Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field echoed with echoes of Brazil’s storied football legacy on matchday, as thousands of the Selecao’s yellow-clad supporters packed the stands – with 2002 World Cup winner Ronaldinho in attendance and fans waving replica golden trophies in celebration of Brazil’s decades-long dominance on the global stage. What unfolded on the pitch was a dominant first half that quickly turned into a worrying second-half slump, leaving fans and analysts alike still waiting for the reigning five-time world champions to hit their stride at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
By the 45-minute mark, Brazil had already put the game out of Haiti’s reach. Matheus Cunha bagged a first-half brace, and Real Madrid star Vinicius Jr added a polished third finish to send the underdog Caribbean side into a 3-0 halftime deficit. For the neutral observer, the result looked like the kind of statement victory everyone expected from Brazil against a Haiti side ranked more than 80 places lower in the FIFA global rankings. But the second half told a far different story.
After the break, Brazil failed to register a single shot on target, while Haiti – the first team officially eliminated from the 2026 tournament following this defeat – outshot Brazil by seven attempts to two. This lull extended a worrying trend for the Selecao, who kicked off their Group C campaign with an underwhelming 1-1 draw against Morocco in New Jersey. While the result gives Brazil four points from two opening matches, putting them on track to advance to the round of 32, the team’s fading performance after a bright start has left many questioning when the full potential of the five-time champions will finally emerge. Notably, this match also entered the World Cup record books for an underwhelming stat: Brazil’s eight total shots marked the joint-fourth fewest by any team that has scored three or more goals in a World Cup fixture since 1966. Statistical aside, the result also cemented another piece of Brazilian history: this marked the 41st time the Selecao have scored three or more goals in a World Cup match, five more than any other nation in tournament history. They also surpassed a Germany squad that includes the record of former West Germany to claim the title of the highest-scoring team in World Cup history, now boasting 247 total goals against Germany’s 239.
Tens of thousands of Brazil supporters flooded the city of Philadelphia, turning major city landmarks into impromptu fan festivals even before kickoff, with thousands of ticketless fans traveling hundreds of miles to pack local bars and watch the match alongside their fellow supporters. It fell to head coach Carlo Ancelotti, appointed in May 2025 to end Brazil’s decades-long wait for a sixth world title, to defend his team’s performance in his post-match press conference.
Asked to assess where Brazil fell short after the flat second half, Ancelotti struck a defiant, measured tone. “We were much better in the first half. In the second half, they had a little bit more control, but we had opportunities to score more goals. All in all it was a good match,” the Italian manager said. Pressed on whether match-winner Cunha, on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers to Manchester United, would retain his starting center-forward role for Brazil’s upcoming final group stage match against Scotland in Miami next Wednesday, Ancelotti remained noncommittal. “It can be an option. We discussed this yesterday. I don’t want a fixed starting identity. Maybe we will change this for the next match,” he added, noting that Cunha’s movement in the front line created consistent problems for Haiti’s defense and that his passing link-up was particularly effective.
The biggest off-pitch news to come out of Ancelotti’s press conference surrounded the availability of Brazilian legend Neymar, the nation’s all-time leading men’s goalscorer with 79 international goals. Ancelotti sparked surprise earlier in the tournament when he included 34-year-old Neymar in his 26-man squad ahead of Chelsea’s Joao Pedro, despite Neymar not playing for Brazil since October 2023 and continuing to recover from a persistent calf injury that kept him from even traveling to Philadelphia for the Haiti match. Ancelotti confirmed after the 3-0 win that Neymar will be fit to feature against Scotland: “Yes, he will be training tomorrow individually and then on Monday with the team. He will be available for Scotland.”
Neymar’s inclusion has split football opinion across the continent. European football expert James Horncastle argued that Ancelotti’s proven track record of uniting star-studded squads could make Neymar’s inclusion a success, telling the Euro Leagues Podcast: “This is a player that is hard to mark out of the game, just by the way he plays, he draws defenders in. I back Carlo to make this work because one of his superpowers is his ability to create a cohesive group out of superstars and get everyone on the same page.” But French football expert Julien Laurens argued that Neymar does not deserve his spot, citing underwhelming recent club form and controversy over off-pitch behavior – including a May incident where Neymar apologized for slapping 18-year-old Santos teammate Robinho Jr during a training session. “I don’t really think he deserves to be there on the recent performances that he has had and his behaviour and attitude on and off the pitch,” Laurens said.
The win did come at a cost for Brazil: Raphinha, the team’s top scorer in World Cup qualifying with five goals, was forced off the pitch with an injury in the 40th minute, with Ancelotti confirming that further tests on Monday will reveal the full extent of the issue. One bright spot for Brazilian fans came in the second half, when 19-year-old breakout star Endrick made his first World Cup appearance, coming on as a substitute for Cunha in the 64th minute. Endrick, who will join Real Madrid from Palmeiras this summer, received a standing ovation from the Brazilian crowd when he entered the pitch, becoming the seventh-youngest player to ever represent Brazil at a men’s World Cup. His evening ended with a disallowed goal and just eight touches during his time on the pitch, as Brazil’s attack stalled in the second half.
Looking ahead to the match against Scotland, Ancelotti said his focus is solely on improving performance and securing a first-place finish in Group C, rather than simply eliminating the European side. “If we can reach the first position of the group, that would be important for the future. So we want to prepare well for that match. Scotland can create problems – they created problems to Morocco – and so we have to focus on the match, stay calm and keep on working to improve,” he said.