Brazil have made it through to the final 16 of the World Cup – but can they go all the way after their win over Japan?
Brazil, the most successful team in World Cup history, will be looking to lift the biggest prize in football for a sixth time in 2026.
The Selecao have been triumphant on the biggest stage in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002.
Carlo Ancelotti’s men didn’t look much like potential winners in their opening game of this tournament against Morocco.
A moment of magic from Vinicius Junior was enough to rescue a point against the Atlas Lions but they did recover well to beat Haiti 3-0 in their second match before finishing the group with another 3-0 victory over Scotland.
Brazil route to the final
Brazil finished top of Group C at the 2026 World Cup, ahead of Haiti, Morocco and Scotland.
That set up a tie against the runner-up of Group F Japan – and it was far from a routine victory as they needed to come from behind and score a last-minute winner via Gabriel Martinelli to secure a 2-1 win.
That means they’ll now head to New Jersey where they will play either Ivory Coast or Norway in the round of 16 on July 5.
Should they keep winning, they’ll then play in Miami on July 11, Atlanta on July 15 and finally return to New Jersey for the final on July 19.
MORE: Get the latest Brazil World Cup 2026 odds here
Brazil World Cup 2026 stats
Brazil key players for World Cup 2026
Brazil top World Cup golden boot contender: Vinicius Jr
As already mentioned, Vinicius Jr is the poster boy for Brazil at the moment. He might not be Brazil’s leading marksman in the squad after netting just 11 times for his country, but two of those have come at the World Cup. And he’s shown he has a real eye for goal at Real Madrid. He has hit 20+ goals in each of the last four seasons, including 21 in the last campaign. This season, he has 13 strikes from 40 games across all competitions.
Brazil primary playmaker: Raphinha
- Key stat: Raphinha finished his sensational 2024-25 season at Barcelona with 61 goal contributions, despite taking only two penalties.
While midfielder Luis Henrique technically has the most goal contributions in World Cup qualifying after two goals and two assists, Raphinha is the man who makes things happen on the pitch. The Barcelona forward was out with a hamstring injury, but returned to the international scene for the final qualifiers against Chile and Bolivia — creating five chances in 108 minutes. He has shown he is incredibly dangerous after a stunning 2024-25 season with Barcelona saw him achieve double figures for goals and assists. He managed 38 goals and 23 assists in all competitions, showing he can be a lethal finisher and a valuable provider too.
Brazil top tackler: Lucas Paqueta
- Key stat: Paqueta successfully made 15 tackles from 18 attempted during World Cup qualifying
The Flamengo man might operate further up the pitch in the No.10 role for Brazil, but he has shown he doesn’t mind getting stuck in for his country to help win the ball back. Paqueta also made five fouls and picked up four yellow cards in Brazil’s campaign, but it’s clear he’s among the team’s top tacklers after making a total of 15 from 18 attempts.
STAND-OUT STAT: Brazil are the only team to have taken part in every single World Cup since its original edition in 1930.
Set-piece specialists
- Penalties: Raphinha/Lucas Paqueta
- Free-kicks: Raphinha
- Corners: Bruno Guimaraes
Brazil tactical analysis and formation
Ancelotti has demonstrated a preference for a 4-2-3-1 formation since taking over at Brazil, and his system should get the best of his talented squad.
He will have a selection headache on his hands when it comes to the final starting XI, with a huge amount of competition on the wings and up front. He will likely go for Raphinha and Vinicius Jr on the flanks with both Rodrygo and Estevao both missing out through injury and Matheus Cunha could lead the line centrally.
The midfield pairing will likely see Casemiro partnered by Bruno Guimaraes. In defence, Ancelotti also has a wealth of options, with the experienced Marquinhos Danilo and Alex Sandro all potential starters.
Get the latest Brazil World Cup goals, shots, tackle, assist stats and more here
Brazil manager analysis
Brazil’s Real Madrid stars Rodrygo and Vinicius Junior will have been delighted to see Carlo Ancelotti take the Brazil job, given the success they enjoyed at the Bernabeu under the legendary Italian manager.
Having won every one of Europe’s so-called ‘big five’ leagues, along with five Champions League medals, Ancelotti arguably has the most impressive CV in club football right now – but can he translate that success to international glory this summer?
The former Chelsea and AC Milan boss has always known how to get the best out of a talented squad, so could be the perfect fit for a Brazil squad that have underperformed in recent years.
The stats below are from his current spell in charge of the team.
| Coach | Team | P | W | D | L | GF | GA | Win % |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carlo Ancelotti | Brazil | 14 | 8 | 3 | 3 | 30 | 12 | 57.14 |
Brazil World Cup FAQs
How many times have Brazil won the World Cup?
Five times. They are the most successful team in the history of the tournament, with their last win coming in 2002.
Where did Brazil finish in the last World Cup?
They could only manage a quarter-final finish at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar after being knocked out by Croatia on penalties.
Who will be Brazil captain at the World Cup?
Manchester United star Casemiro was named captain back in 2023 and has retained the armband since Ancelotti’s arrival.
Who is Brazil’s top scorer at World Cups?
Only German striker Miroslav Klose has scored more goals at the World Cup than Ronaldo, who racked up 15 in 19 games across the 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006 tournaments. Eight of those 15 goals came as Brazil won the trophy in South Korea and Japan in 2002.