Brazil earned a 1-0 win over Paraguay to earn their first win under Carlo Ancelotti which sealed their place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States of America.
Ancelotti was appointed in May to replace Junior Dorival as the team struggled for form which put their chances of qualifying for the tournament in jeopardy.
He recorded a 0-0 draw against Ecuador in his first match in charge, and Vinicius Junior’s only goal handed him his first victory as Brazil’s coach on Wednesday.
The Selecao have now qualified for the World Cup with 25 points from 16 matches while occupying the third position with two matches to play.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior was delighted to play a key role in handing Ancelotti his first win in charge of the team.
He said: “I’m very happy with today’s result. We needed to win at home for our fans too and qualify for the World Cup, which was our goal.
“Now (Ancelotti) will have more time to work, to see what he can improve. Today wasn’t one of our best games, but the important thing in qualifying is to win and prepare well for the World Cup.”
Brazil extended their record as the only team to play in every edition of the World Cup, with the five-times winners set to make their 23rd appearance in next year’s tournament in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Ecuador also qualified for their second straight World Cup by avoiding defeat in Peru, they are currently in second with 25 points.
