The Brazilian national team will begin its journey in the 2026 World Cup this Saturday, the 13th, with the starting whistle scheduled for 7 pm, according to Brasília time. The opponent will be Morocco, and the match will take place at MetLife Stadium, located in New Jersey. The meeting between these two teams is unusual, recording only three matches in history. However, the Brazilian team has an advantage in overall history, with two victories, including a triumph in a World Cup. However, the most recent clash does not evoke good memories for Brazilian fans.
Remembering the Unique Duel between Brazil and Morocco in World Cups
The only time these nations faced each other in World Cups was in 1998, during the tournament hosted in France. On that occasion, in the second round of Group A, Brazil won a convincing 3-0 victory at La Beaujoire Stadium, in the city of Nantes. This result assured the team’s place in the round of 16 in advance. The goals were scored by Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Bebeto. While the Canarian team advanced to the final of the competition, losing to the hosts, the Moroccan team was unsuccessful in progressing past the group stage.
The Composition of the Brazilian Team at the 1998 World Cup
The tactical formation used by coach Zagallo for that game included: Taffarel in goal; Cafu, Júnior Baiano, Aldair and Roberto Carlos in defense; in midfield, César Sampaio (replaced by Doriva), Dunga, Leonardo and Rivaldo (who gave way to Denílson); and in attack, Ronaldo and Bebeto (with Edmundo joining later).
Analysis of Friendly Confrontations Over Time
Before the global clash, in 1997, the teams met in a friendly preparatory match, in which Brazil also emerged victorious, scoring 2-0. Since then, the African nation’s football panorama has shown significant evolution, and the most recent meetings do not generate good memories for the Brazilian team.
The Moroccan team represented Brazil’s first opponent after the painful elimination at the World Cup in Qatar. In a friendly held in Tangier, in March 2023, the home team beat Brazil 2-1, dominating much of the match with a superior performance. Sofiane Boufal and Abdelhamid Sabiri scored for Morocco, while Casemiro scored the only Brazilian goal. This defeat, shortly after Tite’s departure, highlighted the rise of African football and the need for tactical reassessment for the green and yellow team, confronting the perception of their usual superiority.
With Ramon Menezes acting as interim coach, Brazil’s initial formation for the game was: Weverton in goal; Emerson Royal, Éder Militão, Ibañez and Alex Telles in defense; Casemiro, Andrey Santos and Lucas Paquetá in midfield; and Rodrygo, Vinícius Júnior and Rony in attack. During the second stage, Antony, Raphael Veiga, Vitor Roque, Yuri Alberto and Arthur, who at the time played for Bayer Leverkusen on the wing, were introduced into the match.
At that time, the two teams were at completely different stages. Morocco was boosted by its memorable performance at the World Cup in Qatar. The African team not only topped a group that included Croatia, Belgium and Canada, but also eliminated Spain in the round of 16 after a penalty shootout and beat Portugal in the quarterfinals. With this, the Moroccans made history by becoming the first team from Africa and the Arab world to reach a World Cup semi-final.
After suffering setbacks to France, in the semi-final, and to Croatia, in the dispute for third place, the Moroccans ended their journey in the tournament with a remarkable fourth place. This feat represents the best performance ever achieved by an African nation in a World Cup.
On the other hand, Brazil was still dealing with the frustration of its elimination to Croatia, decided on penalties, during the quarter-finals. This crucial outcome resulted in the departure of then coach Tite from command of the team.
Crucial Absences in the Moroccan Team for the Debut
Not only Brazil faces absences for the World Cup. The Moroccan national team lost two important athletes recently, after a friendly match against Norway. Defender Nayef Aguerd, who plays for Olympique Marseille, and striker Abde Ezzalzouli, a Betis player, were removed from the squad list for the World Cup.
Meanwhile, Manchester United squad member Noussair Mazraoui has had a shoulder problem. However, he remains, in principle, with the Moroccan delegation in the United States, indicating that his participation is not completely ruled out.
