Whenever Brazil is mentioned in connection with the World Cup, one immediately thinks of spectacle, world-class players, and, of course, multiple championships. The Seleção has won the World Cup five times, making Brazil the record champion. In 2026, the team is expected to be the favorite in its group once again. In Group C, they will face Morocco, Scotland, and Haiti.
Nevertheless, Dominik Stolz, who has been involved in Luxembourgish football for years and is part of Stater Racing, no longer considers Brazil to be at the same level seen a few generations ago. "My prediction is that Brazil will win the group. I think Scotland and Morocco will then have a close battle for second place. I see Haiti as the clear underdogs in this group. I think it's highly likely they'll be eliminated after the group stage", said Stolz, the German striker who scored 8 goals and provided 3 assists in the BGL League this year.
As always, expectations for Brazil are very high. The squad is once again stacked with talent this year, including players like Vinicius Junior, Raphinha, Marquinhos, Bruno Guimarães, and Neymar. However, this Seleção is not quite the same force as in previous eras. The dazzling brilliance that defined earlier generations is less evident today.
This is partly because it's no longer possible to fill every position with world-class players. Dominik Stolz sees this as the main difference between previous Brazilian teams and the current one. "In my opinion, Brazil is not currently one of the top favorites. The team doesn't have as many world-class players compared to past generations. If Brazil were to play Germany during the tournament, I would see Germany as the clear favorite.“
The statement will probably not sit well with many Brazilian fans, but signals the sentiment that Brazil won't be the clear favorite heading into the 2026 World Cup.
There is growing concern within the Brazilian national team about Neymar's condition. There is a risk that the Brazilian superstar will not be fit in time for the start of the World Cup, meaning he will likely miss the first few matches.
At a press conference in early June, coach Carlo Ancelotti indicated that there was no rush to include Neymar in the starting lineup. A statement that suggests Neymar will likely play an unexpected role in this year's World Cup. For years, the superstar was the number one player and the face of the Brazilian national team. However, after his long absence due to recurring injuries, he will have to reluctantly accept the role of backup player.
Dominik Stolz agrees, believing that Neymar is no longer the player around whom the Brazilian team should be built: "In my opinion, Neymar currently lacks leadership skills. I see players like Raphinha and Marquinhos taking on that responsibility. However, you can't forget that Neymar has the ability to make a game-changing impact with a single play."
An exciting duel for second place in Group C is likely to develop between Morocco and Scotland.
The Moroccans are entering the tournament with a spring in their step. The Atlas Lions won the last Africa Cup of Nations after Senegal was disqualified for leaving the field in protest of a disputed late penalty. They also made football history at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar by becoming the first African team to reach the semifinals.
This should give them momentum for the rest of the year. Many experts believe that Morocco is once again a team that cannot be underestimated.
The squad is internationally experienced with players like Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat, and Yassine Bounou. On top of that, it also has many young players who are willing to give their all on the pitch.
Dominik Stolz, however, feels that Morocco might have been a one-hit wonder: "Morocco has a good team that plays hard football. I don't think they will advance far in this World Cup, though. In my opinion, Senegal is the strongest African team. For Group C, however, I expect Morocco to finish second and advance to the knockout stages."
Therefore, the match against Scotland could become one of the most important moments for Morocco in this group. They are not the favorites against Brazil and must win against Haiti. The match against Scotland could determine just how good their starting position is for the knockout stage.
This World Cup is already something special for Scotland. It had been 28 years since the Tartan Army last qualified for a World Cup.
After being eliminated at the group stage of the 1998 World Cup, expectations are considerably higher this time around, and the latest results have done the Scots proud.
Shortly before the tournament began, Steve Clarke's team boosted their morale and caught the attention of audiences everywhere with a 4-0 victory over Bolivia.
With players such as Andy Robertson, Scott McTominay and John McGinn, Scotland has the quality and experience to put pressure on Morocco. The big question is whether this will be enough to finally see them through to the knock-out stages of a World Cup. After all, Scotland has never progressed beyond the first round.
For Haiti, simply participating is a huge success in itself. This is the Caribbean nation's first appearance at the World Cup since 1974. However, Les Grenadiers' road to the World Cup was anything but easy. Due to the unstable situation in the country and the violence in Port-au-Prince, Haiti were unable to play their home qualifier matches at their own stadium, and instead had to play them on neutral ground in other countries.
From a sporting perspective, Dominik Stolz clearly believes that Haiti is significantly behind the other three teams. "For me, Haiti is the clear outsider in this group and, in my opinion, they have hardly any chance of progressing. In fact, I think it's possible that the team could finish the group stage without earning a single point."
For Haiti, who have little to lose, it will be all about putting on a good performance and capitalizing on any mistakes made by the other three teams. On paper, however, this seems an immensely difficult task.
Taking a closer look at the squad makes it clear why Haiti is seen as the underdogs in this group. While they have some international experience, with players based in Europe and North America, they lack the big names and overall depth that Brazil, Morocco and Scotland have.
According to Stolz, Group C therefore has a clear starting position: Brazil is the group favourite. Morocco and Scotland are competing for second place, while Haiti are the underdogs. Nevertheless, there is still tension in this group.
Brazil must live up to the high expectations; Morocco want to prove that their 2022 semi-final appearance wasn't mere luck; Scotland wants to make an impact after a 28-year absence; and Haiti want to cause an upset and disrupt the big teams' title race.
