WORLD CUP: “I am Here To Help Brazil Get Back To The Top,” Says Vinic…

NEW YORK, USA, Jun 13 – “I am not here to be the best player of the tournament,” said Vinicius Jr on the eve of Brazil’s opening World Cup game.

“I am here to help Brazil get back to the top.”

And the supremely talented forward backed up his words on the pitch at the New Jersey New York Stadium. sport-ipl.my

Trailing Morocco 1-0 and looking decidedly second best, the five-time world champions got back on level terms thanks to a moment of brilliance by Vinicius on the biggest stage of all.

Receiving the ball on the left side of the penalty area from Bruno Guimaraes’ pass, the Real Madrid forward cut back inside on to his right foot before lashing a brilliant strike into the roof of the net.

It was a goal fitting for the World Cup, an outstanding moment of quality which dug his side out of a huge hole – and saved Brazil from losing their first opening game at a World Cup since 1934.

Yet they were unable to go on and seal an opening win in Group C, with the match ending 1-1 after what former England captain Alan Shearer told BBC Sport was a “ragged” Brazil performance.

South American football expert Tim Vickery, speaking to BBC Sport, added: “Ideally you want the team to make the stars, here you have a case of the star saving the team.”

‘We expected more from Brazil’

Brazil fans worried by this performance should remember that this expanded World Cup – more than any other – is a marathon not a sprint.

Remember Argentina losing to Saudi Arabia in their first game in Qatar four years ago – and then going on to be crowned world champions?

Brazil, seeking a first World Cup triumph since 2002, are still expected to progress to the knockout stage, and have Haiti next in Philadelphia on 19 June followed by Scotland in Miami on 24 June.

However, there will be concern that they looked second best to Morocco for long spells, devoid of the swagger we have come to expect from the nation that produced legends such as Pele, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Zico.

This squad, however, is overloaded with wingers and is lacking numbers in midfield.

Casemiro, 34, showed his age as he toiled in the heat before he was replaced at half-time as Morocco dominated without adding to the lead given to them by Ismael Saibari.

Defender Roger Ibanez also failed to return to the pitch in the second half as Carlo Ancelotti attempted to address the team’s shortcomings.

“We were expecting more from them,” former Uruguay and Chelsea midfielder Gus Poyet told BBC Sport.

“I was surprised how bad technically they were today. I don’t know if it was the pitch, maybe the pitch didn’t help but they were missing passes, simple passes that you would expect the Brazilian players to do well.”

Vickery added: “This is precisely why Brazil are so dangerous. How many teams can play that badly and still be in the game? It’s the individuality.”

Ancelotti’s first World Cup match ends in apology

At the age of 67, this was Ancelotti’s first game as a head coach at a World Cup.

“This is a beautiful moment for me,” said the five-time Champions League-winning boss on the eve of the match.

In the end he was forced to apologise following his team’s lacklustre performance in the stifling New Jersey heat.

“I am sorry we didn’t play as well as we hoped,” said the Italian in his post-match media conference.

The Italian – the first overseas coach to lead Brazil at a World Cup – was brought in after a poor qualifying campaign which saw Brazil’s place at the tournament thrown into serious doubt after the team only won three of its first eight qualifiers.

The five-time world champions qualified in the end but not before suffering six defeats in 18 games on the way to finishing fifth in the South American qualifying table.

Their latest indifferent performance will only serve to raise more questions than answers.

“This is the first match of the World Cup,” Ancelotti said. “It wasn’t a bad result but we will keep picking up.

“We have to do better, that’s very clear. We have to have a more balanced team and we have to be more aggressive.

“I am not disappointed but I am not satisfied either. Not everything goes perfect and we have to accept criticism.”

Will Vinicius become Brazil’s darling?

Vinicius’ goal was a moment of breathtaking beauty we have come to expect from the outstanding talent.

Will he kick on and write his name into Brazilian folklore?

“The expectation was for him, by now, to have become the Selecao’s leading figure,” said Brazilian football expert Marcus Alves.

“Yet, four years on from a penalty shootout exit against Croatia in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals, doubts remain around him.”

However, there can be no doubting the quality of his goal here – his 10th for Brazil, with three of those coming on US soil.

“This is where Vinicius Jr comes into his own,” former England goalkeeper Joe Hart told BBC One.

“He was quiet in the game, of course he was, but you can’t criticise players like this on the big stage.

“He cuts in, smashes it past Bono. What a moment.”

Vinicius talked on Friday about how this was “the most important time in my life and career”.

“I feel great freedom and sincere trust from Ancelotti. He is sure I can do for the national team what I do for Real Madrid,” he added.

“I want to try to write the history of the country and the national team. We must do everything to win.”

Brazil came up short against Morocco.

Failure at this tournament, after a 24-year title drought, would lead to serious questions about how the most successful team in World Cup history moves forward.

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Steven Kitshoff believes Springbok hopefuls will have to prove far more than their rugby ability if they want to become part of Rassie Erasmus’ World Cup plans.

As the Boks begin another international season with an extended training squad, the recently retired prop says Erasmus is searching for players who can pass what has become known as the “warrior test” – the ability to perform when the pressure is at its greatest.

