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World Cup unit tin get to anyone. Even Brazil.
That was Italian manager Carlo Ancelotti’s mentation for an uneven first-half show by the five-time World Cup champions, who nevertheless rode Vinicius Junior’s 32nd-minute leveler to a 1-1 gully against Morocco successful some teams’ Group C opener connected Saturday (June 13, 2026) evening.
“I deliberation the squad was a spot anxious successful the beginning,” said Ancelotti, who himself was managing his archetypal lucifer astatine a World Cup contempt a vocation that includes a grounds 5 UEFA Champions League titles arsenic a manager. “Nerves were each implicit the place. (We) didn’t support a batch of shot possession. In the 2nd half, it was a batch better, but it was inactive tough, and I’m definite the squad volition bash amended in the adjacent match.”
Also read: FIFA World Cup 2026 | Brazil vs Morocco highlights
Indeed, Vinicius’ equalizer came decisively against the tally of play for the Selecao, contempt enjoying a bulk of the enactment successful the archetypal lucifer of the tourney played astatine the 80,663-capacity MetLife Stadium.
The Selecao’s show improved aft halftime, during which Ancelotti pulled off Casemiro and Roger Ibanez in favour of Fabinho and Danilo.
But determination remained a consciousness of unease astatine the last whistle adjacent from Vinicius, who was undoubtedly his nation’s champion player.
“We’ve got to clasp connected to the ball,” said the 25-year-old Real Madrid star. “We’ve got to determination better. ... But I don’t deliberation there’s a batch to accidental now. I deliberation we truly person to improve.”
Even the usually easy-mannered Ancelotti sounded connected borderline astatine a mates lines of questioning, including whether helium opted for changes rapidly enough.
“There were 2 substitutions successful the 45th infinitesimal and different successful the (61st) minute,” helium said. “Do you perceive what I’m saying? Two substitutions astatine 45th infinitesimal and different substitution astatine the (61st) minute. I don’t deliberation we mislaid immoderate clip erstwhile it comes to substitutions.”
Ancelotti refused to knock Casemiro oregon Ibanez directly, oregon explicit regret for fielding them successful his starting XI. At property 34, Casemiro is retired of declaration astatine Manchester United and rumored to beryllium leaving Europe. Ibanez plays successful the Saudi Pro League.
“Those were bully players,” Ancelotti said. “I deliberation I made the close choices, and I will not instrumentality immoderate disapproval astir the idiosyncratic players that started the match. I deliberation there’s disapproval to the full squad that didn’t play good during the archetypal half.”
A imaginable redeeming grace, astatine slightest for the remainder of radical play, is that Saturday’s lucifer was easy Brazil’s toughest Group C trial connected paper. Morocco is seventh successful the FIFA/Coca Cola World Rankings, lone a azygous spot down No. 6 Brazil.
