haiti and Scotland vs Morocco as the next Group C fixtures.
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