Brazil are not messing around. For their 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage match against Scotland on June 24 in Miami, Carlo Ancelotti has named Matheus Cunha and Casemiro in the starting eleven, signaling that the five-time world champions intend to treat this fixture with the same seriousness they would a knockout game.
Cunha’s inclusion up front is the headline decision. The Wolverhampton Wanderers forward scored twice in Brazil’s previous group stage outing against Haiti, and Ancelotti is clearly backing him to carry that momentum forward against a Scotland side that will be far more organized defensively.
The lineup and what it tells us
Brazil are expected to line up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Cunha leading the attack and Casemiro anchoring the center of midfield alongside a partner. It is a shape Ancelotti knows intimately from his club work, and it suits the personnel he has available.
Casemiro’s presence in the double pivot is significant. The Manchester United midfielder’s reading of the game and his ability to interrupt opposition build-up play before it becomes dangerous is the role Brazil need him to fill as they look to control what could be a physical and direct Scottish approach.
