Brazil secured a spot in the World Cup knockout stage with a 3-0 victory over Scotland on Wednesday at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida. Vinícius Júnior scored twice for the five-time champions, while Matheus Cunha added a third goal. The win allowed Brazil to top Group C with seven points, advancing to the Round of 32, where they will face the runner-up from Group F—set to be the Netherlands, Japan, or Sweden—in Houston on Monday.
Vinícius, who has scored in each of Brazil’s group matches, opened the scoring in the seventh minute after a defensive error by Scotland’s Scott McKenna. He doubled the lead just before halftime by converting a header from a Bruno Guimarães cross. His four goals in the tournament place him alongside France’s Kylian Mbappé and Norway’s Erling Haaland, trailing only Lionel Messi who leads with five. Cunha’s third goal, assisted again by Guimarães, extended Brazil’s advantage in the second half.
Neymar made his first appearance of the tournament in the 76th minute after recovering from a right calf injury that kept him out of Brazil’s first two matches. The 34-year-old forward was warmly welcomed by a vociferous majority-Brazilian crowd, who chanted his name as he warmed up and entered the field. Neymar is Brazil’s all-time leading scorer with 79 goals in 130 international appearances and has participated in the previous three World Cups, scoring eight goals in those tournaments.
Scotland, appearing in their first World Cup since 1998, struggled to influence the match and were held without a shot on target in the first half. Their defense was repeatedly tested by Brazil’s quick, skillful attacking play, which included one-touch passing and effective pressing. The Scottish goalkeeper Angus Gunn made a notable save in the second half, but overall, Scotland was unable to break through, finishing the match scoreless. Coach Steve Clarke acknowledged his team gifted Brazil the advantage early on and expressed disappointment with the outcome.
The loss leaves Scotland with three points and a goal difference of minus three, placing their hopes of advancing to the knockout round contingent on their ranking among the best third-placed teams. Supporters, known as the Tartan Army, maintained a spirited atmosphere throughout the tournament, with strong followings in the cities hosting their matches.
Brazil’s coach Carlo Ancelotti praised his team’s performance, emphasizing the improved and more complete play compared to previous games. He highlighted Neymar’s return as a positive development for the squad moving forward. With their defensive solidity intact, Brazil aims to build on this momentum as the competition progresses.