Brazil and Scotland are clashing this Wednesday, June 24th, for Matchday 3 of Group C at the 2026 World Cup at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami. In a crucial game to secure first place and avoid dropping to second in the group, questions regarding the presence of Vinicius Junior have started to arise.
According to Globo Esporte, Vinicius Junior is expected to be included in the starting lineup against Scotland. After finding the back of the net and delivering an assist against Haiti, the Real Madrid winger was subbed off in the 81st minute to preserve his fitness for this final game of the group phase.
The Canarinha head into the clash on a high note after a dominant 3-0 win against Haiti, which officially secured their qualification to the next phase. On the other hand, Scotland suffered a tough 1-0 defeat against Morocco and will now look to pull off an upset against Brazil to keep their own knockout hopes alive.
At the moment, Brazil and Morocco lead Group C with four points each, while Scotland sits in third with three points, and Haiti is at the bottom with zero. With both group matches kicking off simultaneously at 6:00 PM ET, the high-stakes race for the top spot is officially on.
Vinicius Junior #7 of Brazil scores against Haiti.
All eyes on Neymar’s return
While Brazil’s primary goal is locking up the top spot in Group C, anticipation is building around Neymar making his first appearance in this tournament to mark his fourth career World Cup. Due to a lingering injury, he was sidelined for the matches against Morocco and Haiti, but he has now rejoined the main group and is fit to feature.
see also
How to watch Scotland vs Brazil in USA: 2026 World Cup, Live Stream, TV & Preview
In Tuesday’s press conference, head coach Carlo Ancelotti addressed the superstar’s physical condition: “Neymar is available, he worked well this week and prepared well for the match. We are all very happy, his quality can bring a lot to the team. He can play the 90 minutes, he is doing well, he worked very well and trained well. I am very happy with him.“
Projected lineups for Scotland and Brazil
Scotland’s projected lineup (4-3-3): Angus Gunn; Nathan Patterson, Jack Hendry, Grant Hanley, Andrew Robertson; Ryan Christie, Lewis Ferguson, Scott McTominay; Ben Gannon-Doak, Che Adams, John McGinn.
Head coach: Steve Clarke.
Brazil’s projected lineup (4-2-3-1): Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel Magalhaes, Douglas Santos; Bruno Guimaraes, Casemiro; Rayan, Lucas Paqueta, Vinicius Junior; Matheus Cunha.
Head coach: Carlo Ancelotti.
