Brazil secured qualification to the Round of 32 at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a convincing 3-0 victory over Scotland, finishing top of Group C, Softfootball reports
Vinicius Junior was the star of the night, scoring twice before Matheus Cunha completed the victory as Brazil continued their strong tournament form. The match also marked Neymar’s return to the national team after three years, with the forward coming on as a late substitute in Miami.
Scotland entered the match knowing a draw would secure their place in the knockout stage of a major tournament for the first time, but their hopes were damaged by costly defensive mistakes. Brazil took the lead after just seven minutes when Scott McKenna lost possession, allowing Vinicius Junior to round Angus Gunn and finish.
Vinicius had another goal ruled out by VAR after a foul on Jack Hendry in the build-up, while Lewis Ferguson cleared an effort off the line to keep Scotland alive. However, Brazil’s pressure eventually paid off again as Vinicius capitalised on another defensive error involving Gunn and Nathan Patterson to make it 2-0.
Brazil progress as Group C winners, while Scotland must now wait to discover whether they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams.
Player Ratings
Brazil
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Alisson Becker | 8.0 |
| Danilo | 7.0 |
| Marquinhos | 7.0 |
| Gabriel Magalhães | 7.5 |
| Douglas Santos | 7.0 |
| Casemiro | 7.5 |
| Lucas Paquetá | 7.5 |
| Bruno Guimarães | 8.5 |
| Rayan | 8.0 |
| Matheus Cunha | 8.5 |
| Vinícius Júnior | 9.5 (Player of the match) |
| Neymar | 6.5 |
| Alex Sandro | 6.0 |
| Fabinho | 6.5 |
| Gabriel Martinelli | 6.0 |
| Endrick | 6.5 |
Scotland
| Player | Rating |
|---|---|
| Angus Gunn | 6.5 |
| Nathan Patterson | 6.0 |
| Scott McKenna | 5.0 |
| Jack Hendry | 6.0 |
| Andy Robertson | 6.0 |
| Lewis Ferguson | 7.0 |
| Kenny McLean | 5.5 |
| Ben Doak | 5.5 |
| Scott McTominay | 6.0 |
| John McGinn | 5.5 |
| Lawrence Shankland | 6.0 |
| Findlay Curtis | 6.0 |
| Ryan Christie | 6.0 |
| Ché Adams | 6.0 |
| Anthony Ralston | 6.5 |
| Kieran Tierney | 6.5 |
Match Statistics
| Statistic | Scotland | Brazil |
|---|---|---|
| Expected Goals (xG) | 1.13 | 4.46 |
| Shots on Target | 5 | 9 |
| Shots off Target | 6 | 7 |
| Blocked Shots | 3 | 5 |
| Possession (%) | 46 | 54 |
| Corner Kicks | 7 | 6 |
| Offsides | 0 | 1 |
| Fouls | 10 | 11 |
| Throw Ins | 16 | 10 |
| Yellow Cards | 1 | 2 |
| Crosses | 10 | 2 |
| Goalkeeper Saves | 5 | 5 |
