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Brazil get Japan rematch as Ancelotti's World Cup crash course faces knockout test

From CNA · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Brazil faces Japan in the World Cup Round of 32, seeking revenge for a 2025 friendly loss.
  • Coach Carlo Ancelotti has worked to transform Brazil's team since taking over a struggling squad.
  • Both teams have evolved since their last meeting, with Brazil showing improvement and Japan facing key injuries.

Brazil's World Cup campaign continues with a Round of 32 clash against Japan, a match carrying the weight of recent history. The five-time world champions suffered a surprising 3-2 defeat to Japan in a friendly in October 2025, squandering a two-goal lead in a stunning second-half collapse. This loss served as a stark reminder of the challenge facing Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti upon his arrival.

Perhaps... they will be even more motivated.

— Hajime MoriyasuJapan manager Hajime Moriyasu spoke to reporters after his team secured second place in Group F, anticipating Brazil's motivation for the upcoming match.

Ancelotti inherited a Brazilian team in disarray, struggling in South American qualifiers and having cycled through four managers. With limited time before the World Cup, he focused on broadening the team's experience, arranging matches against diverse opponents. While the initial stages of this global tour were promising, including a dominant win over South Korea, the Tokyo friendly exposed vulnerabilities.

Now, in a high-stakes knockout match in Houston, Brazil aims to exorcise the ghosts of that Tokyo defeat. Japan's manager, Hajime Moriyasu, anticipates a highly motivated Brazilian side eager for retribution. However, Japan's lineup will be significantly different from their last encounter, with key players like Wataru Endo, Kaoru Mitoma, and Takefusa Kubo absent due to injuries.

We're not perfect. We can improve. For example, our pace on the ball. We can be quicker.

— Carlo AncelottiBrazil's coach Carlo Ancelotti commented on his team's performance after a victory, acknowledging areas for improvement while expressing satisfaction with their progress.

Brazil, too, presents a changed face. Ancelotti has revamped the defense that faltered in Tokyo, and the team has shown marked improvement throughout the tournament. Victories have boosted morale, with Vinicius Jr. in potent form and Neymar back in the squad after injury setbacks. Ancelotti acknowledges room for improvement, particularly in the team's pace on the ball, but expresses satisfaction with the overall progress. "We need to show real grit," he stated, emphasizing the shift to knockout competition.

But I'm pleased because the team has improved a lot since the first match. Now it's a knockout competition. We need to show real grit.

— Carlo AncelottiBrazil's coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed satisfaction with the team's development and highlighted the need for resilience in the knockout stages.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by CNA. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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