Brasil despide a su selección antes del debut ante Marruecos

Hours before Brazil opened against Morocco at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, a mascot sent the Seleção off, another reminder that every step around this squad had become part of the performance. Brazil entered the World Cup wrapped in ritual and expectation, carrying five titles, a 24-year drought since 2002 and the burden of looking like a team built to chase a sixth crown.

Carlo Ancelotti named his 26-man squad on May 18 at the Museu do Amanhã in Rio de Janeiro, and the list reflected the scale of the project. Vinícius Jr. of Real Madrid, Raphinha of Barcelona and Neymar Jr. of Santos headlined a group meant to carry Brazil through Group C, which also included Haiti and Scotland. Neymar’s selection made this his fourth World Cup, after 2014, 2018 and 2022, even as he continued recovering from a muscle injury in his right calf and sat out the immediate pre-debut training sessions.

The choreography around the team underscored how much symbolism surrounds Brazil before a ball is kicked. On June 11, the players formed a traditional birthday pasillo for Ancelotti as he turned 67. Earlier in the month, the team plane was given a fire-truck salute before departure for the United States, a ceremonial blessing meant to bring luck to a trip already carrying enormous public expectation.

Raphinha added to the pressure with public praise for Vinícius Jr., saying he can “resolver un partido” and help Brazil win the sixth World Cup. Ancelotti has said his objective is to build the most resilient team in the world, while also acknowledging the scale of the pressure that always follows Brazil. With Marquinhos, Gabriel Martinelli and Gabriel Magalhães among the other names in the squad, the backdrop was clear: Brazil did not arrive as just another contender, but as a national brand asked to perform its legend before it even took the field.