Ancelotti Praises Vinicius Junior as World-Class Star Following Brazil’s 3-0 Win Over Scotland

Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti lauded Vinicius Junior as “one of the best players in the world” after the forward netted twice in the team’s 3-0 victory over Scotland, securing first place in Group C at the World Cup.

The Real Madrid winger found the net twice before halftime in Miami, including an uncommon headed effort, as Brazil advanced to the round of 32 with an unbeaten record. At 25, Vinicius has now scored four goals in three tournament matches.

Ancelotti’s Confidence in Vinicius

Ancelotti remarked, “I had no doubts about how he would perform in this World Cup. For him, representing the national team is an honour. He is playing well and even scored a header, which is rare for him.”

He added, “I knew exactly what Vini could deliver. He is one of the best players on the planet.”

Historic Scoring Streak

The praise carries extra weight given Ancelotti and Vinicius spent four seasons together at Real Madrid. Vinicius had already scored in Brazil’s 1-1 draw with Morocco and the 3-0 win over Haiti, making him the first Brazilian to find the net in all three group-stage games of a World Cup since Ronaldo and Rivaldo achieved the feat in 2002.

Only Jairzinho (1970) and Romário (1994) have previously accomplished the same for Brazil, and on both occasions the team went on to lift the trophy.

Golden Boot Contention

With his latest brace, Vinicius is now level with France’s Kylian Mbappé and Norway’s Erling Haaland in the Golden Boot race, trailing only Lionel Messi.

Vinicius told Brazilian broadcaster CazeTV, “I usually don’t focus on the numbers. I’m not used to scoring so many goals, but the coach has placed me in a position where I’ve adapted well, and now I’m scoring and helping the team.”

He added, “I hope to keep this form all the way to the final. I’m pleased with the team’s work; when everyone plays well, the ball reaches the attacking zones and we create scoring chances.”

Neymar’s Return

Matheus Cunha added Brazil’s third goal before giving way to Neymar, who made his first international appearance since October 2023. The Manchester United forward’s cameo helped complete another polished Brazilian performance.

Ancelotti was equally delighted to see Neymar back on the pitch after a lengthy injury layoff.

“He deserved to come on. He has worked hard and trained hard to regain fitness. He has done it very professionally,” Ancelotti said.

“He possesses the quality to aid the team at this World Cup and performed well in the limited minutes he played. He needs no extra motivation to wear the Brazil shirt; none of the players do. At 34, he still displays the same passion for football as a child.”

Road Ahead

Brazil will now travel to Houston for a last‑32 showdown against the runners‑up from Group F, with the Netherlands, Japan and Sweden still in the mix for qualification.