Vinicius Junior expressed that Brazil does not deserve to be labeled favorites to win the 2026 World Cup and that the team prefers to avoid that expectation.
Brazil has claimed five World Cup titles, a record, but hasn’t won since 2002. Since then, their best finish was fourth in 2014, and they ended up fifth in the 2026 qualifying rounds.
“We are not the favorites based on our past results,” the Real Madrid forward stated ahead of Brazil’s friendly match against France on Thursday. “We aim to approach the World Cup the same way we do friendlies — with calm, patience, and a focus on our preparation.”
Carlo Ancelotti, an Italian coach, became Brazil’s manager in May 2025. Under his leadership, Brazil won two qualifying matches but also faced a defeat against Japan and drew with Tunisia.
Vinicius, who has scored eight goals in 45 games for the national team, previously played for Ancelotti at Madrid. The 25-year-old believes the manager can alleviate some pressure from the team.
“The weight of the jersey and the quality of our players… We’re committed to bringing Brazil back to the top,” Vinicius said. “We don’t want to be favorites; our goal is to elevate Brazil’s status.”
Brazil kicks off its 2026 World Cup campaign against Morocco on June 13 and will also compete against Scotland and Haiti in Group C.
BetMGM lists Brazil with the fourth-shortest odds at +800 to win the World Cup, the same odds as defending champion Argentina, trailing behind Spain (+400), England (+550), and France (+700).