Brazil's head coach Carlo Ancelotti expressed his views on the significance of the opening match in the World Cup, emphasizing that "the World Cup is not won based on the first game." This statement came after Brazil, the five-time world champions, faced a challenging 1-1 draw against Morocco on Saturday at the 2026 World Cup.
The Brazilian team, affectionately known as "Seleção," was on the verge of suffering a defeat in their opening World Cup match for the first time since 1934, trailing behind Ismael Saibari's goal in New Jersey. However, Vinicius Junior managed to score a stunning equalizer, securing a point for Brazil. Despite this, Ancelotti acknowledged that the team's performance did not meet expectations.
Reflecting on the match, the Italian coach stated, "I think it was a difficult game, especially at the start. I believe the team was a bit nervous, and the tension was palpable." He further added, "We did not play well, but we cannot lose our confidence. This is the first match of the World Cup, and we cannot expect the team to perform flawlessly from the outset." Ancelotti concluded by noting, "This is the result we have achieved. It is not bad, but we will continue to build from the second match. You do not win the World Cup based on your first game."
As reported by aljazeera.net.
