Marruecos y Brasil empatan 1-1 en debut del Mundial 2026

Brazil’s World Cup inheritance met Morocco’s rising force in a 1-1 draw at the New York/New Jersey Stadium, where the five-time champions were forced to share Group C points with the Qatar 2022 semifinalists. Ismael Saibari put Morocco ahead in the 21st minute after Brahim Diaz split the Brazil defense with a weighted through ball, and Vinícius Jr. answered in the 32nd minute with a sharp equalizer that kept Brazil from leaving empty-handed.

The match fit the profile of a tournament opener built around status and challenge. Brazil arrived under Carlo Ancelotti with the burden of five World Cup titles and the expectation that comes with them. Morocco arrived with a different kind of authority, built on its run to the semifinals in Qatar 2022, when it became the first African nation to reach that stage. FIFA treated the contest as one between two of the favorites, and the game quickly justified that billing.

Morocco’s goal captured the speed and precision that have made the team harder to dismiss. Diaz found Saibari, who ran onto the pass and lifted the ball beyond the on-rushing Alisson. Brazil responded with a finish of its own from its most dangerous attacker, as Vinícius Jr. cut back inside and drove a blistering right-footed shot past Yassine Bounou. FIFA described both strikes as outstanding goals, and the pace of the first half left little doubt that neither side had come to absorb pressure.

Vinícius Jr. was named FIFA’s Michelob Ultra Superior Player of the Match, but the result still carried a statistical sting for Brazil. FIFA noted that this was the first match in which Vinícius Jr. scored for Brazil and the Seleção did not win, ending a run of eight previous games in which his goals had coincided with Brazilian victories. For Morocco, the point reinforced a claim that has already altered the tournament’s hierarchy, especially against opponents who have long expected control by reputation alone.

The Group C standings now turn on the next fixtures for both sides. Morocco will continue against Scotland and Haiti, while Brazil will complete its group against Haiti and Scotland. In a bracket that began with a heavyweight draw, the message was plain: Brazil still carries the standard, but Morocco keeps narrowing the distance.