Vinicius Jr’s two-goal masterclass against Paraguay on Friday night sent the Maracana into delirium and Brazil to the brink of the World Cup 2026 knockout rounds. Yet behind the samba scenes and the Real Madrid forward’s coronation as the tournament’s early breakout star, a more uncomfortable question is forming inside Dorival Junior’s camp: has individual brilliance once again disguised a team still searching for its identity?
The 25-year-old’s 23rd and 67th-minute strikes were the kind of moments that bend matches to one player’s will — a curling left-footed finish from the edge of the area, then a darting run finished with the outside of the boot. Brazil won 3-1. The headlines wrote themselves. But Paraguay, ranked 53rd in the world, had 14 shots, completed 81% of their passes in Brazil’s defensive third in the first half, and twice carved through Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhaes with depressing ease. Only Alisson’s reflexes kept the score respectable before Vinicius intervened.
The midfield void nobody is talking about
For all the noise around Brazil’s attacking riches, the engine room remains the most unresolved area of Dorival’s project. Bruno Guimaraes and Joao Gomes were overrun for long spells against Paraguay’s compact 4-4-2, conceding territory each time the Albirroja pressed in coordinated triggers. Andreas Pereira, deployed as a deeper playmaker, completed just 71% of his passes and was withdrawn at half-time.
Compare that with the platforms Brazil’s previous golden generations enjoyed. Dunga’s 1994 World Cup winners had Mauro Silva shielding the back four. The 2002 side relied on Gilberto Silva’s relentless discipline. Even the much-criticised 2014 hosts had Luiz Gustavo to do the unglamorous work. This 2026 vintage has talent in every line — but in midfield, no one currently looks like the answer.
- Casemiro, 33, was an unused substitute, with Dorival hinting that the Manchester United man is being managed for the latter rounds.
- Lucas Paqueta returned from suspension but started on the bench, the manager preferring positional balance over creative spark.
- Joao Gomes, the breakout star of Wolves’ Premier League season, has Premier League legs but lacks the international rhythm to dictate tempo.
The result is a side that defends in transition rather than as a unit, and which leans on Vinicius — and increasingly the 18-year-old Endrick — to win games that should be controlled.
Defensive question marks at the worst possible time
Marquinhos remains a world-class centre-back, but at 32 he is no longer the recovery defender he was in Russia. Gabriel Magalhaes, his Arsenal-honed partner, is in the form of his life domestically — yet the pair have only started seven matches together for the Selecao. Their understanding showed: twice in the first half, Paraguay’s Miguel Almiron exploited the gap between them, and only an offside flag spared Brazil a deeper deficit before Vinicius’s intervention.
The full-back positions tell a similar story. Vanderson, Dorival’s preferred right-back, has played fewer than 30 senior international minutes before this tournament. Wendell, the left-back, is 31 and was beaten three times for pace by Paraguay’s Julio Enciso. Brazil have conceded in every one of their four games in 2026, including warm-ups — a statistic that would have been unthinkable a decade ago and which Dorival privately acknowledges must be addressed before the round of 16.
Vinicius and the curse of the saviour
None of this is to diminish Vinicius. He is, on current form, the best left-sided forward on the planet, and his haul of three goals and two assists in two group games has already drawn comparisons with Ronaldo’s 2002 campaign. He is shouldering an extraordinary creative and goalscoring burden — 47% of Brazil’s shots have either been taken or directly assisted by him.
But history suggests this is not a sustainable foundation. Argentina in 2018 leaned almost entirely on Lionel Messi and went home in the last 16. Portugal at Euro 2016 won the tournament only when Cristiano Ronaldo went off injured in the final and the collective stepped up. Even Brazil’s own 2002 success was built on Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho sharing the load — not one star carrying ten passengers.
Vinicius himself struck a cautious note in his post-match interview. “We won, and that’s what matters, but we know we can play much better. Against the better teams, we will need everyone.” It was a polite version of what several Brazilian pundits have said more bluntly this week.
What it means going forward
Brazil are top of Group D with six points and will almost certainly progress as group winners. The draw could yet hand them a kind path through the round of 16. But the contenders on the other side of the bracket — France, Spain, England, Argentina — will not allow the kind of midfield space Paraguay surrendered. They will press Marquinhos and Gabriel into the kinds of mistakes that one Vinicius moment cannot always rescue.
Dorival has three weeks and potentially four matches to find solutions. A reintegrated Casemiro, a starting Paqueta, and a settled defensive pairing would transform the calculation. Without them, Brazil risk being remembered as the team Vinicius almost dragged to a sixth star — rather than the side that finally ended a 24-year wait. Brilliance has bought them time. It has not yet bought them the trophy.
Ahmad Ali is Sports Editor at SportsPortal.net.
Sports journalist and editor at SportsPortal.net. Covers cricket, football, Formula 1, tennis, and basketball with a focus on how global sports connect with Pakistani audiences. Follows the PSL, Pakistan national cricket team, Premier League, and major international tournaments. Has reported on sports for digital audiences since 2021.
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