Vinicius shoots twice and Neymar returns as Brazil easily with Scotland | World Cup 2026 news

Brazil beat Scotland with Vinicius Jr scoring the first two goals, and Neymar returning, to go top of their World Cup squad.

Brazil advanced to the World Cup as Vinicius Junior scored twice a 3-0 win in Scotland in their final Group C match, where ⁠Neymar made his first appearance in a Brazilian shirt in three years.

Wednesday’s victory came at a full house at Miami Stadium, where 64,478 fans watched Carlo Ancelotti’s side top the group with seven points, while Morocco finished second with a 4-2 victory over Haiti.

Vinicius has scored in every game so far, and the 25-year-old has four goals in the competition to find himself in elite company, the same as Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, and just one goal behind Lionel Messi.

Scotland boss Stephen Clark said he expected Brazil to attack from the start, and the South Americans needed seven minutes to go 1-0 up when Scott McKenna failed to clear the ball, allowing Rayan to score and find the unmarked Vinicius.

With goalkeeper Angus Gunn struggling to stop him, the Real Madrid forward took only one touch to move the ball away and slot it into an empty net as the yellow fans erupted.

Brazil almost made it 2-0 before the first break, Vinicius shot past Jack Hendry to score, but Scotland hit back after a VAR check, and his goal was disallowed by the referee for a foul on the Brazilian.

That was the theme in the first half, as Brazil struggled to win possession, while Scotland failed to capitalize on a set piece – the only time they had a chance to score – as they finished the half without a shot.

Brazil’s second goal was a threat to Scotland’s hearts on the stroke of half-time, when they won the ball again at the top of the box and Bruno ⁠Guimaraes crossed the ball to the far post, where a grateful Vinicius fired home a second.

In the second half, Brazil pressed for a third goal, and it came with another midfield move as Guimaraes grabbed his second assist, dancing in the box before setting up Matheus Cunha for his third goal of the tournament.

But the biggest cheer of the night was reserved for Neymar, as Ancelotti brought on the 34-year-old for his first appearance in a Brazil shirt since October 2023.

Scotland had little to show in the fightback, and Alisson remained a rock in goal, denying them a chance to finish in the dying minutes as Brazil kept a clean sheet.