The Game That Opens Group C
There are opening group games, and then there are opening group games. Brazil against Morocco at MetLife Stadium on Saturday evening, with a place among the last 32 just one point away, is the kind of fixture that sets the tone for an entire campaign. Not just for these two teams, but for the group as a whole.
Group C, at first glance, looks like it has one guaranteed qualifier in Brazil. Look closer and it becomes considerably more interesting. Morocco finished fourth at Qatar 2022, becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final. Scotland are at their first World Cup in 28 years, with genuine organisation and a midfield that would not be out of place in any group at this tournament. And Haiti, ranked 83rd in the world, topped their CONCACAF qualifying group to get here.
Nothing in Group C is certain from kick-off on June 13. The Brazil vs Morocco match is the one that matters most.
Brazil Under Ancelotti: Counter-Attack, Not Carnival
The appointment of Carlo Ancelotti as Brazil manager raised eyebrows. Ancelotti built his club reputation on calm, controlled possession football: winning Champions Leagues with Milan, Real Madrid and Bayern. Brazil were historically associated with something different. Joga Bonito, attacking flair, goals from every direction.
Ancelotti’s Brazil are pragmatic. Vinicius Jr let slip the plan in a pre-tournament interview: “We’re going to defend very well and try to hit on the counterattack. That’s what the coach always asks from us.” A 4-3-3 formation with pace on the break. It has worked. Brazil arrive in New Jersey having won three of their last five internationals, including a 3-1 defeat of Croatia and a 6-2 win over Panama. Their only defeat in that run was a 2-1 loss to France, a result that tells you more about France’s quality than any Brazilian weakness.
The attack has depth that most nations can only envy. Vinicius Jr and Raphinha start on the wings; Neymar, 34 years old and still in the squad after a late return from a prolonged injury layoff, competes with Endrick and Matheus Cunha for the central role. In midfield, Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes screen, protect and recycle. The squad announcement removed Thiago Silva at 41 and Gabriel Jesus, but the overall quality is as high as it has been in years.
The single concern for Ancelotti is that Brazil’s defensive record over the past year carries some wobble. They conceded 7 goals across those five recent matches. Against Morocco, that will be tested.
Morocco: Africa’s Best, and They Know It
Morocco arrived at this World Cup in the best shape they have been in for a generation. Ranked 8th in the world as of April 2026, they sit just two places below Brazil. Achraf Hakimi, the PSG full-back and Africa’s reigning best player, leads a squad that blends European pedigree with genuine tactical intelligence.
Hakimi won the Champions League with PSG in 2025 and walks into the tournament in the best form of his career. Brahim Diaz, the man who lit up Qatar 2022 and switched international allegiance from Spain to Morocco, scored in last Saturday’s 1-1 friendly draw with Norway at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey, suggesting his sharpness has not dimmed in the days before the tournament. Goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, at Al Hilal after his time at Sevilla, remains one of the best shot-stoppers in international football. Mazraoui and Aguerd bring Premier League and Ligue 1 experience to the back line.
The Morocco of 2026 is not the Morocco of 2022 in one important respect: they have had four years to absorb the lessons of that extraordinary run. They no longer surprise anyone. Teams study their defensive shape, their set-piece organisation, their press triggers. Under Mohamed Ouahbi, who replaced the legendary Walid Regragui, Morocco have maintained their defensive solidity. In their last five matches they conceded just two goals. The 3-0 defeat of Senegal in the Africa Cup of Nations and the 4-0 win over Madagascar point to a team that can do more than defend.
The 1-1 draw with Norway on June 7 was not a concern. Ødegaard’s equaliser was well taken; Morocco had controlled large portions of the match and Brahim Diaz’s opener looked the work of a player who wanted to remind everyone he belonged in a World Cup starting eleven.
Key Players
Brazil
- Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid): The most dangerous wide forward in world football when he is in rhythm. Morocco will spend a significant portion of their tactical preparation trying to neutralise him. If he finds space in behind, this match is over early.
- Casemiro (Manchester United): The engine that allows Brazil to counter effectively. Wins the ball, distributes quickly, protects the back four. Without him, Brazil’s system does not function.
- Neymar (club TBC): The wildcard. At 34, his selection was the “thrilling inclusion” noted at the squad announcement. Whether he starts or comes off the bench, his ability to change a match in a single moment has not disappeared.
Morocco
- Achraf Hakimi (PSG): Arguably the best right-back in the world. His ability to bomb forward and then recover makes him a threat and a defensive asset simultaneously. Watch for his overlapping runs against Vinicius, who favours the left channel.
- Brahim Diaz (previous: AC Milan/Real Madrid): The creative hub. His decision-making, close control and ability to operate between the lines caused Spain, Portugal and France problems in 2022. Brazil’s midfield will need to track him.
- Yassine Bounou: Shot-stopping and distribution at the highest level. If Brazil’s forwards find themselves frustrated, much of the credit will go to him.
Tactical Notes
The match sets up as a clash between Brazil’s pressing triggers and Morocco’s organisational discipline. Ancelotti’s side press high when they have the ball back, but they are not a press-from-the-front team in the traditional sense: they sit compact and spring quickly on transitions. Morocco, who have given up barely anything in open play for months, will look to work the ball to Hakimi’s right side and feed Brahim Diaz in the half-spaces.
The Vinicius vs Hakimi duel runs both ways. If Morocco defend deep, they risk Brazil’s wingers cutting inside with space. If they press higher, Hakimi’s forward runs could leave gaps behind for Brazil’s fast forwards to exploit on the break.
Set pieces are worth monitoring. Morocco’s ability from dead balls was one of the under-reported factors in their Qatar run. Aguerd, Riad and Diop all carry aerial threat. Brazil’s set-piece defending, with Casemiro shielding, will be tested.
The Outlook
Brazil are the favourites in this group, and the betting markets will reflect that. But Morocco are not here to make up the numbers. They have knocked out Spain and Portugal at a World Cup in recent memory. They have the 8th best FIFA ranking in the world. They have a Champions League winner at right-back and one of the most organised defences in the tournament.
A draw here would suit Morocco enormously, leaving them with Scotland and Haiti to follow. A Brazil win secures an early grip on the group. Either way, this is the match of Group C’s opening day, and quite possibly one of the best group-stage fixtures of the entire tournament.
Come June 13 at MetLife Stadium, we will have our first clear signal of how dangerous Morocco really are.
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