Vinícius Júnior’s second-half goal against Paraguay secured Brazil’s qualification for the 2026 World Cup, handing Carlo Ancelotti his first win in charge.
Vinícius Júnior’s decisive strike not only secured all three points but also ensured Brazil’s passage to the tournament in the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
The result lifted Brazil to 25 points with only two rounds of qualifiers remaining, guaranteeing one of CONMEBOL’s six automatic berths. The five-time champions have maintained their perfect record of qualifying for every World Cup since the tournament’s inception in 1930.
“I’m very happy with today’s result,” Vinícius said after the match. “We needed to win at home for our fans too and qualify for the World Cup, which was our goal. Now [Ancelotti] will have more time to work, to see what he can improve. Today wasn’t one of our best games, but the important thing in qualifying is to win and prepare well for the World Cup.”
Tuesday’s match marked Ancelotti’s second in charge of Brazil, following a goalless draw against Ecuador last week in his debut. Though the performance against Paraguay lacked flair, it proved effective as Brazil joined defending champions Argentina and Ecuador as the first South American nations to secure their spots in next year’s showpiece.
With qualification secured, Ancelotti is now expected to shift focus towards shaping a cohesive squad capable of ending Brazil’s 22-year wait for a sixth world title.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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