Taquaritinga · Paulista - A4 · Midfielder · #0 · Brazil · 21 yrs
Lille midfielder excelled against Brazil but it was no surprise to his national coach after a key role in convincing him to turn down France’s overturesThe name Ayyoub Bouaddi was on everyone’s lips after Brazil’s draw against Morocco on Saturday night. Even the army of concerned South American journalists firing questions at Vinícius Júnior at the MetLife Stadium had to acknowledge that the Real Madrid forward had been fortunate to be named as man of the match despite scoring a superb equaliser to rescue a point for Carlo Ancelotti’s side in their opening game.Instead it was the imposing figure with a distinctive mop of hair in Morocco’s central midfield who stole the show in his first competitive international. Bouaddi managed the most touches (88), won the most duels (11) and completed the most successful passes in the opposition’s half (30), finishing with a passing success rate of 93% as he dominated Casemiro – a player almost twice his age and with a vastly different career trajectory. Continue reading...
Vinicius Junior scored an equalizing goal in the 32nd minute, giving five-time champion Brazil a 1-1 draw against Morocco on Saturday in a pulsating, high-profile group match at the World Cup in East Rutherford, N.J.
Vinicius Jr.’s performances for Brazil have often been compared to the extraordinary standards he sets at Real Madrid, but one of the country’s greatest footballers believes the winger is more tha...
After a season that fell below expectations, Florentino Perez has begun outlining his vision for the future of Real Madrid, promising significant reinforcements and a new chapter for the club.The Real...
Amid the rumors surrounding his injury, Neymar Jr. has been reaffirmed by Carlo Ancelotti for the 2026 World Cup. However, Brazil’s head coach has made it clear that the veteran star will have to compete with Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha for a place in the starting lineup. After rediscovering his form at Santos FC, Neymar Jr. has been called back by Carlo Ancelotti for the 2026 World Cup. Despite this, his presence at the tournament appeared to be in doubt due to a calf injury. In response, Brazil’s head coach has decided to reaffirm the 34-year-old star’s place in the squad. However, he has revealed that the veteran forward will have to compete with Vinícius Jr. and Raphinha for a spot in the starting lineup. “Neymar Jr. has to play in the position that suits him best. It’s through the middle; he can’t play out wide… He won’t play as a winger, but rather through the center of the pitch, either as a striker or an attacking midfielder. That’s the position where Vinícius Júnior and Raphinha played today. He would play in one of those positions,” Carlo Ancelotti said in the latest press conference. Heading into the 2026 World Cup, Ancelotti appears determined to rely on a lineup featuring Vinícius and Raphinha behind the two strikers. Rather than using them as traditional wingers staying close to the touchline, both players seem set to have greater involvement in the team’s central play, complicating Neymar’s chances. Not being a player particularly known for his pace or high pressing, the 34-year-old star appears destined for a fairly secondary role. Not only would he have to compete with Vinícius and Raphinha, but also with Endrick and Rayan. As two highly promising young talents, they have shown the ability to provide Brazil with a different dimension, adding pace and explosiveness to the team’s play. Against defensive opponents such as Haiti or Scotland, Carlo Ancelotti could prefer players capable of breaking lines with their speed, potentially leaving Neymar without a place in the rotation. Neymar Jr. of Brazil celebrates after scoring the fifth goal of his team during a FIFA World Cup 2026 Qualifier. Neymar Jr. faces a race against time for the 2026 World Cup Neymar regained his physical consistency at Santos, becoming a regular presence in the team despite ongoing load management. However, he was diagnosed with a Grade 2 calf injury upon arriving at Brazil’s camp. While Ancelotti decided not to rule him out of the 2026 World Cup, he still faces significant uncertainty regarding his recovery. With only a few weeks remaining before the tournament begins, he appears likely to miss the opening match against Morocco. Despite his possible absence from the national team’s opener, he could still feature during the group stage. In the most optimistic scenarios, the 34-year-old star would be fit in time to face Haiti in the second match. However, more pessimistic projections suggest he may only recover in time to play against Scotland, and only for a limited number of minutes. As a result, Neymar appears to be in a race against time. In case Brazil advance to the knockout stages, Neymar could take on a much more prominent role. While he no longer possesses the pace of players such as Vinícius Júnior or Raphinha, he could provide a significant creative boost, unlocking difficult matches through key passes and his collective vision of the game. However, that will depend entirely on his recovery, which will need to be highly effective.
