Brazil World Cup 2026: Neymar and Vinicius Jr are passing Selecao ships

Brazil are the quintessential World Cup team. As the 2026 tournament dawns, the Selecao are always front-and-centre of the narrative. The intrigue over decorated club manager Carlo Ancelotti taking an international side to the 48-team monolith, excitement over Vinicius Jr aiming to write his name in the history books and Neymar trying to flick back through the pages of that very same tome. The record five-time World Cup winners are irresistibly unmissable.  

But how will the Canarinho get on at the showcase of football’s immortals? Find out in my Brazil World Cup 2026 predictions.

Brazil 2026 World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Fenerbahce), Weverton (Gremio). 

Defenders: Alex Sandro, Danilo, Leo Pereira (all Flamengo), Bremer (Juventus), Ibanez (Al-Ahli), Wesley (Roma), Marquinhos (Paris St-Germain), Gabriel (Arsenal), Douglas Santos (Zenit St. Petersburg). 

Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Casemiro (Manchester United), Danilo Santos (Botafogo), Fabinho (Al-Ittihad), Lucas Paqueta (Flamengo). 

Forwards: Endrick (Lyon), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Igor Thiago (Brentford), Matheus Cunha (Manchester United), Raphinha (Barcelona), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid), Luiz Henrique (Zenit St. Petersburg), Neymar (Santos), Rayan (Bournemouth)

World Cup Odds

Brazil teams are stereotyped as offering an overload of attacking flair while being soft at the back, with fealty paid only to front-foot ambitions. But is that true of the group Don Carlo has picked for his World Cup managerial bow?

The attack is certainly richly-stocked. Raphinha bagged 21 goals in 33 games across all competitions for a Barcelona side who just scooped La Liga. Matheus Cunha looked like a long-lost piece of Manchester United’s confounding puzzle, offering subtlety and invention beyond his predecessor, Marcus Rashford. Only Erling Haaland scored more than Brentford’s Selecao striker Igor Thiago this term.

Gabriel Martinelli endured a difficult season at Arsenal, but finished with a Premier League medal and some great cup displays. Then there is Los Blancos goal-machine Vinicius Jr., the central figure of this new-look Brazil group. Still only 25, the wide forward has bagged 128 goals for Real Madrid since joining in 2018.

From the current standard bearer to the old one. Neymar was a surprise inclusion for many, with Ancelotti tapping into the 34-year-old’s experience on this biggest of stages. Now winding down at Santos, his days as one of the world’s most exhilarating attackers are behind him. But as Brazil’s all-time top goalscorer, as well as the only survivor of the 7-1 drubbing at the hands of Germany in 2014, he can impart wisdom no one else can on this group.

Playing somewhat into the stereotype, the defence is indeed a step down from the raft of attacking quality on show. But it is far from ropey, with Marquinhos bagging a Champions League at PSG and Gabriel lifting the Premier League with Arsenal this time. 

One of Ancelotti’s big calls early into his Brazil tenure was calling up Casemiro. Many worried he was a busted flush during a tough 2024/25 campaign at Old Trafford. But Ancelotti’s faith has been rewarded by an upturn in form for club and country. The rock-solid defensive midfielder will be joined by familiar faces like Newcastle United creator Bruno Guimaraes and former West Ham fan favourite Lucas Paqueta.

Backing them up in goal will be a Premier League-winning pair in Ederson and Alisson with the third spot going to Weverton of Gremio.

Group C Fixtures:

13 June 6:00pm Local (11pm BST) - vs Morocco (New Jersey)

20 June 8:30pm Local (21 June 1:30am BST) - vs Haiti (Philadelphia)

24 June 6:00pm Local (11pm BST) - vs Scotland (Miami)

Key Player: Vinicius Jr.

World Cups are a mile marker for a player’s development and their wider legacy. Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi will each have their efforts in the 2022 final replayed until the end of time. Vini Jr. must take this opportunity to make a statement about his quality.

He netted 22 goals in a troubled and bickering Real Madrid side, which demonstrated an ability to shut out the noise. Vinicius was 21 for the last tournament, in which he bagged a goal against South Korea to open his World Cup account. One feels the 2026 tournament, surely the last for the old guard of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, is the perfect stage for Vinicius Jr. to truly break out.

Football Odds

Prediction: Quarter-Finals

The infectious power of collective memory tempts one to propel Brazil all the way to the podium. But there are teams with more balance and consistent quality at the tournament.

The Selecao should waltz the group (sorry Scotland fans) but from there on it will get considerably tougher. I’m not entirely convinced they won’t make the semis, but I feel France and Argentina’s nous, Spain’s depth, Portugal’s attacking maelstrom and Germany’s understated consistency will elbow them out of the way.