Why Brazil No Longer Feels Like ‘Facing The Lakers Or Yankees’

Following Brazil’s 1-1 draw against Morocco in their 2026 FIFA World Cup Group C opener, FOX Sports analyst Sacha Kljestan was candid about his opinion on the current state of the Seleção, offering a reality check on the historical powerhouse. Speaking on “FIFA World Cup Now,” the former USA midfielder emphasized that the fear and intimidation Brazil used to inflict on opponents has completely evaporated, comparing their former status to the most iconic dynasties in American sports. “There was a time where, if you lined up against Brazil, you looked across the field and saw Ballon d’Or winners,” Kljestan said. “That jersey was, it was scary. It was like facing the Lakers or facing the Yankees. It was like you stepped on the field and you already knew you were a little bit behind. Those days are gone.” A Bold Prediction The 1-1 result in Group C—which featured a 20th-minute opening strike from Morocco’s Ismael Saibari before Real Madrid star Vinícius Júnior equalized just after the half-hour mark—seemed to validate Kljestan’s pre-tournament skepticism. Despite Brazil boasting several individual stars under legendary manager Carlo Ancelotti, Kljestan revealed he expects an early exit from the five-time champions in this tournament. “Before the tournament, we had to do our predictions, and I picked this Brazil team to be a team that drops out early from this tournament,” Kljestan admitted. “I love Carlo Ancelotti as a coach. I agree with [former USA keeper] Brad [Guzan] that this team has a lot of individual talent, but they have not figured out a way to be hard to play against to be good in attack.” The Neymar Question Adding to Brazil’s complications is the health and role of their all-time leading goalscorer, Neymar, who missed the Group C clash due to a calf injury. Kljestan questions how the veteran forward even fits into Ancelotti’s tactical plans moving forward. “I don’t know where Neymar stands in the equation,” Kljestan noted. “Does he come off the bench? Does he make a difference in this world? Too many question marks for me with this Brazil team right now.” With both teams splitting points in a highly anticipated top-10 FIFA Global Ranking matchup, Group C remains entirely up for grabs. Brazil will look to answer Kljestan’s questions and find their attacking stride when they face Haiti, on Friday, June 19.