Morocco has rewritten its place in world football
No dia 13 de junho de 2026, Brasil e Marrocos se encontrarão no palco da Copa do Mundo com histórias que apontam em direções opostas: uma nação acostumada ao topo e outra em plena ascensão. O sorteio realizado nos Estados Unidos colocou as duas seleções no Grupo C, ao lado de Haiti e Escócia, mas é esse confronto de abertura que carrega o peso simbólico de uma hierarquia em transformação. Marrocos não é mais o adversário que o histórico sugere — é uma potência emergente que, em 2022, reescreveu o lugar do futebol africano no mundo e, em 2023, derrotou o próprio Brasil.
- O Brasil chega à estreia com um histórico de domínio sobre Marrocos, mas a derrota por 2-1 em 2023 deixou uma advertência que não pode ser ignorada.
- Marrocos construiu em poucos anos uma identidade tática sólida — intensidade, equilíbrio e adaptabilidade — que levou o país às semifinais do Mundial do Catar, feito inédito para qualquer nação africana ou árabe.
- Nomes como Hakimi, Amrabat, Bono e Ziyech transformaram a seleção marroquina em um coletivo capaz de eliminar Espanha e Portugal em sequência, sinalizando que o respeito conquistado não foi acidente.
- Para o Brasil, o jogo de abertura exige mais do que talento: exige a capacidade de se recalibrar diante de um adversário que já provou saber vencer os melhores do mundo.
O Brasil abrirá sua campanha na Copa do Mundo de 2026 no dia 13 de junho contra Marrocos, em um confronto que o sorteio realizado nos Estados Unidos colocou no Grupo C, ao lado de Haiti e Escócia. O histórico entre as seleções favorece amplamente o Brasil — a última vez que se enfrentaram em uma Copa foi em 1998, com vitória brasileira por 3 a 0 —, mas o futebol não vive de memória.
A trajetória recente de Marrocos conta uma história diferente. No Mundial do Catar, em 2022, a seleção norte-africana alcançou as semifinais pela primeira vez na história, eliminando Espanha e Portugal pelo caminho e encerrando o torneio na quarta colocação. Foi um feito inédito para qualquer nação africana ou árabe. Em 2023, ainda com esse impulso, Marrocos derrotou o Brasil por 2 a 1 em amistoso, sinalizando que a antiga hierarquia havia se deslocado.
O elenco marroquino sustenta essa elevação com nomes de peso: Achraf Hakimi lidera tecnicamente pela defesa do PSG, Sofyan Amrabat ancora o meio com intensidade reconhecida mundialmente, e o goleiro Bono permanece como pilar defensivo. Na criação, Hakim Ziyech orquestra as jogadas, enquanto Youssef En-Nesyri é o referencial ofensivo. O técnico Walid Regragui moldou um grupo coeso, equilibrado e taticamente adaptável.
Para o Brasil, o jogo de abertura representa algo mais complexo do que uma partida de fase de grupos. Os números históricos sugerem domínio, mas o momento atual exige cautela — e o reconhecimento de que o adversário que espera no dia 13 de junho já demonstrou, diante do mundo, que é capaz de vencer os melhores.
Brazil will open its 2026 World Cup campaign on June 13 against Morocco, a team that has transformed itself from a periodic tournament visitor into a genuine threat. The draw, conducted in the United States, placed the two nations in Group C alongside Haiti and Scotland—and while the historical record favors Brazil decisively, the recent arc of Moroccan football suggests the opening match will demand far more respect than the scorelines of past encounters would indicate.
The last time these teams met in a World Cup was 1998, when Brazil won 3-0 on its way to the final. A friendly two years earlier had gone the same way, 2-0 to Brazil. But football moves. Morocco's trajectory since then has been one of steady, deliberate ascent, punctuated by a moment of genuine brilliance at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. There, the North African side reached the semifinals—a first for any African or Arab nation—by topping a group containing Croatia, Belgium, and Canada, then eliminating Spain in the round of 16 and Portugal in the quarterfinals. They finished fourth, their stadiums flooded with supporters who had traveled across continents to witness something their country had never achieved.
That recent history carries weight. When Morocco faced Brazil again in 2023, still riding the momentum of their Qatari breakthrough, they won 2-1. The match came while Brazil was in transition, managed temporarily by Ramon Menezes, but the result signaled something unmistakable: the old hierarchy had shifted. Morocco was no longer a team Brazil could expect to dispatch with ease.
The current Moroccan squad explains much of this elevation. Achraf Hakimi, the Paris Saint-Germain defender, serves as the team's technical leader, combining pace, attacking support, and consistency. Sofyan Amrabat anchors the midfield with the same relentless intensity that defined Morocco's 2022 run. Goalkeeper Bono remains a national icon and the foundation of their defensive solidity. The back line pairs experience—Romain Saïss and Nayef Aguerd—with the versatility of Bayern Munich's Noussair Mazraoui. In the creative spaces, Hakim Ziyech remains the primary orchestrator, supported by Sofyan Boufal and the younger, more mobile Bilal Ounahi. Youssef En-Nesyri leads the attack as their most reliable finisher. Manager Walid Regragui has built this group around balance, intensity, and tactical adaptability—qualities that have become Morocco's calling card.
Morocco's World Cup history stretches back to 1970, when they earned their first point with a draw against Bulgaria. The real breakthrough came in 1986, when they topped a group containing England, Poland, and Portugal to become the first African nation to reach the knockout stage, falling only in the final minutes to West Germany. The 1990s brought two consecutive appearances, including a 3-0 victory over Scotland in 1998, though they did not advance beyond the group stage. After a twenty-year absence, they returned in 2018 with respectable performances but no progression. Then came 2022, when they rewrote their place in world football entirely.
For Brazil, the June 13 opener represents something more complex than a routine group-stage fixture. The numbers suggest dominance; the recent record suggests caution. Morocco arrives as the group's most formidable opponent, a team that has proven it can compete with and defeat the world's elite. The match will test not just Brazil's quality but its ability to recalibrate to a football landscape that has shifted beneath its feet.
Citas Notables
Morocco has evolved consistently since their last World Cup meeting with Brazil in 1998, leaving more recent marks on the Brazilian team that are not exactly positive— Match analysis
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does this particular matchup feel like it matters more than a typical group-stage game?
Because Morocco isn't a team Brazil can approach with the old assumptions. They've beaten Brazil recently, reached a World Cup semifinal, and they've done it with a coherent identity. That's different from a team that occasionally shows up and competes.
The 1998 result was 3-0. How much does that historical advantage actually matter now?
It matters as context, but not as prediction. Football changes. The players are different, the level of the opposition has risen, and Morocco has learned how to win at this level. The 3-0 is a fact, but it's not a guarantee.
What makes Hakimi and Amrabat so important to Morocco's system?
They're the connective tissue. Hakimi gives them pace and attacking thrust from the back—he's not just defending. Amrabat is the engine, the player who sets the tempo and intensity. Without those two functioning, Morocco loses the rhythm that made them dangerous in Qatar.
Is there a sense that Morocco might be peaking, or are they still ascending?
That's the real question. They've consolidated themselves as a top-tier African team and a genuine international competitor. Whether they can sustain that or build on it depends on how they manage the transition after 2022. But they're not a one-tournament story anymore.
What does Brazil need to do differently than it did in 2023?
They need to respect the intensity without being intimidated by it. Morocco will press, will be organized, will make Brazil work. The 2-1 loss happened when Brazil was in flux. Now they have clarity about who they are. That matters.