2026 World Cup: Brazil and Morocco Side by Side, Mexico with a Perfect Record
It was all too easy for Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil, which clinched first place in Group C on the final matchday thanks to a decisive 3-0 victory over Scotland. The Verdeoro dominated a match that was never really in doubt, opening the scoring as early as the 7th minute through Vinicius Jr. and sealing the victory with his second goal early in the second half (48th minute) and a goal by Cunha in the 60th minute. The forward then made way for a wildly applauded Neymar, making his debut in the tournament and appearing in his fourth World Cup. With this victory, Brazil advances to the Round of 16, where they will face the second-place finisher in Group F—either the Netherlands, Japan, or Sweden.
While the Brazilians celebrate, Scotland is left in suspense. The loss puts them at risk of elimination among the best third-place teams due to a negative goal difference (-3). Morocco also has reason for only half a smile, as it finishes level on points with Brazil (7) but must settle for second place due to an inferior goal difference (+3 compared to the South Americans’ +6).
The North African national team nonetheless defeated Haiti 4-2 at the end of a match that proved more challenging than expected. The Haitians took the lead twice in the first half, first through Isidor and then thanks to an own goal by Bono, but Morocco responded on both occasions with goals from Hakimi and Saibari. In the second half, goals from Rahimi and Yassine completed the comeback. It was a lopsided victory in terms of the score, but not enough to secure first place in the group—partly due to McKenna’s glaring error that paved the way for Vinicius Jr.’s first goal against Scotland. From the Round of 16 onward, there will be no room for distractions, and Brazil will also be able to count on an extra Neymar to fuel their attack.
In Group D, meanwhile, South Africa pulled off a surprise. Hugo Broos’s team defeated South Korea 1-0 and secured a historic spot in the Round of 16, where they will face Canada in Los Angeles. This is a milestone they never achieved, not even during the 2010 World Cup on home soil. After an even start, the match was decided in the second half thanks to a precise left-footed shot by Maseko, who caught goalkeeper Kim off guard with a curling shot. South Korea’s performance, however, was disappointing: not even Son’s entry after halftime managed to shift the momentum of the game. A draw would have been enough for the Asian side to finish in second place, but the loss relegates them to third with just three points and the very real risk of being eliminated from the tournament.
In the group’s other match, Mexico finished the group stage with a perfect record in front of its home crowd, crushing a struggling Czech Republic 3-0—a team already headed for elimination with just one point from three matches. At the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City, Koubek’s men—with Schick initially on the bench—held on for one half before collapsing in the second half under the onslaught of Chávez, Quinones, and Fidalgo. The most emotional moment of the evening came in the closing minutes, with the entrance of Guillermo Ochoa: the 40-year-old goalkeeper, called up for his sixth World Cup, replaced Rangel to receive a tribute from the Mexican crowd. Mexico thus advances as the group winner and now awaits its opponent from the bracket of the best third-place finishers.
