Brazil not at peak performance yet, says coach Ancelotti after draw

Brazil's coach Carlo Ancelotti called for calm and patience following his team's 1-1 draw against Morocco in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. He stressed that the ultimate success in the tournament is not defined by the results of a single game, particularly the first one.

The five-time world champions found themselves trailing after Morocco's Ismael Saibari scored, narrowly avoiding their first opening match defeat in a World Cup since 1934. However, Brazilian star Vinicius Junior secured a valuable point with a well-taken equalizer, showcasing his importance to the squad.

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I think it was a difficult game, especially at the start. The team looked a bit nervous and the pressure was clearly felt by the players. We did not play well, but we cannot despair. This is the first game of the World Cup and we cannot expect everything to go perfectly from the start. This result is not something bad and we will continue to improve our performance in the next game. You do not win the World Cup based solely on the first match.

Ancelotti admitted that the team's performance, especially in the initial stages of the match, was below expectations. "I think it was a difficult game, especially at the start. The team looked a bit nervous and the pressure was clearly felt by the players," he said. He acknowledged that they "did not play well" but urged against despair, emphasizing that "This is the first game of the World Cup and we cannot expect everything to go perfectly from the start."

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He plays well and is always dangerous. I think he has everything needed to have a great World Cup.

Despite the shaky start, Ancelotti praised Vinicius Junior, expressing confidence in the Real Madrid forward's ability to be a key attacking force throughout the tournament. "He plays well and is always dangerous. I think he has everything needed to have a great World Cup," Ancelotti stated, even with the potential return of Brazil's all-time top scorer, Neymar, from injury.

Vinicius himself acknowledged the team's slow start. "We started very badly. After conceding the first goal, it was quite difficult to recover. This is the first game and it is always challenging," he commented. He echoed Ancelotti's sentiment, stating, "We need to improve our performance and keep growing because the competition has just begun. This is the World Cup and there are no easy games."

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We started very badly. After conceding the first goal, it was quite difficult to recover. This is the first game and it is always challenging. We need to improve our performance and keep growing because the competition has just begun. This is the World Cup and there are no easy games.