Group C Preview: Neymar's last dance meets Morocco's red-hot challenge
Brazil head into Group C as favourites, with Neymar back for another World Cup run. Morocco, Scotland and Haiti ensure the section looks far less straightforward than expected.
The easiest thing to do with Group C is look at the teams and assume Brazil will finish top.
The harder part is figuring out everything that comes after.
Because while the five-time world champions arrive in North America carrying the familiar weight of expectation, the three teams alongside them all have stories that make this group far more intriguing than it first appears.
Morocco are no longer football's favourite underdog after becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final. Scotland are finally back after a 28-year wait and desperate to make up for lost time. Haiti return to football's biggest stage for the first time since 1974, carrying one of the tournament's most remarkable qualification stories.
And floating above all of it is a name that has followed World Cups for more than a decade.
Neymar.
For an entire generation, Brazil at the World Cup has meant Neymar dancing after a goal, Neymar carrying expectations on his shoulders and Neymar trying to drag football's most decorated nation one step closer to another star above the badge.
There were moments when it genuinely felt like Qatar might have been his final World Cup. After fighting serious season-ending injury threats, which even derailed his Saudi Pro League stint without any meaningful minutes. Even after rejoining his boyhood club Santos in Brazil, the prospects started to look thin. Just when the World Cup grew closer, so began the rapid rise of Neymar's eagerness to battle through the injuries and get his form running.
When hope looked bleak for the Brazilian superstar, he pulled through like he has many times before when it came to representing his country.
At 34, with Carlo Ancelotti now in charge and Brazil chasing a first world title since 2002, Neymar gets one more shot at the trophy that has always felt destined for him but somehow never arrived. Although he is likely to miss out on Brazil's opener against Morocco, Ancelotti has insisted that Neymar will be pivotal in Brazil's World Cup campaign.
Whether this becomes his farewell tour, Morocco's next statement to the football world, Scotland's breakthrough moment or Haiti's dream summer remains to be seen.
Group C Fixtures
- June 14 (3:30 AM IST) – Brazil vs Morocco, East Rutherford
- June 14 (6:30 AM IST) – Scotland vs Haiti, Foxborough
- June 20 (3:30 AM IST) – Morocco vs Scotland, Foxborough
- June 20 (6:00 AM IST) – Brazil vs Haiti, Philadelphia
- June 25 (3:30 AM IST) – Brazil vs Scotland, Miami
- June 25 (3:30 AM IST) – Morocco vs Haiti, Atlanta
FIFA WORLD CUP 2026, GROUP C: MEET THE TEAMS
BRAZIL
Brazil are the only nation to have appeared at every FIFA World Cup and remain the competition's most successful side with five titles. Yet for all their history and prestige, they arrive in North America carrying more questions than a typical Brazilian team.
Their last World Cup triumph came back in 2002. Since then, several gifted generations have fallen short. Quarter-final exits in both 2018 and 2022 extended the wait for a sixth crown, while a turbulent qualification campaign left many wondering whether Brazil had lost some of its old aura.
The concerns reached a peak following a humbling 4-1 defeat to Argentina in 2025, a result that eventually cost Dorival Junior his job.
That paved the way for Carlo Ancelotti.
Few managers understand tournament football better than the Italian. With five Champions League titles and decades of experience managing superstar dressing rooms, Ancelotti has been tasked with restoring calm to a team that had started looking surprisingly vulnerable.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
For all the tactical tweaks and fresh faces, Brazil's greatest asset remains unchanged: outrageous attacking talent.
Raphinha arrives in North America playing the best football of his career and looking every bit the player capable of carrying Brazil's attack. Vinicius Junior still possesses the ability to turn defenders inside out on any given night, while Endrick is waiting for his chance to introduce himself to the wider world in true Brazilian fashion.
And yet, whenever Brazil are discussed, the conversation keeps drifting toward one name.
Neymar.
Maybe it is nostalgia. Maybe it is curiosity. Or maybe it is because football fans simply cannot resist a comeback story.
But Neymar has somehow found his way back into the story.
Carlo Ancelotti's decision to include him in the squad instantly added a different energy to Brazil's campaign. Nobody is asking him to be the one-man show of 2014 or 2018. That burden now belongs to a younger generation. Yet Neymar remains the player who can make an entire stadium lean forward in anticipation the moment he gets on the ball.
This may no longer be Neymar's Brazil. The spotlight is shared now, perhaps even passed on. But if the Selecao end up lifting the trophy, do not be surprised if some of the tournament's defining images feature the No. 10 smiling, dancing and reminding the world why he remains impossible to ignore.
KEY PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR
Raphinha
Neymar may dominate the headlines, but Raphinha could end up being Brazil's most decisive player.