Speaking to News24, Kitshoff said the coming months will reveal which players are prepared to put their bodies on the line when the team needs them most.

“The team is going to be put under fire,” said Kitshoff. “I think Rassie is going to make it as difficult as possible to see who are the guys willing to step up and show a bit of warrior spirit.

“When it comes to being a warrior, it’s a guy not afraid to put their body on the line when teams are getting momentum or when there’s an opportunity to be taken in a scrum, lineout or tackle that needs to be made – it’s the guy willing to step up.”

ALSO: South Africa A match to lock in top talent

For Kitshoff, those moments rarely arrive when everything is going according to plan.

“It’s easy to step up when you play against Italy at Loftus in front of 50,000 South Africans. But then, when it’s 19-19 at Ellis Park and the All Blacks are on your tryline, are you willing to put your shoulder in a dark place to stop a guy from scoring a try because it means more to you than having a good shoulder?”

FULL STORY

Photo: Mike Hewitt/Getty Images

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Après avoir ouvert le score en première période face à la Turquie, l’Australie a souffert en seconde période et est restée dans le match grâce à son gardien, Beach. Les Socceroos, grâce à Irankunda et Metcalfe et un score de 2-0 remportent leur cinquième victoire en 21 matchs de Coupe du monde et pour son premier match dans le groupe D.

L’Australie défie la Turquie au BC Place de Vancouver pour la première journée du groupe D de cette Coupe du monde 2026. Les Socceroos disputent leur sixième phase finale de suite, tandis que les Turcs sont de retour 24 ans après une troisième place décrochée en Corée du Sud. Les deux nations se rencontrent pour la première fois dans un Mondial.
Dans la surface, Arda Guler enroule une frappe lointaine, mais ne cadre pas le but de Beach (6e). Sur un contre, Irankunda, lancé en profondeur, se joue de Demiral et bat Cacir (0-1, 26e). L’aimier de Watford inscrit son premier but dans un Mondial et son sixième avec les Socceroos. La Turquie réagit par une frappe de Bardakcı mise sur le poteau par Beach (30e). Kokcu (36e) et Guker (42e) tentent leur chance, mais n’attrapent pas le cage australienne. A la pause, l’Australie mène 1-0.

Metcalfe double le score à Vancouver pour la sélection d’Océanie, Beach infranchissable.

À la reprise, Montella fait entrer l’ailier de la Juventus Yildiz à la place de Yilmaz. L’Australie se montre dangereuse d’entrée par Bos, décalé par Touré, voit son tir contré en corner (47e). La Turquie réagit par une frappe puissante de Yuksek juste au-dessus (50e), mais voit son gardien Çakir faire une parade sur une tête de Souttar après un corner de O’Neil (54e). Beach détourne un coup-franc de Guler tiré aux 25 mètres (56e). Servi dans la surface par Calhanoglu, Celik arrive en duel contre Peach et frappe en angle fermé, le portier australien met en corner (71e). Après un ballon perdu au milieu de terrain, Metcalfe s’avance aux abords de la surface et trompe Cakir d’un tir au premier poteau (2-0, 74e). Les Socceroos ont fait preuve de réalisme dans cette partie avec le premier but en Coupe du monde du joueur de Bundesliga et St.Pauli, absent en 2022. Beach continue de faire des arrêts sur une reprise d’Akturkoglu (77e). Pour sa troisième participation, la Turquie, auteur de 29 tirs dans la partie dont 8 cadrés, s’incline pour la 5e fois dans un Mondial tandis que les Socceroos, qui s’imposent 2-0 à Vancouver, obtiennent une 5e victoire pour leur 7e édition. Le gardien de Melbourne City, Patrick Beach a été déterminant pour le succès des siens avec 8 arrêts.

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A trois jours de l’affiche France-Sénégal comptant pour le groupe I du Mondial 2026, le milieu tricolore de l’AS Roma Manu Koné s’est présenté, ce samedi, en conférence de presse.

Après deux matchs de prépatation contre la Côte d’Ivoire et l’Irlande du Nord, l’équipe de France lancera sa Coupe du monde mardi prochain face au Sénégal, à l’occasion du premier match du groupe I. Le milieu des Bleus, Manu Koné faisait face, ce samedi, aux médias et abordé plusieurs sujets dont la rencontre.

Le joueur de l’AS Roma a livré l’état d’esprit des Bleus pour ce choc. « On sait que c’est le premier match et pour bien rentrer dans la compétition, il faut le gagner. Après, par rapport au Sénégal, on sait que c’est une très bonne équipe, championne d’Afrique. On s’attend à un match compliqué mais on a confiance en nos qualités. On travaille tous les jours et on se tient prêts pour le match de mardi. », a expliqué le Tricolore de 25 ans dans des propos repris par Ouest-France.

Koné évoque le Sénégal

Invité à commenter les qualités du groupe du sélectionneur Pape Thiaw, Koné a donné son avis sur les Lions de la Teranga. « Individuellement, ils ont de très bons joueurs qui jouent dans de très bons clubs en Europe. J’ai beaucoup regardé la Coupe d’Afrique des nations, c’est une équipe avec beaucoup d’énergie qui met beaucoup d’intensité. », a ajouté l’international aux 14 sélections depuis 2024.

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