Brazil endured their worst qualification campaign ever for the 2026 World Cup, finishing fifth in the CONMEBOL standings on just 28 points from 18 matches. The Selecao lost home and away to arch-rivals Argentina, with a 4-1 drubbing at the Estadio Monumental ultimately costing Dorival Junior his job as manager, and they were also handily beaten by Uruguay, Colombia, Paraguay and Bolivia. But hope for the 2026 finals remains high, with Carlo Ancelotti now holding the reins for the most successful national team in history.
The fact is, Brazil still qualified comfortably, finishing ahead of Paraguay on goal difference to secure an automatic top-six spot, with Bolivia eight points further back in seventh. There are also similarities to be drawn with their journey to South Korea and Japan in 2002, where Brazil picked up only 30 qualifying points, but still stormed to their fifth World Cup by winning all seven of their tournament matches while scoring 18 goals.
Back then, the firepower provided by Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Rivaldo proved too much for any opponent. Head coach Luis Felipe Scolari was the envy of all his international counterparts because of the attacking quality at his disposal. And next summer, when the tournament takes place across the United States, Canada and Mexico, Ancelotti may well be in the same position.
This iteration of Brazil doesn't have a single player who can quite match any of the three Rs for individual brilliance, but they arguably have even greater strength in depth up top. Fresh evidence of that was provided in the 5-0 friendly demolition of South Korea on Friday, with Chelsea wonderkid Estevao Willian and Rodrygo each bagging a brace before Vinicius Jr got in on the act.
Defensively, there are still flaws to be ironed out, but if Ancelotti can strike the right balance at the top end of the pitch, they could be rendered moot. Brazil's fear factor is slowly returning and so too is the 'joga bonito' style that has set them apart so often down the years.