While the Selecao are eager to make amends for their quarter-final elimination in Qatar four years ago, the Atlas Lions face a monumental challenge as they endeavour to replicate their surprise semi-final showing.
History was made in May 2025 when the Brazilian Football Federation appointed Carlo Ancelotti as their first foreign coach, with the 67 year old Italian now relishing a fresh challenge on the international stage after an illustrious trophy laden managerial career at club level spanning three decades.
Brazil are the most successful nation in World Cup history, playing more games, winning more games, and crucially winning more titles than anyone else, while they are the only country to have competed in every edition of the global showpiece.
However they have not lifted the prestigious golden trophy since 2002, and their current 24 year drought matches the exact length of their historic dry spell between 1970 and 1994 which was ended on American soil.
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The Selecao were made to work for their place at this summer’s newly expanded 48 team tournament, recording eight wins, four draws, and six defeats across 18 games to finish fifth and claim one of the six direct CONMEBOL qualification berths.
Brazil suffered a shock 1-0 defeat to Bolivia in their final World Cup qualifier and have also tasted defeat against Japan and France in friendlies since October.
However Ancelotti’s side have won each of their last three fixtures against Croatia, Panama, and Egypt by an aggregate score of 11-4.
Brazil head into Saturday’s clash with Morocco having won seven of their eight World Cup encounters with African nations, the exception being a group stage loss to Cameroon at Qatar 2022.
Four years after becoming the first African nation in World Cup history to reach the semi-finals, Morocco are gearing up for their seventh appearance on the grandest international stage and they are regarded by many as one of the tournament’s premier dark horses.
The Atlas Lions have developed into a powerful footballing nation recording 33 wins, 10 draws, and just two defeats in 45 games since the start of 2023, and they are currently ranked seventh in the world above the likes of the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany.
Walid Regragui deserves huge credit for Morocco’s impressive rise, with his team breezing through CAF qualifying with eight wins from eight games before they were controversially crowned Africa Cup of Nations champions earlier this year after Senegal were stripped of their title.
However Regragui resigned less than 100 days before the World Cup and former Under-23s coach Mohamed Ouahbi has since taken the reins, steering the senior side to three wins and two draws across his five matches.
Morocco enter Saturday’s showdown with Group C rivals Brazil having lost two of their previous three meetings, but they were triumphant in their most recent head to head, winning a friendly 2-1 in March 2023.
Brazil’s all time top scorer Neymar is still recovering from a grade two calf injury and is not expected to be ready for Saturday’s game, while right-back Wesley has been ruled out of the World Cup with a muscle injury.
Manchester United bound midfielder Ederson was a late call-up to the squad and is believed to have been tested in the right-back role in training.
Premier League trio Alisson Becker, Gabriel Magalhaes, and Bruno Guimaraes are all set to start along with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior and Barcelona’s Raphinha.
As for Morocco centre-back Nayef Aguerd and winger Abde Ezzalzouli will both miss the World Cup due to injury.
Ezzalzouli sustained his injury in the friendly draw with Norway and Noussair Mazraoui was forced off in the same game with a shoulder problem, though his injury is not thought to be serious and a late call will be made on his availability.
Captain Achraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz are two Moroccan stars expected to start, with Diaz scoring his 14th international goal in 26 games against Norway.
Brazil possible starting lineup: Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Sandro; Casemiro, Guimaraes; Raphinha, Paqueta, Vinicius Jr; Cunha.
Morocco possible starting lineup: Bounou; Hakimi, Diop, Riad, Mazraoui; Amrabat, El Aynaoui, Ounahi; Diaz, Saibari, El Khannouss.
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We say: Brazil 3-1 Morocco.
Morocco would send out a statement and significantly boost their hopes of topping Group C if they secured maximum points against Brazil in what promises to be an intriguing contest between two nations separated by just one place in the FIFA rankings.
However Brazil will be regarded as the favourites, and with Don Carlo now at the wheel we expect a free scoring Selecao side to punish an injury hit Atlas Lions outfit with a fairly inexperienced backline.
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