Brazil secured a 3-0 win over Haiti in Philadelphia, with Matheus Cunha scoring twice and Vinicius Jr adding a third before half-time, giving Carlo Ancelotti's side their first win and first clean sheet of the tournament. Ronaldinho, part of Brazil's 2002 World Cup-winning squad, watched from the stands as fans waved replica trophies and danced in yellow throughout the first half.

The result looks straightforward on paper, but the underlying performance data tells a more complicated story. Brazil failed to register a single shot on target in the second half, while Haiti, ranked more than 80 places below Brazil World Cup Performance in the FIFA world rankings, actually out-shot Brazil 7-2 after the break. Haiti became the first team eliminated from the 2026 World Cup as a result of this defeat.

The contrast between Brazil's dominant first half and anonymous second half has fuelled the recurring question among fans and pundits: when will the "real Brazil" show up at this tournament. With rivals Argentina and France both impressing in the United States, Brazil's stop-start form, a 1-1 draw with Morocco followed by this uneven win, leaves them with four points from two Group C games and on track to advance, but without the form many expected from a team built to end a near-decade wait for a sixth world title.

What did Carlo Ancelotti say after the Haiti match, and what comes next for Brazil?

Carlo Ancelotti, appointed Brazil head coach in May 2025, struck a defiant tone when pressed at his post-match press conference about what went wrong. "We were much better 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," he said, pushing back against the suggestion that the second-half drop-off was a major concern.

Asked whether Matheus Cunha, who scored twice playing as a central striker, would keep that role for Brazil's next match against Scotland in Miami, Ancelotti was deliberately non-committal. "We'll see," he said, explaining that Cunha's central position "was a good position for creating problems for the defence" and that he filtered his passes well, but adding: "I don't want a clear identity. Maybe we will change this on the next match."

Looking ahead to Scotland, Ancelotti was careful not to underestimate the opponent, pointing to the problems Scotland created for Morocco earlier in the group. "We don't think about knocking out Scotland. We think about playing well and improving," he said, adding that finishing top of the group "would be important for the future."

Will Neymar play for Brazil against Scotland, and is his World Cup return justified?

Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that Neymar, Brazil's all-time leading scorer with 79 goals, will be available to face Scotland after missing the Haiti match with a calf problem. "Yes, he will be training tomorrow individually and then on Monday with the team," Ancelotti said. "He will be available for Scotland."

Neymar's inclusion in the squad ahead of Chelsea forward Joao Pedro surprised many observers, given that the 34-year-old has not played for Brazil since October 2023 and did not even travel to Philadelphia for the Haiti game. European football expert James Horncastle, speaking on the Euro Leagues Podcast, said Neymar is "hard to get on the pitch" because of how he invites tackles, but backed Ancelotti's ability to integrate star players, calling it one of his "super-powers."

Not everyone agrees the recall is justified. French football expert Julien Laurens argued Neymar should not be at the World Cup at all, citing his recent form and a May incident in which Neymar apologised to Santos teammate Robinho Jr for slapping the teenager during training. "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.

How does this Brazil performance compare to their World Cup history, and what injuries are they managing?

Brazil's 3-0 win marked the 41st time in World Cup history the team has scored three or more goals in a match, five more than any other nation in tournament history. The win also pushed Brazil past Germany, including the former West Germany, for the most total goals scored in World Cup history. Brazil now have 241 goals across all tournaments compared to Germany's 239.

The win came with a cost. Raphinha, Brazil's top scorer in World Cup qualifying with five goals, was forced off injured in the 40th minute. Ancelotti offered no immediate clarity on the severity, saying only: "We will know more tomorrow." His fitness for the Scotland match remains uncertain heading into preparation.

There was a bright spot for Brazil's future on display, however. Nineteen-year-old Endrick made his first appearance of the tournament, coming on for Cunha in the 64th minute to a standing ovation and becoming the seventh-youngest player to ever represent Brazil at a World Cup. His World Cup debut was modest statistically, just eight touches and two passes, and a goal was disallowed, but it gave Brazil fans their first live look at one of the squad's most closely watched young talents.