Carlo Ancelotti, in his first campaign as Brazil’s head coach, aimed to seal World Cup qualification during this international window. After a cautious, goalless draw against Ecuador, his side turned their focus to a crucial home fixture against Paraguay.
With Venezuela losing 2–0 to Uruguay earlier, Brazil only needed a win to confirm their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Rising to the occasion, they delivered defeating Paraguay 1–0 thanks to a decisive goal from Vinicius Junior.
This result officially booked Brazil’s place in the World Cup as the third team from the South American qualifiers. With 25 points from 16 matches equal to Ecuador but behind on goal difference Brazil became unreachable by the teams below, including Venezuela, Bolivia, Peru, and Chile, who all have fewer points and only two matches remaining.
Brazil 1-0 Paraguay
The win also marked Ancelotti’s first victory in charge. More importantly, it showed signs of renewed rhythm within the team. Brazil dominated possession (73%) and controlled the game with dynamic movement, speed, and fluid play. Despite Paraguay’s tight defense limiting Brazil to just 4 shots on target from 11 attempts, the breakthrough came just before halftime.
In the 44th minute, Rafinha’s run was interrupted outside the box, but Matheus Cunha recovered the ball and delivered a perfect pass. Vinicius Junior calmly finished past the keeper and two defenders, securing the only goal of the match.
Post-match, Vinicius said, “We’re very happy with the win. It was important for the fans and for our qualification. That was our main goal tonight.” He added that Ancelotti now has time to fine-tune the squad ahead of the tournament.
The win may not have been seleção most spectacular, but it was timely and essential mission accomplished.