The Barcelona winger has developed into one of the most complete attackers in world football, combining creativity, goals and relentless work-rate. With opponents likely to focus heavily on Vinicius and Neymar, Raphinha's ability to find space and create chances could prove crucial.
Endrick
Every World Cup produces a breakout star. Brazil will hope Endrick is next.
The teenager enjoyed a brilliant second half of the season on loan at Lyon, registering 16 goal contributions in 21 matches. Fearless and explosive, he possesses the type of qualities that can change games in an instant.
MOROCCO
It was impossible to ignore Morocco's journey in Qatar four years ago.
After stunning Spain and Portugal, they became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final and changed perceptions of what teams from the continent could achieve on football's biggest stage.
The challenge now is different.
Morocco are no longer surprising anyone.
The Atlas Lions arrive in North America as reigning African champions and eighth in the FIFA rankings. They have evolved from underdogs into genuine contenders and that brings a very different kind of pressure.
A managerial change has added another layer of intrigue. Mohamed Ouahbi replaced Walid Regragui earlier this year after leading Morocco's Under-20 side to world glory and now inherits arguably the most talented squad in the nation's history.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
The foundations that made Morocco so difficult to beat in 2022 remain intact.
Yassine Bounou is still among the world's best goalkeepers. Achraf Hakimi remains the heartbeat of the side. Noussair Mazraoui continues to provide quality and experience.
The difference now is what Morocco can offer going forward.
This is a far more adventurous side than the one that reached the semi-finals in Qatar. During their AFCON-winning campaign, they led the tournament for touches inside the opposition box and consistently pressed opponents high up the pitch.
Players such as Brahim Diaz, Abde Ezzalzouli and Neil El Aynaoui have added creativity and attacking variety to a team once defined almost entirely by its defensive organisation.
KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR
Achraf Hakimi
Fresh off another Champions League triumph with PSG, Hakimi heads into the tournament in arguably the best form of his career.
Whether Morocco are defending deep or attacking aggressively, everything tends to run through him.
Brahim Diaz
The Real Madrid attacker was one of AFCON's standout performers and continues to grow into Morocco's creative leader.
Direct, fearless and capable of unlocking compact defences, Diaz could be the player who elevates Morocco from dangerous outsiders to genuine contenders.
SCOTLAND
Twenty-eight years.
That is how long Scotland waited to return to the World Cup.
Their last appearance came in France in 1998. Since then, generations of Scottish fans have watched World Cups wondering what it would feel like to be part of one again.
Now they finally get their chance.
Steve Clarke deserves enormous credit for the transformation. Since taking charge in 2019, he has restored belief to a national team that had spent decades drifting between disappointment and frustration.
Nobody is expecting Scotland to light up the tournament with flair. What they do possess is organisation, physicality and a clear identity. Scotland are difficult to break down, dangerous from set-pieces and packed with players who thrive in chaotic matches.
The objective is simple. Beat Haiti, compete against Morocco and Brazil and give themselves a chance of sneaking through as one of the best third-placed teams.
KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR
Scott McTominay
There are few players more important to their national team than McTominay.
The Napoli midfielder has developed into Scotland's leader, goalscorer and emotional heartbeat. Whether arriving late in the box or dragging his team through difficult moments, he remains the player Scotland turn to when they need inspiration.
Ben Doak
Still only 20, Doak is regarded as one of Scotland's brightest prospects.
His pace and direct running offer something different to a side that often relies on structure and discipline.
HAITI
The Caribbean nation returns to football's biggest stage for the first time since 1974 after overcoming enormous challenges throughout qualification, including playing many matches away from home due to security concerns.
Qualification alone felt like a victory.
Now comes the difficult part. Haiti know they enter the tournament as outsiders.
Head coach Sebastien Migne has built a disciplined team that remains compact without the ball and looks to strike quickly in transition.
They may not dominate possession against any team in the group, but they are organised enough to make life uncomfortable.
KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR
Wilson Isidor
The Sunderland forward is arguably Haiti's most recognisable attacking threat.
His pace, movement and finishing ability offer Haiti hope of causing a surprise or two.
Ruben Providence
The winger possesses the kind of directness that can trouble defenders in one-on-one situations.
If Haiti are to spring a shock, Providence will likely be at the centre of it.
GROUP C PREDICTION
1. Brazil
2. Morocco
3. Scotland
4. Haiti
Brazil remain favourites, but this does not feel like the straightforward group many expected.
Morocco have the quality and confidence to push them all the way, Scotland will believe qualification is within reach and Haiti arrive determined to enjoy every minute of a long-awaited return.
