Miami, June 24 – After a delayed arrival that stretched hours past the originally scheduled start time, Brazil men’s national football team head coach Carlo Ancelotti finally stepped into a packed converted locker room at Miami Stadium late Monday to face hundreds of assembled journalists ahead of Brazil’s third Group C 2026 FIFA World Cup match against Scotland on Wednesday. What was meant to include ample discussion of the upcoming fixture instead centered almost entirely on questions about Brazil’s star-studded squad, their quest to end a 24-year World Cup title drought, and the long-awaited return of record goalscorer Neymar.
Neymar, Brazil’s all-time leading marksman with 79 international goals, is set to make his first appearance for the Selecao in nearly three years against Scotland. The 34-year-old attacker, who last played for Brazil in October 2023 and missed Brazil’s 1-1 Group C opener against Morocco through injury, has been the subject of fierce public debate in his home nation after being selected for the squad over Chelsea’s Joao Pedro. Despite his historic goalscoring record, Neymar does not enjoy universal adoration across Brazil, with many questioning his place in the squad ahead of younger, in-form alternatives.
But Ancelotti offered a full, positive update on the former Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain forward’s fitness ahead of the match, confirming he is fully available to feature. “He is available. He trained very well this week. He is fit and ready to play,” Ancelotti told reporters. “We are very happy. He is a high-quality player. He can play half-time or the whole 90 minutes. He’s very well, he worked very hard. So he is ready. His attitude is very good and he is in good spirits. He’s a good player, a great team-mate, he’s very serious and we want to put him back to play as soon as possible. He brings experience, knowledge and is doing very well.”
While Neymar’s return dominates headlines, most analysts and fans pin Brazil’s World Cup hopes on Real Madrid superstar Vinicius Jnr, who Ancelotti previously managed at club level before taking the Brazil job in 2025. Vinicius has already proven his impact at this tournament, notching two goals in two matches including a stunning equalizer that rescued a point against Morocco after Brazil fell 1-0 early and struggled to break down the North African side’s elite defensive organization. Ancelotti made it clear that the in-form winger will remain a core piece of his game plan moving forward, even with a squad packed full of elite attacking talent.
“He’s playing very well,” Ancelotti said. “We need to use him even though we have other fantastic players. We have experience, quality and legs. I’m completely satisfied with all of them. I have to put all the players to adapt to the style of the team.”
That ability to integrate A-list talent into a cohesive, winning unit is what has made Ancelotti one of the most successful managers in the history of the sport. The Italian tactician is already the most decorated manager in UEFA Champions League history with five titles, and the only manager to claim league championships across all five of Europe’s top domestic leagues. A World Cup triumph with Brazil would cap his legendary career and cement his legacy as the greatest manager of all time, a milestone that would carry extra historical weight: Brazil ended its previous 24-year World Cup title drought on American soil, when the iconic 1994 side led by Romario and Bebeto claimed the trophy at USA ’94.
While Brazil’s preparations center on their own star power, Ancelotti made clear he has not underestimated Scotland, who enter the fixture still looking for their first win of the 2026 tournament. The Scots have managed just two shots on target across their first two group matches, but put in a strong late push against Morocco in Boston that tested the 2022 semi-finalists, and Ancelotti highlighted their organized, physical style. “Difficult game, as usual,” he said. “Scotland has quality, they are fighters, they play really well organised. They have really good players, good individuals in Scott McTominay, John McGinn, that are experienced players who are used to playing this type of game. It will be a very difficult game as usual. We are ready to play a difficult game.”
“They are a strong team. They have a very clear strategy. Usually play 4-4-2, long balls. They will try and do a lot of crossing. We need to control the match in that sense.”
Scotland has already prepped contingency plans for potential weather delays that could impact the fixture, as organisers navigate tournament conditions across multiple American host cities. For Brazil, the focus remains on pulling their talented group together to chase a long-awaited sixth World Cup title, with Wednesday’s match offering the first chance for Brazilian fans to see their record goalscorer back in the famous yellow shirt.