Has Vinicius Jr brilliance just papered over the Brazilian cracks?

Vinicius Jr's moment of individual brilliance salvaged a draw for Brazil in their World Cup opener, preventing an embarrassing defeat against Morocco. Trailing 1-0, the five-time champions found themselves second best for significant periods, but the Real Madrid forward delivered a stunning strike to level the score, echoing his pre-tournament promise to help Brazil return to the top.

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I am not here to be the best player of the tournament. I am here to help Brazil get back to the top.

The goal, a powerful shot into the roof of the net, was a rare spark of quality in what was described as a "ragged" performance by former England captain Alan Shearer. Brazil's display raised concerns among fans and pundits alike. South American football expert Tim Vickery noted that while stars often emerge from teams, in this instance, a star player had to save the team, highlighting a potential imbalance.

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Ideally you want the team to make the stars, here you have a case of the star saving the team.

Despite the late equalizer, the performance left much to be desired. "We were expecting more from them," commented former Uruguay and Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet, expressing surprise at the team's technical deficiencies and missed simple passes. Concerns about the squad's composition, particularly a perceived lack of midfield depth and an overabundance of wingers, were also noted. While Brazil is still expected to advance, their opening match performance suggests underlying issues that need addressing if they are to contend for their first World Cup title since 2002.

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We were expecting more from them. I was surprised how bad technically they were today. I don't know if it was the pitch, maybe the pitch didn't help but they were missing passes, simple passes that you would expect the Brazilian players to do well.