And somewhere in the middle of it all stands Neymar.
Perhaps for one final World Cup.
The easiest thing to do with Group C is look at the teams and assume Brazil will finish top.
The harder part is figuring out everything that comes after.
Because while the five-time world champions arrive in North America carrying the familiar weight of expectation, the three teams alongside them all have stories that make this group far more intriguing than it first appears.
Morocco are no longer football's favourite underdog after becoming the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final. Scotland are finally back after a 28-year wait and desperate to make up for lost time. Haiti return to football's biggest stage for the first time since 1974, carrying one of the tournament's most remarkable qualification stories.
And floating above all of it is a name that has followed World Cups for more than a decade.
Neymar.
For an entire generation, Brazil at the World Cup has meant Neymar dancing after a goal, Neymar carrying expectations on his shoulders and Neymar trying to drag football's most decorated nation one step closer to another star above the badge.
There were moments when it genuinely felt like Qatar might have been his final World Cup. After fighting serious season-ending injury threats, which even derailed his Saudi Pro League stint without any meaningful minutes. Even after rejoining his boyhood club Santos in Brazil, the prospects started to look thin. Just when the World Cup grew closer, so began the rapid rise of Neymar's eagerness to battle through the injuries and get his form running.
When hope looked bleak for the Brazilian superstar, he pulled through like he has many times before when it came to representing his country.
At 34, with Carlo Ancelotti now in charge and Brazil chasing a first world title since 2002, Neymar gets one more shot at the trophy that has always felt destined for him but somehow never arrived. Although he is likely to miss out on Brazil's opener against Morocco, Ancelotti has insisted that Neymar will be pivotal in Brazil's World Cup campaign.
Whether this becomes his farewell tour, Morocco's next statement to the football world, Scotland's breakthrough moment or Haiti's dream summer remains to be seen.
Group C Fixtures
- June 14 (3:30 AM IST) – Brazil vs Morocco, East Rutherford
- June 14 (6:30 AM IST) – Scotland vs Haiti, Foxborough
- June 20 (3:30 AM IST) – Morocco vs Scotland, Foxborough
- June 20 (6:00 AM IST) – Brazil vs Haiti, Philadelphia
- June 25 (3:30 AM IST) – Brazil vs Scotland, Miami
- June 25 (3:30 AM IST) – Morocco vs Haiti, Atlanta
FIFA WORLD CUP 2026, GROUP C: MEET THE TEAMS
BRAZIL
Brazil are the only nation to have appeared at every FIFA World Cup and remain the competition's most successful side with five titles. Yet for all their history and prestige, they arrive in North America carrying more questions than a typical Brazilian team.
Their last World Cup triumph came back in 2002. Since then, several gifted generations have fallen short. Quarter-final exits in both 2018 and 2022 extended the wait for a sixth crown, while a turbulent qualification campaign left many wondering whether Brazil had lost some of its old aura.
The concerns reached a peak following a humbling 4-1 defeat to Argentina in 2025, a result that eventually cost Dorival Junior his job.
That paved the way for Carlo Ancelotti.
Few managers understand tournament football better than the Italian. With five Champions League titles and decades of experience managing superstar dressing rooms, Ancelotti has been tasked with restoring calm to a team that had started looking surprisingly vulnerable.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
For all the tactical tweaks and fresh faces, Brazil's greatest asset remains unchanged: outrageous attacking talent.
Raphinha arrives in North America playing the best football of his career and looking every bit the player capable of carrying Brazil's attack. Vinicius Junior still possesses the ability to turn defenders inside out on any given night, while Endrick is waiting for his chance to introduce himself to the wider world in true Brazilian fashion.
And yet, whenever Brazil are discussed, the conversation keeps drifting toward one name.
Neymar.
Maybe it is nostalgia. Maybe it is curiosity. Or maybe it is because football fans simply cannot resist a comeback story.
But Neymar has somehow found his way back into the story.
Carlo Ancelotti's decision to include him in the squad instantly added a different energy to Brazil's campaign. Nobody is asking him to be the one-man show of 2014 or 2018. That burden now belongs to a younger generation. Yet Neymar remains the player who can make an entire stadium lean forward in anticipation the moment he gets on the ball.
This may no longer be Neymar's Brazil. The spotlight is shared now, perhaps even passed on. But if the Selecao end up lifting the trophy, do not be surprised if some of the tournament's defining images feature the No. 10 smiling, dancing and reminding the world why he remains impossible to ignore.
KEY PLAYER TO WATCH OUT FOR
Raphinha
Neymar may dominate the headlines, but Raphinha could end up being Brazil's most decisive player.
