For Brazil, every FIFA World Cup campaign carries the same expectation: nothing short of lifting the trophy.
As the five-time world champions prepare to face Morocco in a blockbuster Group C encounter at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Sunday, the stakes extend far beyond three points.
The match represents an early opportunity for A Seleção to demonstrate that they are ready to end a 24-year wait for a sixth world title.
Brazil have not won the FIFA World Cup since their triumph in 2002, an unusually long drought for international football's most successful nation.
Since then, they have endured a series of painful disappointments — from the infamous 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany on home soil in 2014 to quarter-final exits in each of the last two editions.
Determined to restore Brazil to the summit of world football, the Brazilian Football Confederation turned to one of the game's most decorated coaches, appointing Carlo Ancelotti to lead the latest title charge.
The Italian tactician arrived with a reputation forged through success across Europe's elite clubs and now faces the challenge of guiding a football-mad nation desperate for World Cup glory.
Ancelotti has inherited a squad blessed with attacking talent but still searching for the balance required to conquer football's biggest stage.
Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior has emerged as the face of Brazil's new generation, while Barcelona winger Raphinha adds creativity and dynamism in the final third.
Brazil's attacking quality has rarely been questioned. Their ability to overwhelm opponents with pace, flair and technical brilliance remains intact. However, concerns persist regarding their defensive solidity, with recent performances exposing occasional vulnerabilities against well-organised opponents.
Those concerns have been compounded by the injury absence of right-back Wesley, forcing Ancelotti into defensive adjustments ahead of what is expected to be Brazil's toughest group-stage examination.
Standing opposite them will be a Morocco side that has become one of international football's most respected competitors. The reigning African champions continue to build on the confidence generated by their historic run to the FIFA World Cup semi-finals four years ago — the furthest any African nation has progressed in the tournament.
Under head coach Mohamed Ouahbi, Morocco have preserved the disciplined defensive structure that has become their trademark. The Atlas Lions are expected to frustrate Brazil with a compact setup before exploiting opportunities through swift counter-attacks.
Captain Achraf Hakimi remains Morocco's talisman, with the attacking full-back capable of influencing both ends of the pitch. Although the absence of injured centre-back Nayef Aguerd is a setback, Morocco have repeatedly demonstrated an ability to compete with the world's elite.
They also possess recent evidence that Brazil can be beaten. Morocco secured a memorable 2-1 victory over the South Americans in a friendly in March 2023, ending a long winless sequence against CONMEBOL opposition and reinforcing their emergence as a genuine force in international football.
With only one place separating the two teams in the latest FIFA rankings, Sunday's contest is widely viewed as the defining fixture in Group C and could ultimately determine who advances as group winners.
For Brazil, it is a chance to send an early message that their long quest for a sixth World Cup crown could finally be nearing its end. For Morocco, it offers another opportunity to prove that their rise among football's elite is built on consistency rather than surprise.
Brazil's celebrated attacking flair against Morocco's disciplined resilience promises a compelling battle — and one of the standout matches of the opening phase of FIFA World Cup 2026.
