Five-time champions Brazil and ambitious Morocco played out an entertaining 1-1 draw in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group C opener at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.
The Atlas Lions took a surprise lead in the 21st minute when Ismael Saibari lobbed Alisson with a clever finish following a superb through ball from Brahim Diaz.
Brazil and Morocco share points in star-studded FIFA World Cup opener
Morocco looked sharp and confident early on, controlling much of the first-half tempo. Brazil, however, hit back swiftly. Just 11 minutes later, Vinícius Júnior produced a moment of magic, cutting inside and curling a beautiful strike into the top corner to level the scores.
The beautiful finish by the Real Madrid star even stunned American rapper Travis Scott. Despite plenty of attacking talent on show from both sides and several late chances, neither team could find a winning goal in the second half, which went goalless.
The match ended honours even in a high-quality contest that lived up to its billing. The result leaves Group C wide open as both teams take one point each from their first outing of the tournament.
The match was an attraction point for several high-profile celebrities, with footballers like Zinedine Zidane, Kaka, Ronaldo Nazario, and Roberto Carlos in the stands. It also saw seven-time Super Bowl champions and NFL legend Tom Brady cheering for Brazil in a jersey with his daughter.