Joga Bonito Is Back? 4 Takeaways From Brazil’s Win Over Scotland

Under a grey South Florida sky at Miami Stadium where David Beckham was questionably drinking red wine (in this humidity?) from a suite, Brazil put on a show that dampened Scotland’s party while clinching a spot in the World Cup knockout rounds. Brazilian flags and the canary yellow-clad fans continuously erupted in cheer as Carlo Ancelotti’s side continued took full control of the evening and won Group C. As for the usually raucous Tartan Army, they saw Scotland sadly struggle to get anything going and cause mistake over mistake. One thing is for sure. Ancelotti is slowly but surely returning the Joga Bonito (play beautifully) personality to Brazil. And that’s a scary thing for anyone else standing in its way. Here are my takeaways: 1. Vinícius Júnior Is Dancing To World Cup Glory The night belonged to the five-time World Cup champion and most importantly, Vinícius Júnior, who is having a tournament to remember. The Real Madrid star scored twice and gave the Scottish backline grief throughout the night, whilst Matheus Cunha sneakily scored his third goal of the competition to surprisingly also be in the mix for the Golden Boot race. Thanks to his two goals, Vini Jr. has now scored in all three matches of the group stage – making him the first Brazilian to accomplish that feat since Rivaldo and Ronaldo in 2002, which is when the Seleção last won the World Cup. In fact, every time this has happened, Brazil has won the World Cup as Romario did in 1994 and Jairzinho in 1970 – where the legendary winger scored in every game. Could Vini Jr. emulate that at this World Cup? It’s obviously a big ask, but right now he has four goals — only one behind Argentina’s Lionel Messi in the Golden Boot race for the tournament’s top goalscorer. But what’s more important, the Brazil star is leading by example. And that’s exactly what this team needs. 2. Neymar Jr.’s Cameo Continues Summer Of Stars It was also a night where Brazil welcomed back Neymar Jr., as the 34-year-old entered the pitch with less than 15 minutes to go. In a tournament where veteran icons like Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Luka Modrić are having their moments in the spotlight, it was nice for Brazilians to welcome their own legendary star once again. After nearly three years, October 2023 to be exact, Neymar Jr. returned to action with Brazil. It has been an arduous time filled with injury-ridden problems that included his ACL and meniscus tear. But once he entered the pitch in the 76th minute to replace Matheus Cunha, the crowd on their feet chanted his name with excitement. This is exactly why Ancelotti brought him back to the squad. To not just perform but to ignite a fire within Brazil. If he can be an impactful player, even in 15–20 minutes of action, then Brazil will feel deeper, stronger and more confident. 3. Scotland Gave Brazil Too Much Respect Scotland now has a waiting game to see if it has made it as a top-eight third-placed team. Having the opening game victory over Haiti helps but the setback against Morocco, and conceding three goals on Tuesday to Brazil, most definitely does not. Don’t get me wrong. Brazil totally deserved its win and there was probably nothing Scotland could have done tonight to change the narrative. But I thought the Scots were too nervous instead of pressing Brazil and making it uncomfortable. In simple terms, Scotland just sat for too long and waited for Brazil to charge as opposed to stopping the momentum in the first place. In this game, whatever happened, Scotland needed to gamble, and I don’t think the team gambled enough. Steve Clarke’s side has three points but also a -3 goal differential, so it has to see whether Scotland will sneak into the round of 32 or if the memorable stateside trip of the Tartan Army finishes earlier than hoped. 4. Bruno Guimarães With A Terrific Performance With the style being provided by the likes of Vinícius Júnior, there needs to be some kudos given to Brazil’s engine in the middle. The Newcastle United man was excellent, as he provided a perfect assist for Vini’s second. Throughout the game, he hovered all over the midfield to begin the team’s sequences and was critical in all the created chances. In the second half, he gave another assist to Matheus Cunha, thanks to a great run inside the box. It was a lovely flick. It was an imposing display. In all, it was a complete performance for Brazil, who now wait for its Round of 32 opponent, which is the runner-up from Group F — either the Netherlands, Japan or Sweden. That’s not an easy situation, especially with the first two mentioned.