Vinicius Jr and Ismael Saibari scored for Brazil and Morocco in their FIFA World Cup 2026 opener in New York, New Jersey.

Morocco took the lead when Saibari ran onto the ball and lifted it beyond the goalkeeper, though the lead did not last long as Vinicius Jr restored parity.

“I think we didn’t start very well. I’m a little worried. We lost many duels and lost possession, but we improved in the second half of a difficult match because Morocco is a good team. In the first half, we had difficulty getting out of the pressure. We could have had more control. 

“Satisfied? Not really. I expected a better start. But things can happen. Now I’m going to focus on the next game,” Carlo Ancelotti, Brazil coach, after the match.

This is the first match in which Vinicius Jr has scored for Brazil that has not ended in victory for the Seleção. The previous eight occasions all helped secure a win.

“It’s a good result against Brazil, now we’ll focus on what comes next. It was an emotional match. Playing in the World Cup was a childhood dream, but once you’re on the pitch, you have to stay focused and give it your all. 

“We know we could have scored a few more goals, and we’ll need to use that as motivation for the next matches,” said Samir El Mourabet, Morocco midfielder.