2026 World Cup: Scotland vs Brazil, Selecao secure path to the last 32

Brazil will try to secure the top spot in Group C when they face Scotland (photo: dok. gemini ai)

JAKARTA - Brazil will try to secure the top spot in Group C when they face Scotland in the last match of the 2026 World Cup group stage at the Hard Rock Stadium, Miami, Thursday morning 05.00 WIB. On the other hand, Scotland is carrying a historic mission to reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time since this tournament was held.

This match is the fifth World Cup meeting between the two countries and revives a rivalry that has lasted for more than five decades. The last time they met on the world's biggest football stage was at the 1998 World Cup when Brazil won 2-1 in the opening match that eventually took them to the final.

Group C's situation still leaves interesting competition ahead of the last match. Brazil leads the standings with four points from a draw against Morocco and a 3-0 win over Haiti. Morocco also collected four points, while Scotland is in third place with three points after defeating Haiti and losing narrowly to Morocco. Haiti has been confirmed to be eliminated without points.

For Brazil, a draw is enough to keep the big chance of becoming the group champion. Meanwhile, for Scotland, additional points will be very important in efforts to secure a ticket to the last 32, either through the top two positions or the third best ranking path.

Journey and Meeting Record in the World Cup

Scotland are back at the World Cup after missing out since 1998. A 1-0 win over Haiti was their first victory in this tournament since beating Sweden in the 1990 edition. However, a narrow defeat to Morocco showed that Steve Clarke's men still face difficulties when facing opponents of a higher quality.

History is also not on Scotland's side. From 10 meetings against Brazil in all competitions, they have never won. Brazil recorded eight wins and two draws. Four meetings at the World Cup produced three Brazilian victories and a goalless draw in the 1974 edition.

Brazil itself came to the United States with the status of one of the champions. Selecao is the most successful country in the history of the World Cup with five titles. Although their performance has not always been convincing in recent years, the arrival of Carlo Ancelotti as coach has given new hope to the Brazilian public.

In the last five matches in all competitions, Brazil won four victories and one draw. They scored 15 goals in that period, showing the effectiveness of the attack line which remains the main strength.

Tactical Analysis and Squad Condition

Steve Clarke is expected to revert to a pragmatic approach with a formation that can change between 3-4-2-1 and 5-4-1 when defending. This strategy was seen against Morocco when Scotland tried to close the space in the midfield and exploit counterattacks through Scott McTominay and John McGinn.

McTominay remains the most dangerous player for Scotland. The Napoli midfielder often appears as an additional attacking midfielder and is a threat in dead ball situations. Support from McGinn and Ryan Christie will be very important to maintain the balance of the game.

In the Brazilian camp, Carlo Ancelotti does not seem to make many changes. The 3-0 victory over Haiti showed that their front line combination began to find rhythm. Matheus Cunha was sharp with two goals, while Vinicius Junior showed his quality again after also scoring against Morocco.

Brazil got bad news after Raphinha was confirmed to be out due to a hamstring injury. However, the depth of their squad allows Ancelotti to play Rayan or Gabriel Martinelli as an alternative. Meanwhile, Neymar has recovered from injury and is in the squad, although he is likely to start the match from the bench.

Brazil's midfield, which is occupied by Casemiro and Bruno Guimaraes, is expected to be the deciding factor. The combination of experience, ball distribution ability, and defensive discipline makes Brazil have better control of the game than their opponents.

In terms of statistics, Brazil is superior in almost all aspects. Selecao scored four goals in the first two matches, while Scotland only scored one goal. Brazil also has a higher average ball possession and better chance productivity throughout the group phase.

However, Brazil need to be careful. Two of their last three defeats in the World Cup group stage came in the third group match. This fact is a reminder that the last match often presents surprises for the favorite team.

Prediction

Brazil remains the more favored team entering this match. Their main strength lies in the quality of individuals evenly distributed across all lines. The presence of Vinicius Junior, Matheus Cunha, Lucas Paqueta, Bruno Guimaraes, to Casemiro makes the Selecao have many options to dismantle the opponent's defense.

Scotland had the edge in the organization of the game and fighting spirit. Steve Clarke's team showed good discipline while defending and was able to make it difficult for opponents to create clean chances.

However, Scotland's weakness lies in the productivity of the attack. They only scored one goal in two matches and failed to take any shots on target when facing Morocco. Their dependence on McTominay and McGinn also makes their attack variations relatively limited.

Brazil itself still has some weaknesses, especially in the defensive transition when losing the ball. Morocco had the opportunity to exploit this area in the opening match. The absence of Raphinha also slightly reduced the creativity from the right side.

In terms of quality, the Brazilian squad is one level above Scotland. The factor of experience playing at the highest level in Europe, the depth of the reserve players, and the effectiveness of the front line are the main differences.

The match is expected to take place with the dominance of ball possession from Brazil, while Scotland will wait for opportunities through counterattacks and set pieces. If they are able to score first, Brazil have the opportunity to control the rhythm of the game until the end.

Prediction : Scotland 0-2 Brazil.

Predicted Starting XI

Scotland

Angus Gunn; Jack Hendry, Grant Hanley, Andy Robertson; Nathan Patterson, Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, Kieran Tierney; Scott McTominay, John McGinn; Che Adams.

Brazil

Alisson Becker; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhaes, Douglas Santos; Casemiro, Bruno Guimaraes; Rayan, Lucas Paqueta, Vinicius Junior; Matheus Cunha.

Match Schedule

2026 World Cup Group C

Scotland vs Brazil

Hard Rock Stadium, Miami

Thursday, June 25, 2026

Kick-off 05.00 WIB