Brazil did not win, but it did not lose either. The 1-1 draw against Morocco in the debut of Group C of the 2026 World Cup allowed the Canarinha to extend one of the most impressive streaks in the history of the tournament: 92 years without losing their first match in a World Cup.
The last Brazilian defeat in a World Cup debut occurred in Italy 1934, when they lost 3-1 against Spain. Since then, the five-time world champion team has played 21 consecutive debuts without losing, a mark that no other team has managed to match in the history of the competition.
The path to maintaining the streak was far from easy. Morocco surprised in the 20th minute with an action by Ismael Saibari, who took advantage of his speed to beat the Brazilian defense and finish before the departure of Alisson Becker. The goal momentarily silenced the 80,663 fans present at New York and New Jersey Stadium.
Brazil’s reaction came before the break. Vinicius Júnior received the ball on the left wing, cut towards the center and took a cross shot that beat the Moroccan goalkeeper in the 31st minute. The tie avoided a historic fall for the Canarinha and kept intact a tradition that spans almost a century in the World Cup.
In the second half, the pace of the game slowed and both coaches made modifications in search of the goal that would break the tie. Morocco maintained the order that allowed it to compete face to face with one of the favorites for the title, while Brazil tried to generate danger through Raphinha and Vinicius Júnior.
Despite the attempts of both teams, the scoreboard no longer moved. The Canarinha closed its debut with a draw that allowed it to extend its historic streak without losing to 92 years in the first match of a World Cup, although the performance of the team led by Carlo Ancelotti left divided feelings ahead of the next matches in Group C.
Historic streak
With this tie, Brazil reached 21 consecutive World Cups without losing its opening match, an unprecedented record in the history of the tournament. Although the result left doubts about the performance of the Canarinha, the team led by Carlo Ancelotti kept intact a streak that extends since 1934 and that they will seek to extend in their next matches against Haiti and Scotland