Brazil Finds Momentum After Jittery Start

Brazil hit their stride just in time.

After a jittery opening draw against Morocco, a 1-1 that raised more questions than answers, Raphinha’s Brazil have powered into the round of 32 as group winners, brushing aside Haiti and Scotland by identical 3-0 scorelines. The early doubts have gone quiet. The statement wins have done the talking.

Raphinha himself watched the third match from the sidelines, still nursing the injury picked up against Haiti. His absence might have unsettled a fragile side. Instead, Brazil doubled down on control and authority, tightening their shape and turning pressure into goals with ruthless regularity.

The shift from that hesitant first outing to the swagger of the last two games has been stark. Where Morocco managed to disrupt their rhythm and steal a point, Haiti and Scotland were simply overrun. Brazil moved the ball quicker, pressed higher, and looked every inch a team built for the later stages.

Their reward is clear: top spot in the group and a place among the first wave of qualifiers. Brazil and Morocco’s progression pushes the confirmed list to nine teams already safely in the round of 32: South Africa, Canada, Germany, the United States, Mexico, Switzerland and Argentina join them, with the bracket beginning to take shape and the tension rising.

Now comes the first real fork in Brazil’s path. Their opponents in the round of 32 will be the runners-up in Group F, with the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden all lurking as potential obstacles. Three very different styles, one shared threat.

Brazil have found momentum. The next question is simple and brutal: will it hold when the stakes finally spike?