Brazil’s World Cup debut against Morocco ended in a 1-1 draw that caught the attention of the main foreign newspapers. The Moroccans were praised for their greater control of the ball in the match, while the Brazilian goalscorer, Vini Jr., was considered the highlight of Carlo Ancelotti’s team. See how the international press covered the match.
The American newspaper questioned, in its title, the first impression that other countries may have about Brazil, the biggest winner of the World Cups. “Will the teams fear the five-time champions?”, says the title of the report about the draw.
“Brazil were struggling, but Vinicius’s moment of magic left everything equal at 1-1 with an individual goal, cutting in from the left and releasing a bomb beyond the reach of the [goleiro] Yassine Bounou”, says an excerpt from the NYT report.
Brand (Spain)
With the title “Morocco dominates the power rankings”, the Spanish newspaper was full of praise for the African team — and criticism of the Brazilian team. The newspaper highlighted the points accumulated by players from both teams during the match.
“The top three in terms of points belong to the African team. Saibari, with his goal, was the highlight”, published Marca. “You have to go down to fifth place to find the first Brazilian player. And, on top of that, it’s goalkeeper Alisson. This clearly reflects the nature of the match and the performance of each team.”
The team (French)
The French newspaper praised the “two beautiful goals”, but highlighted that “none were winners”. L’équipe considered the match as “intense” and stated that “everyone knew that Brazil were not the favorites in this first major World Cup clash”.
“No one expected Carlo Ancelotti’s team, unable to exchange three passes for long periods, to be so completely dominated by the Atlas Lions [apelido da seleção marroquina] from the beginning. Stifled by pressure, they conceded good chances early on”, the newspaper highlighted.
The Guardian (Inglaterra)
The British newspaper stated that Vinicius Júnior rescued a “blacked out Brazil”. According to the publication about the match, Ancelotti needed the player’s help to ensure that the five-time champions’ first match in the 2026 edition did not end in an embarrassing defeat.
Still on Vini Jr., The Guardian says that the Real Madrid striker “who has been heavily criticized for not replicating his club performance in the national team” was the one who gave Brazilian fans “something to celebrate”.
Olé (Argentina)
While Morocco was called “fierce” by Argentina’s biggest sports newspaper, Brazil earned the title of “apathetic”. Olé said that the Moroccans drew with Vini Jr., not with the team he represents.
“Neither history, the need to break the world title drought, the quality of its players or the weight of its shield made ‘Carletto’s’ Brazil decide to go all out against Morocco”, analyzes the Argentine newspaper.
La Gazzetta dello Sport (Italy)
The newspaper from Ancelotti’s country asked: “Is this all Brazil has to offer?” La Gazzeta highlighted that the goal that saved Brazil and Morocco was dominant and quick, a combination of technique and competitive spirit.
“Difficult to believe, but his debut is not memorable. Quite the opposite. Against a strong Morocco, the game ends 1-1, and only because Vinicius, in a moment of pride, remembers that he is one of the best promising players in the world and creates a well-aimed move in the 30th minute, equalizing”, states the report on the Italian website.
AS (Spain)
“Vinicius secured a point for Brazil on his debut with a brilliant move. The team, which improved throughout the match, wasted the first half and reignited the debate about midfield,” stated the newspaper.
According to AS, Ancelotti has a lot of work to do and little time to react. “MetLife Stadium was awash in yellow as Brazil made its World Cup debut in its favorite competition,” he added.
