‘Not much faith’: the view from Brazil as they prepare to face Scotland

Key Points:

• Brazil's 2026 World Cup campaign has been underwhelming, with a poor qualifying performance and lackluster play in the tournament's early matches, raising concerns among fans and pundits about their chances.
• Neymar, Brazil's star and all-time top scorer, has yet to play due to fitness issues and has faced criticism for his focus and physical condition, though he is expected to feature briefly against Scotland if conditions are favorable.
• The team showed some improvement in midfield with players like Lucas Paquetá and Matheus Cunha, but overall cohesion and mobility remain problematic, leading to skepticism about Brazil's ability to advance far in the tournament.
• Coach Carlo Ancelotti remains under pressure despite a contract extending through the 2030 World Cup, with critics highlighting wasted preparation time and the need for significant improvement to meet Brazil's high expectations.
• Brazil faces a challenging knockout stage path, with potential matches against strong teams like Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, France, or England, making progression beyond the last 16 uncertain without marked improvement.