The end of the initial stage of the World Cup brought new talents to the surface and consolidated performances in the team led by Carlo Ancelotti. The Brazilian team secured the leadership of Group C, accumulating seven points after two wins and a draw against Morocco, Scotland and Haiti.
Vini Jr’s central role is undeniable, with four goals and one assist, attracting the spotlight of the tournament. However, the group stage also revealed the importance of other athletes who, with consistent performances, contributed decisively to the team’s performance, showing a squad depth that will be crucial for the knockout stages.
The following survey, based on the average of the scores given to the players’ performances, presents the five main names in Brazil during the first stage of the World Cup.
Vini Jr.’s stellar performance leads the Brazilian attack
Vini Jr. demonstrated the same ability at the World Cup that he displayed at Real Madrid, consolidating himself as a fundamental player for Brazil. He is among the best athletes at this stage, registering four goals and one assist in the first three games, in addition to taking a leading role in important moments.
The number 7 had a direct participation in all the goals scored by the Brazilian team so far in the competition, establishing himself as the highlight under Ancelotti’s command.
Ratings received by the player include 7.5 against Morocco, 8.0 against Haiti and 8.5 against Scotland, resulting in an average of 8.0.
The rise of Bruno Guimarães in the Seleção’s midfield
Bruno Guimarães, who previously faced some distrust when wearing the Seleção shirt, despite his excellent performance at Newcastle, reversed this perception. His recent performance has been crucial for the team.
With three assists, Bruno equals Olise, from France, as the leading passer in the World Cup. In addition to the decisive passes, the midfielder took on the responsibility of dynamizing the midfield and demonstrated defensive efficiency, anticipating opposing moves.
His grades were 7.0 against Morocco, 8.0 against Haiti and 8.0 against Scotland, totaling an average of 7.6.
Matheus Cunha’s scoring efficiency on the front line
Even starting as a substitute in the confrontation with Morocco, Matheus Cunha was essential for the team’s improvement from the second round onwards. His characteristic as a highly mobile striker gave the team greater lightness, granting more freedom to the other offensive players to advance into the area.
Furthermore, the striker fulfilled what is expected of a number 9 for the national team, scoring important goals. He found the net three times in three matches.
The player’s scores were 6.5 against Morocco, 8.5 against Haiti and 7.5 against Scotland, with an average of 7.5.
Douglas Santos: silent consistency at left-back
Douglas Santos’ performance was characterized by regularity and discretion. The left-back manages to be noticed for the absence of errors, without compromising the defense. The sector under his responsibility did not suffer from opposing attacks in any of the matches.
Considered a reliable player for the coaching staff, Douglas Santos justifies the choice of Carlo Ancelotti by calling him up from Zenit, in Russia, the previous year.
The player received the following ratings: 6.0 against Morocco, 7.0 against Haiti and 6.0 against Scotland, reaching an average of 6.3.
Alisson’s recovery after a shaky start
Alisson had a below-expected start to the tournament against Morocco, where he could have done better in the play that resulted in Saibari’s goal. However, the goalkeeper managed to rehabilitate himself in the following rounds of the group stage.
In the game against Haiti, he made important saves during the second half, at a time of intense pressure from the Caribbean team. Against Scotland, Alisson made a crucial intervention when he saved McTominay’s header from close range.
His scores were 5.0 against Morocco, 6.5 against Haiti and 7.0 against Scotland, with a final average of 6.1.