Vinícius Has Brazil Believing Again

It is impossible for Brazil, the most iconic team in the world’s biggest sporting event, to have anything resembling a quiet tournament, but the Seleção managed to float through the first two matches of this World Cup a little under the radar. Part of that is because it takes a lot to stand out in a 48-team tournament, but the other part has to do with meeting lowered expectations and little more.

Brazil drew its first match 1-1 against a very good Moroccan side, then beat up on Haiti 3-0 in the second. Even heading into Wednesday’s Scotland match, the intrigue around Brazil was less about how it would perform on the field and more on whether Neymar, finally healthy enough to play, would get a late cameo appearance. (He did.) Because of that, it has maybe slipped the collective awareness that Vinícius now has four goals and has been Brazil’s best weapon, at long last fully and vibrantly realizing his massive talent in a national team jersey.