Brazil’s opening World Cup match against Morocco on June 13 features a starting lineup with the highest average age of any Brazilian XI in World Cup history since 2006. It’s a deliberate gamble by manager Carlo Ancelotti, one that trades youth and pace for something harder to quantify: the steadiness that comes from players who’ve been through it all before.
The match, taking place at New York/New Jersey Stadium, marks only the second time these two nations have met on football’s biggest stage. The first encounter, back in 1998, ended 3-0 in Brazil’s favor.
Ancelotti’s old guard takes the pitch
His starting XI against Morocco reads like a who’s-who of players who’ve spent the better part of a decade at the top of the sport: Alisson in goal, Marquinhos anchoring the defense, Casemiro controlling the midfield, and Vinicius Junior providing the cutting edge in attack.
At 25, Vinicius Junior is arguably one of the younger members of this squad, which tells you everything you need to know about Ancelotti’s selection philosophy.
