Ancelotti’s Brazil face Morocco in World Cup opener with echoes of 2022

Brazil launch their campaign for a sixth World Cup title on Saturday against African champions Morocco, with Carlo Ancelotti taking charge of his first World Cup match as a national team coach and a starting XI that bears a striking resemblance to the one that opened the 2022 tournament. The Group C encounter kicks off at 19:00 local time (23:00 GMT) at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic overseeing a contest that both sides view as pivotal for securing top spot in the group.

Viewed from Brasília, the Seleção arrive shrouded in doubt. Their qualifying campaign was the most discreet by a Brazilian side since 1998, and the team has struggled for consistency. Ancelotti, the celebrated Italian tactician, is under immediate pressure to deliver the hexa – the elusive sixth star – and his selection reflects a cautious continuity. According to Brazilian media, eight of the eleven starters from the 2-0 victory over Serbia in Qatar 2022 are expected to retain their places. The changes are concentrated in three positions: Matheus Cunha replaces Richarlison in attack, Gabriel Magalhães steps in for the unselected Thiago Silva in central defence, and Bruno Guimarães comes into midfield.

From the Moroccan perspective, the Atlas Lions present a formidable obstacle. They have not lost a match inside 90 minutes for almost three years, a run that carried them to the semi-finals in Qatar and the Africa Cup of Nations title. Analysts in Paris note that the match could be decided by transitions. Under Ancelotti, Brazil have adopted a mobile 4-3-3 system that relies on the blistering speed of Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha to exploit spaces when possession turns over. Morocco, equally adept at rapid counter-attacks, will seek to disrupt that rhythm.

European betting markets reflect the uncertainty beneath Brazil’s favouritism. Italian bookmakers quote a Brazil victory at 1.62, with Morocco at 5.50 and the draw at 3.75. Tellingly, the under 2.5 goals market is priced at 1.72, and the option of only one team scoring sits at 1.75 – suggesting a tight, low-scoring affair rather than the free-flowing spectacle both attacks might promise.

The outcome will shape the Group C landscape. While both nations are expected to progress, finishing first offers a more favourable last-16 path. For Ancelotti, the match is an early test of whether his European pragmatism can harmonise with Brazil’s historic flair, and whether a side built on continuity can shed the doubts that trailed it through qualification.