Vinicius Junior Doubts Brazil's 'Favorite' Status for 2026 World Cup

The Real Madrid star believes Brazil has work to do to reclaim its place as a top contender.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 12:44am

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Brazilian soccer star Vinicius Junior expressed doubts about his national team's status as a favorite heading into the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Despite Brazil's rich World Cup history, including five titles, Junior believes the team needs to prove itself after a quarterfinal exit in the 2022 tournament. He acknowledged the 'weight of the jersey' but said Brazil 'doesn't want to be favorites' and instead wants to 'put Brazil on top again'.

Why it matters

Brazil is traditionally one of the powerhouses of international soccer, but their last World Cup title came in 2002. Vinicius Junior's comments suggest the team may be facing more questions than answers as they prepare for the 2026 tournament, which will be held across the United States, Mexico, and Canada.

The details

Vinicius Junior, a key member of Brazil's national team, made his comments after a 2-1 loss to France in a friendly match on March 26. Despite his efforts to create chances and draw fouls, Brazil was unable to overcome goals from Kylian Mbappe and Hugo Ekitike. The Brazilians did manage to score a goal from Bremer in the second half, but ultimately fell short in their comeback attempt.

  • Brazil lost 2-1 to France in a friendly match on March 26, 2026.
  • Brazil will play its next friendly against Croatia on March 31, 2026 in Orlando, Florida.

The players

Vinicius Junior

A forward for the Brazilian national team and Spanish club Real Madrid.

Kylian Mbappe

A forward for the French national team.

Hugo Ekitike

A forward for the French national team.

Bremer

A defender who scored Brazil's lone goal in the loss to France.

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What they’re saying

“I believe that [the national team] isn't the favourite based on the results we've had.”

— Vinicius Junior, Brazilian national team player

“But the weight of the jersey, the weight of the players we have here … We're going to do everything to put Brazil on top again. We don't want to be favorites, we want to put Brazil on top.”

— Vinicius Junior, Brazilian national team player

What’s next

Brazil will look to bounce back in their next friendly, remaining in the U.S. They will travel to Orlando, Florida to take on Croatia on March 31 at 8 p.m. ET.

The takeaway

Vinicius Junior's comments suggest Brazil may be facing more questions than answers as they prepare for the 2026 World Cup, despite their rich history of success. The team will need to prove itself on the field and reclaim its status as a top contender if they hope to end their World Cup drought.