Three minutes into first-half stoppage time, in the heat of Miami, Vinicius Jr danced. Like he had said he would in Doha because, “we Brazilians are a joyful people.” The world may see more of it as Brazil get into gear. Signs of that were evident in the 3-0 win against Scotland.
For some time on Wednesday, his dance was eclipsed by some better moves in Monterrey where South Africa stunned South Korea to enter the knockout round for the first time. The first hosts in World Cup history to be eliminated in the group stage, it took South Africa 16 years to make amends and they did that with a defensive masterclass after Thapelo Maseko’s 63rd minute goal in the 1-0 win.
Don’t blame Hugo Broos for not wanting the tournament to leave Mexico. As Belgium’s tough tackling centre-half, he finished fourth in 1986. As a silver-haired coach, the 74-year-old has made South Africa believe. After a poor opening match, South Africa escaped to a draw against Czechia. And now this.
Back to Miami. At the front and centre of Brazil feeling groovy is Vinicius Jr. In three games, he has four goals, the same as Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland albeit having played a game more, and one behind Lionel Messi. His brace on Wednesday placed him in a group that has Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Jairzinho and Romario – Brazilians who have scored in all group games in a World Cup.
All of the above have also won the bald statuette, something Brazil have not since 2002. But here, it also bears mention that never have they gone six editions without lifting the trophy. Talk about that would be premature ahead of a possible round-of-16 meeting with either Japan, Netherlands or Sweden but on way to doing something they always have — top their group – since 1982, Brazil have improved in every half since the poor start against Morocco.
An eyebrow slightly arched and being the very definition of sangfroid, Carlo Ancelotti had pointed out that no team wins a World Cup in their first match. His impressive resume as a club coach often shades the fact that Ancelotti, 67, knows the World Cup better than most. As a player, as an assistant-coach and now as head coach.
He tweaked things after the 1-1 draw. Matheus Cunha, who made way for Neymar Jr in the 76th minute and whose goal made Brazil the only team with two in the list of top 10 goalscorers, replaced Igor Thiago in the starting 11. Cunha is less of a focal point and more of a false nine which gives him the license to drop into midfield. Doing that opens space for Vinicius Jr and the wide right to cut inside.
Rayan, 19, has been in that role since Raphinha pulled up injured against Haiti. He was responsible for the first goal, forcing an error from Scott McKenna, before Vincius Jr rounded off Angus Gunn to make the most of the gift in the seventh minute.
Another change from Ancelotti was to get Danilo in for Roger Ibanaez as right back. Casemiro was asked to stay deep and protect the defence was a third. It gave Bruno Guimaraes and Lucas Paqueta the licence to play upfield. It is no coincidence that five of the six goals Brazil have scored since have had involvements from either Guimaraes or Paqueta.
It was Guimaraes’s deep delivery that Vinicius Jr headed in to make it 2-0 in 45+3. This was his first international goal with a header and only the sixth in more than 400 club matches. The celebrations were reminiscent of Wesley Sneijder after heading Brazil out of the 2010 World Cup. Vinicius Jr would have been nine then.
The manner in which he slipped away from the central defenders for that goal or how he dispossessed Jack Hendry earlier summed up Vinicius Junior’s performance in this World Cup. Slipping into places Scotland didn’t expect him to, once he played a one-two with Rayan on the right flank, and with his goals, Vinicius Jr has laid down a marker on Lionel Messi’s stomping ground.
If the goal against Morocco was proof of Brazil’s individual brilliance so was the last against the Scots. Guimaraes took apart the inner defence and showing the kind of sixth sense that makes Brazil a joy to watch, stroked a pass with the outside of his right foot. Cunha ran around and finished the move.
Tempting as it is to highlight that goal as what Brazil are all about this time around, this is not a team that will get the world to swoon. Like the Nike airport advertisement did. Or the 1970 team did in real life. This is a team that wins balls on transitions – helped no doubt by a ponderous Scottish side – and makes it count. It is solid, not spectacular, and lest we forget, that is what it takes to win World Cups.
