On the way to the World Cup, the team fulfilled what was expected of them and said goodbye to the Brazilian fans with a victory over Panama in Rio de Janeiro. On Sunday night (31), the day before departure to the United States, the yellow-green team triumphed 6-2, in a festive day with goals from Vinicius Junior, Casemiro, Rayan, Paquetá, Igor Thiago and Danilo Santos.
The most celebrated player at Maracanã did not wear boots. With an injury to his right calf, Neymar just appeared on the pitch and waved to the crowd. Even without him on the field, at different times during the match the chant “olê, olê, olê, olá, Neymar, Neymar” erupted from the stadium’s stands.
Athletes with links to Rio clubs were also celebrated, such as Wesley, Danilo, Léo Pereira, Alex Sandro, Danilo Santos, Paquetá, Luiz Henrique, Vinicius Junior and Rayan. Red and black fans gathered in the northern sector even chanted “go at them, Mengo”, to the irritation of Vasco fans. When Rayan scored, Vasco screamed.
Within the four lines, the team displayed in the first half the design it will have in North America. Only the starting defense duo was missing, as Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhães, who played in the European Champions League final on Saturday (30), will only join the group in New Jersey – as will striker Martinelli, a reserve.
In the formation adopted by Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil had two lines of four markers, with Vinicius Junior and Raphinha at the front, ready to counterattack. When the team had the ball, Matheus Cunha, who scored on the left, went to the middle to participate in the articulation, and Vinicius fell to the left wing, where he feels comfortable.
Even before this disposition became clear, the team opened the scoring. In the first minute of the game, Casemiro stole the ball in the attacking field, and Vinicius Junior hit it from outside the area, in the right corner. At 14, following a foul committed by Bruno Guimarães, Murillo had a deflection and tied the score for Panama.
The Central American team, which topped its group in the Qualifiers, even had moments when it showed its ability to put in a lot of work in Group L of the World Cup, in which it will face England, Croatia and Ghana. Booed after the visitors’ goal, Alisson had to work twice to avoid being fouled again.
Brazil had its best moves when the midfielders approached the attackers to exchange passes. Raphinha missed two good opportunities in plays like this. At 39, Vinicius Junior faced the marking on the left and hit. Casemiro deflected a header at the edge of the small area, a goal validated with the help of the video – the flag had flagged offside.
At half-time, Ancelotti changed ten players. At the farewell, the coach put almost all available athletes on the field – only Weverton, the third goalkeeper, did not enter. And the reserves imposed themselves with ease, creating the rout that the fans present at the arena in the north of Rio expected.
Seven minutes into the final stage, Igor Thiago pressed the ball out and got in the way of the goalkeeper. Rayan had the surplus and had the ability to take advantage of the empty goal. At 15, Paquetá received the ball from Douglas Santos, with a light screen from Danilo Santos, and had a deflection in the marking to do his little celebratory dance.
Shortly after, at 18, it was Igor Thiago’s turn to find the net, with a penalty that he himself conceded. At 36, Danilo Santos received a great pass from Paquetá and, after some difficulty in controlling it, finished well. Panama scored once again at the end, in the 39th minute, when Harvey was left outside the area and hit a strong shot.
RECORD
Brazil 6 x 2 Panama
Data: May 31, 2026
Local: Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro (RJ)
Public: 72,140 people
Goals: Vini Jr. (1′ of the 1st Q), Murillo (13′ of the 1st Q), Casemiro (38′ of the 1st Q), Rayan (7′ of the 2nd Q), Lucas Paquetá (14′ of the 2nd Q), Igor Thiago (17′ of the 2nd Q), Danilo Santos (35′ of the 2nd Q) and Harvey (38′ of the 2nd Q)
Cards: Blackman (A)
Brazil
Alisson (Ederson); Wesley (Ibañez), Bremer (Douglas Santos), Léo Pereira and Alex Sandro (Rayan); Casemiro (Fabinho) and Bruno Guimarães (Danilo); Luiz Henrique (Danilo Santos), Matheus Cunha (Lucas Paquetá), Raphinha (Igor Thiago) and Vinicius Junior (Endrick)
Technical: Carlo Ancelotti
Panama
Mosquera; Murillo (Iván Anderson), Escobar (Jiovany Ramos), Córdoba (Fariña), Andrade (Miller); Harvey (Griffith), Blackman (Kadir), José Rodríguez (Tomás Rodríguez); Bárcenas (Davis), Díaz (Martínez) and Waterman (Fajardo)
Technical: Thomas Christiansen
