Brazil have finally come to life at the 2026 World Cup after their opening draw vs Morocco and it can be traced back to one man, Vinicius Junior.

When Brazil arrived at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, there were plenty of questions surrounding who would carry the responsibility of leading the Seleção into a new era.

Neymar was returning from injury, several younger players were still finding their feet on the international stage, and Brazil needed someone capable of taking over matches when it mattered most.

Vinicius Junior has answered every one of those questions.

Across the group stage, the Real Madrid forward has established himself as Brazil’s most influential player. Whether through goals, direct attacking runs, chance creation or simply forcing defenders into mistakes, Vinicius has become the focal point of everything Brazil do in attack.

Every dangerous move seems to involve him, and opponents have struggled to contain his pace, movement and confidence.

His performance against Scotland perfectly summed up his tournament so far. He punished a defensive mistake to open the scoring before adding a second goal just before half-time with intelligent movement inside the penalty area.

Beyond the goals, he constantly stretched Scotland’s defence, creating space for teammates and ensuring Brazil remained on the front foot throughout the match.

It has not simply been about finishing chances.

Vinicius has contributed to Brazil’s overall attacking rhythm in every group game. His willingness to run directly at defenders forces teams to retreat, creating opportunities for midfield runners and overlapping full-backs.

Brazilian players to score in all three of their group games at a World Cup tournament:

◎ Jairzinho (1970)
◎ Romario (1994)
◎ Ronaldo (2002)
◎ Rivaldo (2002)
◉ Vinicius Junior (2026)🆕

They went on to lift the trophy in each of the previous three times…👀 pic.twitter.com/MepPdGNdGh

— Squawka (@Squawka) June 24, 2026

Even when he is not scoring, he is often the player initiating the attacks that eventually lead to goals.

The knockout rounds often demand players capable of producing decisive moments against organised defences. Vinicius has repeatedly shown at club level that he thrives on those occasions, particularly in the UEFA Champions League, and he now appears ready to deliver similar performances on football’s biggest international stage.

Vinicius keeps stepping up for Brazil 💫 pic.twitter.com/htGtYt6A6Y

— B/R Football (@brfootball) June 24, 2026

His confidence continues to grow with every match, making him an even greater threat as Brazil’s World Cup journey progresses.

If Brazil are to lift a sixth World Cup trophy this summer, Vinicius Junior will almost certainly be at the centre of that success.

So far, he has been their biggest attacking weapon, their most consistent performer and the player opponents fear the most.