The Barcelona winger has developed into one of the most complete attackers in world football, combining creativity, goals and relentless work-rate. With opponents likely to focus heavily on Vinicius and Neymar, Raphinha's ability to find space and create chances could prove crucial.
Endrick
Every World Cup produces a breakout star. Brazil will hope Endrick is next.
The teenager enjoyed a brilliant second half of the season on loan at Lyon, registering 16 goal contributions in 21 matches. Fearless and explosive, he possesses the type of qualities that can change games in an instant.
MOROCCO
It was impossible to ignore Morocco's journey in Qatar four years ago.
After stunning Spain and Portugal, they became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final and changed perceptions of what teams from the continent could achieve on football's biggest stage.
The challenge now is different.
Morocco are no longer surprising anyone.
The Atlas Lions arrive in North America as reigning African champions and eighth in the FIFA rankings. They have evolved from underdogs into genuine contenders and that brings a very different kind of pressure.
A managerial change has added another layer of intrigue. Mohamed Ouahbi replaced Walid Regragui earlier this year after leading Morocco's Under-20 side to world glory and now inherits arguably the most talented squad in the nation's history.
WHAT TO EXPECT?
The foundations that made Morocco so difficult to beat in 2022 remain intact.
Yassine Bounou is still among the world's best goalkeepers. Achraf Hakimi remains the heartbeat of the side. Noussair Mazraoui continues to provide quality and experience.
The difference now is what Morocco can offer going forward.
This is a far more adventurous side than the one that reached the semi-finals in Qatar. During their AFCON-winning campaign, they led the tournament for touches inside the opposition box and consistently pressed opponents high up the pitch.
Players such as Brahim Diaz, Abde Ezzalzouli and Neil El Aynaoui have added creativity and attacking variety to a team once defined almost entirely by its defensive organisation.
KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR
Achraf Hakimi
Fresh off another Champions League triumph with PSG, Hakimi heads into the tournament in arguably the best form of his career.
Whether Morocco are defending deep or attacking aggressively, everything tends to run through him.
Brahim Diaz
The Real Madrid attacker was one of AFCON's standout performers and continues to grow into Morocco's creative leader.
Direct, fearless and capable of unlocking compact defences, Diaz could be the player who elevates Morocco from dangerous outsiders to genuine contenders.
SCOTLAND
Twenty-eight years.
That is how long Scotland waited to return to the World Cup.
Their last appearance came in France in 1998. Since then, generations of Scottish fans have watched World Cups wondering what it would feel like to be part of one again.
Now they finally get their chance.
Steve Clarke deserves enormous credit for the transformation. Since taking charge in 2019, he has restored belief to a national team that had spent decades drifting between disappointment and frustration.
Nobody is expecting Scotland to light up the tournament with flair. What they do possess is organisation, physicality and a clear identity. Scotland are difficult to break down, dangerous from set-pieces and packed with players who thrive in chaotic matches.
The objective is simple. Beat Haiti, compete against Morocco and Brazil and give themselves a chance of sneaking through as one of the best third-placed teams.
KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR
Scott McTominay
There are few players more important to their national team than McTominay.
The Napoli midfielder has developed into Scotland's leader, goalscorer and emotional heartbeat. Whether arriving late in the box or dragging his team through difficult moments, he remains the player Scotland turn to when they need inspiration.
Ben Doak
Still only 20, Doak is regarded as one of Scotland's brightest prospects.
His pace and direct running offer something different to a side that often relies on structure and discipline.
HAITI
The Caribbean nation returns to football's biggest stage for the first time since 1974 after overcoming enormous challenges throughout qualification, including playing many matches away from home due to security concerns.
Qualification alone felt like a victory.
Now comes the difficult part. Haiti know they enter the tournament as outsiders.
Head coach Sebastien Migne has built a disciplined team that remains compact without the ball and looks to strike quickly in transition.
They may not dominate possession against any team in the group, but they are organised enough to make life uncomfortable.
KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH OUT FOR
Wilson Isidor
The Sunderland forward is arguably Haiti's most recognisable attacking threat.
His pace, movement and finishing ability offer Haiti hope of causing a surprise or two.
Ruben Providence
The winger possesses the kind of directness that can trouble defenders in one-on-one situations.
If Haiti are to spring a shock, Providence will likely be at the centre of it.
GROUP C PREDICTION
1. Brazil
2. Morocco
3. Scotland
4. Haiti
Brazil remain favourites, but this does not feel like the straightforward group many expected.
Morocco have the quality and confidence to push them all the way, Scotland will believe qualification is within reach and Haiti arrive determined to enjoy every minute of a long-awaited return.
And somewhere in the middle of it all stands Neymar.
Perhaps for one final World Cup.
