Morocco's Young Guns Expose Brazil's Frailties as Ancelotti's Side Scrape Draw

Carlo Ancelotti has won more Champions Leagues than anyone else, yet his Brazil side looked anything but continental champions in a scrappy 1-1 draw with Morocco that laid bare their considerable vulnerabilities.

It wasn't pretty. The Selecao arrived in Qatar having been installed as tournament favourites, but they spent much of this opening encounter looking lethargic, old, and visibly rattled. Morocco, the semi-finalists from 2022 but a distinctly different proposition under Mohamed Ouahbi's stewardship, absolutely dominated proceedings for long stretches and more than deserved their lead through Ismael Saibari's smartly-worked finish.

The tactical setup proved disastrous. Roger Ibanez, a centre-half wheeled out at right-back, was targeted mercilessly by Morocco's attack and hauled off at the break. Casemiro, meanwhile, looked decidedly ordinary in midfield and made way for the 32-year-old Fabinho after picking up a booking. The contrast in the centre of the park was stark: Ayyoub Bouaddi, the 18-year-old France youth international being tracked by Arsenal, glided through proceedings with the composure of a seasoned international, while Casemiro and company struggled to impose themselves.

After half an hour, Morocco had fashioned 11 attempts to Brazil's three. They were the sharper, hungrier outfit, and there was genuine substance to their superiority rather than mere possession dominance.

Ancelotti himself acknowledged the malaise afterwards, describing his players as "a bit anxious" with "nerves all over the place". The first half in particular carried an unmistakable air of panic, a rabbit-in-headlights quality that felt altogether unbecoming of a team with six World Cups in their trophy cabinet.

Then came the Ancelotti magic. Vinicius Junior, who had otherwise been peripheral, received possession on the left wing, cut inside with purpose, and rifled a finish past Yassine Bounou. From that moment onwards, Brazil seized the initiative, and the first-half drinks break seemed to mark a turning point in their favour.

But even in the ascendancy, they scarcely resembled potential champions. Igor Thiago squandered his one genuine opening and drifted into anonymity otherwise. While Ancelotti's teams have a knack for muddling through tournaments on aura and sheer force of will—scraping past Leipzig, edging Paris and Chelsea before outlasting Manchester City and Liverpool—this felt more like evidence of why Brazil might not get the job done this time around. Morocco showed they belong on this stage, and Brazil's frailties were there for all to see.