Vinicius was blunt: “Brazil aren’t favourites for the 2026 World Cup” | OneFootball

The Real Madrid forward played down expectations and said that Brazil comes in without the label of favorite after a poor qualifying campaign.

Ahead of a new FIFA international window, Vinicius Junior surprised everyone with a clear, straightforward message: the Brazil national team is not a favorite for the next World Cup. The Real Madrid winger spoke at a press conference before the friendly against the France national team and chose to keep a low profile ahead of the 2026 tournament.

“We don’t want favoritism, we want to arrive at the World Cup the same way we’re approaching these friendlies: calm, patient, and focused on what we’ve been working on,” said the 25-year-old attacker, taking a stance that contrasts with the history and stature of the Brazilian national team.

Vinicius himself explained the reasons behind his view: the team’s performance in the qualifiers. Brazil finished in fifth place, an unusual position for the Canarinha and the worst in its history under that format. Even so, he made it clear that the goal remains unchanged: to fight for the title and chase a sixth star.

Beyond the self-criticism, the forward highlighted the squad’s potential, with players such as Raphinha, João Pedro, Matheus Cunha, Casemiro, Endrick, and Estêvão, all key figures at their respective clubs. In that sense, he stressed that the team has enough quality to compete on equal terms with anyone.

Lastly, he also praised the work of Carlo Ancelotti, the national team’s current coach. “He understands the way we have to play. With so many attackers, of course we’re going to play attacking football,” Vinicius concluded, making clear the offensive approach Brazil will look to impose on the road to the 2026 World Cup.

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.