“Vinicius Jr shines with two goals and Ancelotti praises Brazil’s star.”

Vinícius Júnior made history once again, leaving the football world in shock by scoring twice in Brazil’s 3-0 victory over Scotland this Wednesday in Miami, securing the Canarinha’s qualification for the knockout stage of the World Cup as winners of Group C. The forward from Real Madrid, who has been in the spotlight during this edition of the tournament, netted two goals in the first half—one of which was a header, a rarity in his repertoire—and established himself as one of the greatest offensive threats on the planet. Carlo Ancelotti, the Brazilian national team coach and former manager of Vinícius at Real Madrid, did not hold back on the praise: “He is one of the best players in the world,” the coach declared without hesitation, immediately after the final whistle.

The Brazilian triumph was built with authority, with Vinícius opening the scoring and doubling the lead before halftime. Matheus Cunha netted the third goal in the second half, shortly before being substituted for Neymar, who returned to the national team after a long injury absence. With this result, Brazil finishes the group stage with seven points, ahead of Morocco, Haiti, and Scotland, securing the status of top seed in the round of 16, where they will face the second-placed team from Group F — the Netherlands, Japan, or Sweden are the possibilities.


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Vinícius’s performance not only solidified his status as a star of the World Cup but also placed him alongside legendary names in Brazil’s history: by scoring in every group stage match, he matched a feat achieved by Ronaldo and Rivaldo in 2002, Jairzinho in 1970, and Romário in 1994 — all years of triumph for the national team. With four goals in three matches, Vinícius is tied with Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland in the race for the Golden Boot, just one goal behind Lionel Messi, the leader of the table.

This performance is of enormous relevance to Brazil’s aspirations, which seeks to reclaim the world crown lost since 2002. The squad now displays a solidity and offensive effectiveness rarely seen in recent major tournaments, and Vinícius’s tactical versatility — who acknowledged he is not used to scoring so many goals — is now one of the most feared weapons of the World Cup. “I usually say that I don’t worry too much about the numbers. I’m not used to scoring so many goals, but the coach put me in a position I adapted to well, and now I’m scoring and helping the team,” Vinícius confessed in statements to CazeTV.

Ancelotti has always believed in the winger’s potential, as he confirmed after the victory: “I had no doubts about how he would arrive at this World Cup. For him, it’s an honor to play for the national team. He’s playing well and even scored with a header, which is rare for him. I know perfectly what Vini can do. He’s one of the best in the world,” emphasized the Italian coach, who has managed Vinícius for four seasons at Real Madrid.

The match was also marked by Neymar’s return, who has been recovering from injury since October 2023. Ancelotti highlighted the star’s commitment: “He deserved to come on. He worked and trained hard to regain his form. He did it very professionally. He has the quality to help the team in this World Cup and did well in the minutes he played. He doesn’t need motivation to play for Brazil; none of the players do. He’s 34 years old, but he shows the same passion as a kid playing football,” stressed the coach.

With the knockout stage approaching, Brazil is now heading to Houston to face the second-placed team in Group F next Monday. Ancelotti acknowledged the team’s progress: “Compared to the first game, we are making fewer mistakes, we are playing with more pace, and we are more clinical in front of goal. In the two games since Morocco, we have left a good impression. The goal was to finish first; now we need to keep working and improving for the next match. We are really playing as a team, that was the objective. We are not perfect; there are aspects to improve, but I am very satisfied because we have already evolved and are solid. That is essential in the knockout rounds.”

Brazil now enters a decisive phase, with high morale, a fearsome attack, and history on its side. The fans’ expectations are at their peak, and if Vinícius maintains this pace, all signs point to the canarinha possibly dreaming of world glory again. The upcoming matches will be a true test of defensive consistency and the ability to maintain the offensive momentum that has characterized this renewed team under Ancelotti’s guidance.

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