Brazil fell 1-0 to Bolivia on 10 September in El Alto, closing out their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign with the worst record in their history.
At 4,150 metres above sea level, Carlo Ancelotti’s side looked short of breath and cohesion from the start. With a line-up made up largely of reserve players, Brazil found themselves under pressure and conceded just before half-time.
A reckless challenge from Bruno Guimarães led to a penalty, confirmed by VAR, which Miguelito converted to give Bolivia the lead. It was the first goal Brazil had conceded since Ancelotti took charge, following a goalless draw with Ecuador, a 1-0 win over Paraguay and a 3-0 victory against Chile.
Ancelotti was visibly frustrated, confronting referee Cristian Garay at the interval over the decision.
In the second half, Ancelotti introduced senior players such as Marquinhos, Raphinha and Estêvão, but Brazil remained flat in attack and failed to seriously test the Bolivian goalkeeper. Only Alisson’s late save prevented the margin of defeat from being heavier.
The result left Brazil on 28 points from 18 matches, with a record of eight wins, four draws and six defeats, a success rate of under 54 percent.
It was the first time since the round-robin qualifying system was introduced in 1996 that Brazil had finished with fewer than 30 points. Their previous worst campaign came in 2002, when they took 30 points (nine wins, three draws, six defeats).
Despite the poor run, Brazil still qualified for the 2026 World Cup in fifth place, behind Argentina (38), Ecuador (29), and Colombia and Uruguay (28 each, with better goal difference). Under the old qualification system, Brazil would have faced the play-offs.
With Conmebol now granted six direct spots plus one play-off place due to the expanded 48-team World Cup, Brazil’s passage is secure. But the campaign has raised serious questions.
Since the end of the 2022 World Cup, the Seleção have been through four coaches: Ramon Menezes, Fernando Diniz, Dorival Júnior and now Carlo Ancelotti. That instability, coupled with underwhelming performances, has left Brazil entering the World Cup cycle in unfamiliar territory: qualified, but under a cloud.
