Brazil national team head coach Carlo Ancelotti admitted that the tension had significantly affected the performance of his players in the opening match of the 2026 World Cup against Morocco. In the end, Selecao only got a 1-1 draw at MetLife Stadium.
Vinicius's beautiful goal helped Brazil avoid defeat after Morocco played overwhelmingly for most of the first half and deserved to take the lead thanks to Ismael Saibari's goal.
I think this is a difficult match, especially in the first half. Perhaps the whole team started with a worried and tense mentality. In the second half we played better, but the match was still very difficult. I believe the team will improve even more" - Ancelotti said.
Vinicius himself also admitted that Brazil had a disappointing start: "We started really badly. We definitely need to control the ball better and move more flexibly.
When asked about how to help players relieve pressure before the next match against Haiti in Philadelphia, Ancelotti said he would carefully analyze the reasons for the unstable performance against Morocco.
I think that is something we need to consider carefully. Pressure at the World Cup is always very high, so such a reaction is understandable. I believe that over time, we will improve this aspect" - Ancelotti added.
