Brazil’s Woes Deepen with 1-0 Loss to Paraguay in World Cup Qualifiers
Brazil’s World Cup qualifying campaign for 2026 hit another rough patch with a narrow 1-0 loss to Paraguay, adding to growing concerns about the Selecao’s form. Despite fielding a star-studded Real Madrid attacking trio—Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo, and rising talent Endrick—Brazil couldn’t find the back of the net, continuing their offensive woes.
Brazil, typically dominant in World Cup qualifiers, has lost just five times in 71 matches between 2003 and 2022. But this time around, they’ve already dropped four out of their eight qualifying games, a shocking stat for a team of their caliber. Their struggles up front are glaring, having scored more than one goal just once in their last seven matches and only three times in their previous 15 outings.
For a squad packed with some of the world’s finest attacking talent, this goal drought is troubling. Vinicius Jr., one of the frontrunners for the 2024 Ballon d’Or, along with his Real Madrid teammates Rodrygo and Endrick, haven’t been able to replicate their club-level brilliance for the national team. Even with additional firepower from Barcelona’s Raphinha and Arsenal’s Gabriel Martinelli, Brazil’s inability to find rhythm in attack is leaving fans and critics scratching their heads.
