Lucas Paquetá appears as a key player in the Brazilian team’s midfield for the clash against Scotland. The midfielder, known for his game vision and ability to link defense and attack, should have great responsibility this Wednesday (24), at the Hard Rock Stadium, in Miami, for the third round of Group C of the 2026 World Cup.
With four points in the table, a draw with Morocco and a 3-0 victory over Haiti, Brazil is looking for a victory that confirms its leadership of the group. Paquetá, with precise passes and insertions in the attack, is the maestro who can unlock the Scottish defense and feed Vinicius Jr, Matheus Cunha and Neymar, who returns from injury.
Ancelotti has valued the balance that Paquetá offers, both in building up and recovering the ball.
Lucas Paquetá centralizes Ancelotti’s strategy against Scotland
The Italian coach must select the team with Paquetá as a creative element in the middle. The likely formation has Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhães and Douglas Santos; Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães and Lucas Paquetá; Rayan, Vinicius Jr and Matheus Cunha. The plan is to control possession, create numerical superiority in the middle and exploit Paquetá’s arrivals in the area.
Scotland, with three points, is betting on a reactive stance and counterattacks. Steve Clarke should maintain a 4-3-3 formation with McGinn and McTominay in the middle, but the British team tends to struggle against skilled midfielders like Paquetá.
Importance of the game for the Brazilian midfield
In addition to the fight for first place in Group C, the duel tests the consistency of the midfield sector. Lucas Paquetá represents the experience and creativity necessary for the knockout stage. The Hard Rock Stadium, with Brazilian fans, should support the Seleção in the search for the three points.
Where to watch live
The ball rolls at 7pm (Brasília time). The broadcast takes place on TV Globo, SporTV, Premiere, ge, CazéTV, SBT and Disney+.