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Imagn Images/Jeenah Moon

EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ —Brazil got a splash of cold water to the face as it began the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a sputtering 1-1 draw against Morocco on Saturday evening.

The Selecao have won more World Cup titles than any nation in football history, lifting the famous trophy five times. As a result, they are always expected to contend for the title whenever the tournament begins.

Yet they were humbled at MetLife Stadium to begin Group C play, as Morocco routinely caused havoc in Brazil's midfield, forcing turnovers and stifling attacking moves throughout the match. Carlo Ancelotti will feel fortunate to come away with a point, as Morocco was the better side for much of the contest.

One major issue for Brazil was its lack of attacking threat. Striker Igor Thiago was largely ineffective up front, allowing Morocco to sag off the Brentford forward and focus on Vinicius Jr., who scored a goal but was otherwise largely ineffective when taking on defenders.

With that in mind, Brazil's fan base and media have already begun to question Ancelotti's methods, wondering why young spark plug Endrick was not given an opportunity instead.

The Sporting News examines what happened with Igor Thiago in Brazil's opener and why Endrick was not brought on as Brazil began its World Cup campaign with a disappointing result.

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Why did Igor Thiago start for Brazil?

The 24-year-old Brentford striker is coming off a sensational Premier League season in which he scored 22 goals in 38 matches.

Thiago's haul saw him finish second in the Golden Boot race, trailing three-time winner Erling Haaland, who scored 27 goals.

That form led Carlo Ancelotti to start Thiago at the top of a 4-4-2 alongside Vinicius Jr., with the latter given the freedom to roam out wide while the former stayed at the head of the attack.

MORE: Player ratings for Brazil in draw with Morocco as Igor Thiago and Lucas Paqueta struggle

How well did Igor Thiago play vs. Morocco?

To put it plainly, Igor Thiago was a disaster against Morocco, ruining just about every attacking move he was involved in.

Time and again, Thiago either found himself on the ball in dangerous shooting positions and squandered the opportunity, or he tried to get involved in the buildup play and flubbed it, giving the ball away.

The 24-year-old had a paltry 16 touches in 65 minutes, completing five passes and taking two shots. At one point, he tried to let the ball run through his legs as a dummy for a teammate, only to see it roll straight to a Morocco defender instead.

His finishing was a mess, as his two shots carried a significant 0.59 xG value but produced just 0.15 xGOT. He missed the target with an open header in the 14th minute and then fired a weak effort straight at the goalkeeper in the 52nd minute.

Eventually, he was withdrawn and replaced by Matheus Cunha, who provided more energy and skill as the game wound down.

MORE WORLD CUP NEWS:

What did Carlo Ancelotti say about decision to start Igor Thiago?

Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti in his post-match press conference was asked why he decided to start Igor Thiago up front against Morocco, and also why he did not decide to give young striker Endrick a chance to play in the match.

Ancelotti deflected the question entirely, saying, "I am not here to speak about individuals, only the team."

The Italian went on to say that the team improved in the second half, but not well enough to get a result.

Why didn't Endrick play for Brazil against Morocco?

With Igor Thiago struggling throughout his hour of time on the pitch, calls for the introduction of Endrick have grown louder. Former Brazil international Felipe Melo, for example, spoke on SporTV show Selecao Copa after the match to say he was confused why Endrick didn't see the field.

It's unclear why 19-year-old forward Endrick did not see the field against Morocco, but the likely answer is that there are too many players ahead of him on the depth chart right now.

With Igor Thiago starting the match and struggling, Carlo Ancelotti decided to call upon Matheus Cunha off the bench to give the team better link-up play, and that decision largely worked, although not to the level where it saw Brazil score a goal while he was on the field.

Endrick is coming off a season at Marseille where he impressed, scoring five goals and assisting seven more after being loaned out by Real Madrid. 

Kyle Bonn

Kyle Bonn is a Syracuse University broadcast journalism graduate with over a decade of experience covering soccer globally. Kyle specializes in soccer tactics and betting, with a degree in data analytics. Kyle also does TV broadcasts for Wake Forest soccer, and has had previous stops with NBC Soccer and IMG College. When not covering the game, he has long enjoyed loyalty to the New York Giants, Yankees, and Fulham. Kyle enjoys playing racquetball and video games when not watching or covering sports.

Source: Sporting News