Brazil do not want the ‘favourites’ tag as they get ready to kick off their 2026 World Cup campaign against a strong Moroccan side.

Answering a question about the status of Brazil, as other teams such as France and current champions Argentina are seen as better prepared, Brazil goalkeeper Alisson Becker said being among the favourites “is no guarantee for anybody” and adds pressure on the team.

“What really matters is the condition you are at the first game. We are ready,” he said.

The record five-time winners arrive in North America under Carlo Ancelotti, whose World Cup debut as a coach comes a little over a year after he left Real Madrid following a glittering haul of European titles to take on one of football’s most demanding rescue missions.

Brazil have endured three turbulent years, four managers and a series of disappointments, while Neymar’s long decline from untouchable talisman to fitness gamble has added uncertainty.

The Group C opener will test Brazil’s ability to cope with a lengthy injury list. Ancelotti has lost Rodrygo, Estevao, Eder Militao and Wesley, all potential starters, while Neymar has been ruled out of the Morocco match as he continues to recover from a calf injury. When he may return, and in what condition, remains uncertain.

Ancelotti will lean heavily on Vinicius Jr, whom he helped develop at Real Madrid into one of the game’s most devastating attackers.

Morocco were the great disruptors of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, knocking out Spain and Portugal before losing to France in the semi-finals. Built around a generation of players shaped in the academies and leagues of Spain and France, they return with enough quality to make Brazil’s opening night uncomfortable. However, they also arrive with turbulence of their own.

With inputs from Reuters