Vinicius Jr fires Brazil level with Morocco in World Cup opener

Brazil’s opening World Cup night leaned on Vinicius Jr at the moment Morocco tried to seize control. After Morocco struck first in the 21st minute at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Vinicius answered 11 minutes later with a fierce finish into the top-right corner that levelled Group C and steadied Brazil’s start to the tournament.

The goal carried more than scoreboard value. Vinicius was making his 50th appearance for Brazil and reached 10 senior international goals, with his second World Cup strike following his effort against South Korea in Doha on December 5, 2022. For Brazil, a five-time World Cup champion still waiting for a sixth title since 2002, that kind of direct production from one attacker remains essential when the match tightens and the margin for error disappears.

What the equaliser showed, though, was a team still searching for a broader attacking identity under Carlo Ancelotti in his first World Cup campaign with Brazil. The strike relieved immediate pressure, but it also underlined how quickly Brazil can become dependent on Vinicius to provide the decisive action when structure alone does not break a compact opponent. With Neymar in the squad but unavailable for the opener because of injury, Brazil lacked another established individual who could shift the game with the same force.

Morocco’s response to Brazil also reflected the level of opposition now facing the Seleção. The North Africans came in having reached the 2022 World Cup semifinals and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final, and their early lead in the 21st minute confirmed they were not there merely to absorb pressure. Brazil’s equaliser was vital, but it did not erase the question hanging over this team: whether the shape is becoming more resilient or whether the attack still waits for one elite forward to invent a solution.

History offered a further reminder of how rare this matchup has been on the World Cup stage. Brazil and Morocco had met only once before at the tournament, in their 1998 group-stage meeting, won by Brazil. Nearly three decades later, the pattern remained familiar in one respect: when Brazil needed a spark, Vinicius supplied it, and for one moment at least, he carried the weight of expectation that still follows the national team.