Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has expressed confidence that Brazil will defeat Morocco in one of the headline fixtures of the opening round of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, insisting that even the narrowest victory would be enough to satisfy him.
Speaking ahead of Saturday’s Group C clash in New Jersey, Lula backed the Seleção to start their campaign on a winning note against the Atlas Lions, who arrive at the tournament as one of Africa’s strongest contenders.
The Brazilian president made the remarks following a meeting of the Council for Sustainable Economic and Social Development (CDESS) in Brasília, where he was asked about Brazil’s chances at the World Cup.
“Honestly, my prediction is that Brazil will win. I was wrong in 1982 and 1986, but I want Brazil to win,” Lula said.
“If they win by one goal, or even half to zero, that’s already good.”
His comments reflect the optimism surrounding a Brazilian side now under the guidance of Italian coach Carlo Ancelotti, who is aiming to lead the five-time world champions to a record-extending sixth World Cup title.
Brazil enter the tournament with high expectations and will face a significant early test against a Moroccan team that has continued to impress since its historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
The Atlas Lions have established themselves as one of the most respected national teams in world football and are widely viewed as genuine contenders to progress deep into the tournament once again.
The clash between Brazil and Morocco is expected to be one of the standout matches of the opening round and could play a decisive role in determining the outcome of Group C, which also features Scotland and Haiti.
With both teams expected to challenge for top spot in the group, a positive result would provide an important boost ahead of the remaining fixtures.
Although Lula stopped short of predicting a specific scoreline, he made it clear that the result matters more than the performance.
For Brazilian supporters, the objective is simple: begin the World Cup with a victory and take the first step toward another bid for global glory.
