The game has not yet reached the first hydration break. Brazil have already enjoyed the gift of early goals. In the 22nd minute, opener Vinicius scored the second goal for Brazil after breaking past Scottish defender Jack Hendry. The Scot looked crestfallen but ready to press on. Vinicius celebrated with his teammates in his trademark style, but VAR stepped in and found Hendry had committed a foul on the ball – the softest of touches and clearly hampering the defender.Real Madrid’s Vinicius could explode with such a decision and invite a card. But on Wednesday, the 25-year-old had only a mild reaction. He set himself up for the next game, scoring again but missing a few chances as Brazil moved into the last 32 as Group C toppers ahead of Morocco. While Vinicius deserves credit for scoring four goals in three games and becoming the fifth Brazilian to score in all three group games, it was his composure that stood out. This is where “Mr.” Carlo Ancelotti comes into the picture.If the Italian gentleman has made the Brazilian look like an incarnation of the Selecao’s colors since taking charge, it was Ancelotti who helped Vinicius turn a new page in his Real Madrid career in 2021, when the Italian returns to the Spanish giants for a second time.Vinicius has endured a poor season under the outgoing Zidane, often becoming second choice behind Hazard whenever the Belgian is fit. Rodrigo, another Brazilian on the team, is also more popular with Zidane. But Ancelotti took it upon himself to give the ill-tempered Vinicius his first winning project in his final tenure at the club.The winger, who can hold his own against the best with his pace – but who until then had looked listless in the opposition penalty area – finally found his feet. The coach instilled confidence in Vinicius, treated him with care and made a key tactical adjustment: preventing him from touching the ball too many times before shooting or finishing in the box. The player who had scored 15 goals in the previous three seasons scored 22 goals in Ancelotti’s first year, including the Champions League winning goal. Add in assists, and Real Madrid have a star that can no longer be ignored.A relationship has been established; mutual trust has been established. Even if Real Madrid struggles in 2024-25, Vinicius and Kylian Mbappe Ancelotti was often criticized for not putting in enough defensive work, but he never threw him under the bus. During a heated La Liga match, Ancelotti was heard telling the Brazilian: “If you don’t run, I’ll take your place.” But once in the press room, facing a hungry Madrid press, there wasn’t a word against Vinicius.The tactician knew then that he would take over the job in Brazil and there was no way he would lose his main weapon. Two men separated by 42 years have been together through thick and thin. The older one looks at the younger one with maturity. That helped Brazil weather the choppy waters of the World Cup group stage after a disastrous qualifying campaign that saw them finish fifth.“‘Sir’ knows how to handle situations and has the ability to understand the formations needed for the teams he manages. He can also keep the locker room happy and keep the team’s morale up. Vinicius praised Ancelotti in the mixed zone on Wednesday.While a 3-0 win was nice and Matheus Cunha put the finishing touches, it was the pent-up excitement of Vinicius and his teammates that was encouraging. They know this is just a small step in a bloated 48-team World Cup where the first real challenge still awaits.Vinicius did a good job, but he squandered clear chances on Wednesday that could hurt Brazil in a pinch. To his credit, he puts in the extra effort, from pressing defenders to tracking back when necessary, but Brazil expects the final output to be sharper, especially with his xG of 3.2.Raphinha’s fitness is unclear and with Neymar returning in national team colors after 981 days, Cunha looks sharp. The midfield of Casemiro, Lucas Paqueta and Bruno Guimarães is not elite, and right-back Danilo has long since left European shores.From what we’ve seen of Brazil so far, they’re no better than France, Spain, Argentina or the Netherlands. But Ancelotti knows how to get the best out of his team when they are not playing their absolute best.If a tactician must turn club success into World Cup glory, Vinicius must become AC Milan’s Kaka, Chelsea’s Didier Drogba, Real Madrid’s Cristiano Ronaldo, or become Real Madrid’s Vinicius again. Can “Sir” lead his son to the gold standard of greatness? Brazil is waiting to find out.
