The Maracana witnessed a Brazilian masterclass on Sunday evening as the Seleção dismantled Panama 6-2 in a crucial World Cup tune-up. While the scoreline suggests a one-sided affair, the match revealed both the immense talent at Carlo Ancelotti’s disposal and the lingering questions about his best starting eleven. With star man Neymar confined to a spectator role, Vinicius Jr stepped up to orchestrate an attack that eventually overwhelmed the Central Americans.
Neymar, who injured his calf during a domestic clash between Santos and Coritiba on May 17, was not expected to feature. Yet the 34-year-old icon still managed to dominate the narrative. Sporting a backward cap and casual sneakers, he energised the 72,000-strong crowd, receiving rapturous applause every time he appeared on the giant screens. His presence—even from the stands—reconnected the squad with a fanbase desperate for success after recent international disappointments.
Ancelotti opted for a 4-2-3-1 shape, deploying an eye-catching attacking quartet of Luiz Henrique, Raphinha, Vinicius Jr and Matheus Cunha. Surprisingly, this star-studded front line struggled to find cohesion. Brazil’s movements were often sluggish, and Panama exploited the disjointed pressing to create danger on the counter.
It took just two minutes for Vinicius to make his mark. The Real Madrid forward ghosted past his marker and fired a clinical low finish into the corner. However, Panama responded in the 14th minute via a stroke of fortune. Former Marseille defender Amir Murillo struck a free-kick that took a wicked deflection off Cunha, wrong-footing Alisson and nestling into the net for an unexpected equaliser.
As the half wore on, Vinicius shifted gears. His incisive cross in the 39th minute found captain Casemiro, who powered a header home to restore the lead. The goal underlined Vinicius’s growing influence under Ancelotti. In nine appearances with the Italian at the helm, he has contributed three goals and three assists—a sharper output than under previous coaches Tite or Dorival, where he often struggled to replicate his club form.
After the break, Ancelotti demonstrated the depth of his squad by making ten changes. The fresh legs injected urgency and flair. Rayan, a product of Brazil’s youth pipeline, lobbed the goalkeeper exquisitely in the 53rd minute to make it 3-1. Lucas Paqueta added a fourth on the hour mark, sweeping home after a slick team move. Igor Thiago converted a penalty in the 63rd minute, and veteran full-back Danilo capped the rout with a late strike.
Endrick, the prodigious teenager, showed glimpses of his raw talent but appeared unsettled in the final third, missing several clear-cut chances. His eagerness to impress was evident, but decision-making remains a work in progress. Ancelotti will hope the experience sharpens the youngster’s instincts ahead of the summer showpiece.
Speaking after the match, Ancelotti praised the collective effort. “They showed real quality and proved they can compete with the starters,” he remarked. “It was a magnificent evening that gave us a great boost of confidence.” The coach’s experiments clearly paid dividends, raising pleasant selection dilemmas as the World Cup nears.
Brazil now head to the United States to finalise preparations. A friendly against Egypt awaits on June 6 in Cleveland, followed by the teams’ World Cup opener versus Morocco on June 13 in New Jersey. The performances against Panama suggest Ancelotti has multiple tactical options, but the identity of his preferred spine remains unresolved.
Vinicius Jr is emerging as the undisputed talisman of this new-look Brazil. His ability to shoulder creative responsibility in Neymar’s absence silences doubters and forces opponents to recalibrate their defensive plans. If the squad can blend its youthful vibrancy with the experience of veterans like Casemiro and Alisson, a deep tournament run looks plausible.
For Panama, the defeat serves as a harsh reality check. Drawn in a group with England, Croatia, and Ghana, their path to the knockout stage appears daunting. Defensive lapses and an over-reliance on physicality were ruthlessly exposed. They must regroup quickly to avoid early elimination.
Based on reporting from L'Equipe.
