The Brazilian team begins its journey to the World Cup this Saturday (13), against Morocco, at the MetLife Stadium, in New Jersey, with the confirmation of Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhães in the starting defense duo. Considered two of the main defenders in European football in their performances for PSG and Arsenal, the players assume the responsibility of giving consistency to the most unstable sector of the team’s recent cycle.
The main challenge for the technical committee led by Carlo Ancelotti was the lack of time to consolidate this partnership. The two defenders did not play together once in 2026. In total, they shared the field in just two of the 12 matches led by the Italian coach in the preparatory cycle for the World Cup.
History with defenders together presents perfect performance
Despite the low sample, the numbers with the duo on the field work in favor of Brazil. In the only two matches in which they played side by side, the Brazilian team did not concede goals: a 3-0 victory over Chile, in a World Cup qualifying match, and a 2-0 victory against Senegal, in a friendly match.
The game against the Senegalese marked the last time that the national team finished 90 minutes without having its defense leaked. Since then, Brazil has gone through a sequence of six consecutive matches conceding goals, testing different combinations at the back. In the most recent test against Egypt, Gabriel Magalhães was preserved due to physical exhaustion, and Marquinhos failed in the move that led to the opponent’s goal.
Defender rotation marked Carlo Ancelotti’s tests before the World Cup
The search for defensive balance has made the coach test different formations since taking office. The “Ancelotti Era” began with Marquinhos sharing the area with Alexsandro Ribeiro. Subsequently, Fabrício Bruno received opportunities playing with both Alexsandro Ribeiro and Beraldo. Marquinhos also formed different partnerships with Éder Militão and Léo Pereira, while Gabriel Magalhães had the Real Madrid defender as a partner on another occasion.
In the March friendlies, Bremer and Léo Pereira formed the defense in the defeat against France and in the victory over Panama, in Rio de Janeiro. In the last dress rehearsal before the World Cup, the technical committee opted for another unprecedented lineup, placing Marquinhos alongside Ibañez.
The definition by the starters against Morocco aims to interrupt the instability suffered throughout the preparation for the tournament in the United States.
Calendar of the Brazilian team in the group stage of the World Cup
- Brazil x Morocco – 13/06, at 7pm (Brasília time) – MetLife Stadium
- Brazil x Haiti – 19/06, at 9:30 pm (GMT) – Gillette Stadium
- Brazil x Scotland – 24/06, at 7pm (Brasília time) – Lincoln Financial Field
