The World Cup had been ticking along for a few days. Mexico, Canada, and the USA, the three host nations, kicked things off with decent to solid performances, and the stadiums were loud enough. but something was still missing.
That grand, unmistakable carnival feeling, the one that announces the tournament has truly begun, was painstakingly absent.
Then Saturday came, and Brazil showed up.
The area around MetLife Stadium in New Jersey transformed almost instantly into a sea of canary yellow and green.
Thousands of Brazilian fans from every corner of the globe descended on East Rutherford, turning the surrounding streets, car parks, and plazas into one enormous, gorgeous, samba-soundtracked block party. Horns, drums, and dance circles appeared seemingly out of nowhere. The World Cup had been waiting for this moment.
Brazil, of course, are the most decorated nation in the history of the tournament — five World Cup titles, more than any other country on the planet. Their fans carry that legacy everywhere they go, and they carry it loudly. This was no different. Hours before kickoff, the green and yellow had already taken over.
The chants started early and didn’t let up. “Cristiano came as a tourist, Messi doesn’t matter. We have Neymar.” Never mind that Neymar was actually ruled out for this match through injury — the fans chanted his name anyway, defiantly and joyfully.
And when the superstar himself strolled onto the pitch before kickoff, as casual and self-assured as ever, and flashed up on the giant stadium screen, the roar was absolutely thunderous. MetLife — a stadium that holds over 82,000 people — shook.
On the pitch, Brazil faced a stern and disciplined Morocco side. Morocco had been one of the stories of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, becoming the first African nation to ever reach a semi-final, and they brought that same on-field organisation and collective spirit into this match. They were not here to make up the numbers.
After conceding a goal early in the first half, Vinicius Jr. gave the Seleção the uqualizer with a jaw-dropping solo goal. He collected the ball on the left, skipped past a defender like he was a traffic cone, and curled a finish into the far corner. Vintage Brazilian touch.
But the overall team performance was a decidedly mixed bag. The full-backs looked shaky and were repeatedly caught out of position.
The midfield, which should be the engine of any great Brazil side, lacked vision and creative spark. And the lone striker up front, seemed to have accidentally left his finishing boots somewhere on the transatlantic flight over.
The missed chances were, at times, painful to watch. The great Ronaldo O Fenomeno, Brazil’s talisman in 1994 and 2002 World Cups and tournament ambassador, watched from the stands with the expression of a man doing complicated mental arithmetic.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw.
It left Brazil’s legendary coach Carlo Ancelotti — one of the most decorated manager in football history with five European titles — with a to-do list longer than he would have liked after matchday one.
Tactical adjustments in the full-back positions, a creative midfield solution, and a striker who can actually convert the chances that Vinicius and Raphinha are sure to keep creating. Plenty to think about before the next group stage fixture.
But step outside MetLife into that yellow-and-green ocean, and none of it seemed to matter very much at all. For Brazil fans, the result is a footnote. A conversation for coaches and pundits and people who own tactical whiteboards.
What mattered on Saturday was that the party had arrived. The biggest, loudest, most joyful, most infectious party in world football — and it was very much open for business. Flags were waved. Strangers danced together. The drums kept going long after the final whistle. Brazil may not have won the game. But they won the day.
And for five World Cups’ worth of reasons, the rest of the tournament would do well not to write them off just yet. O Fenomeno in the stands knows better than anyone — this team has a habit of saving their best for when it counts.
The Seleção are here. The party has officially begun.
