The cameras panned to Vinicius Jr. in the tunnel at halftime. He turned around with a strange smile and held up three fingers. He had scored two goals, but the video assistant referee unfairly awarded him a goal that irritated him. Before he headed for the tunnel, he stopped by the assistant referee and waved his index finger with a sardonic smile. A disallowed goal for a controversial tackle on defender Jack Hendry when he stole the ball was playing on his mind in the snake-hip gyration that followed the second goal.
Brazil’s third goal eventually arrived, but from Mateusz Cunha, their knockout hopes were largely dashed by luck, beating Scotland to wrap up Brazil’s most important day at the World Cup.
As happened | Brazil vs Scotland, FIFA World Cup 2026
The numerical allure of a hat-trick was disconcerting to him; But it has a broader, abstract significance. Every goal scored brings him or any Brazilian closer to earning unconditional love from their demanding fans. Each goal is another cross crossed; Each goal brings him closer to the Brazilian greats. At any stage, not in leagues at home or in Europe, not crowns for individual glory, goals win the hearts of fans more than World Cup goals. His predecessor Neymar once famously said: “When you play for Brazil in the World Cup, the shirt is heavier.” Especially when you are a leading light, which Vinicius literally is, but still not certified by the people. People need moments and memories more than just scoring goals. Vinicius may not have realized the oddity, but if he had scored a hat-trick he would have become the first Brazilian to score three goals in a World Cup match since 1958. An invisible line would have connected him and Pele.
But there was another evening when Vinicius showed that he was a figurehead, that on days like these he could trim his frills and become a cool-eyed finisher. A couple of goals wouldn’t make it to the YouTube reels, but still showcased the deep, nuanced layers of his craft. The first was defensive horror. Scott McKenna’s careless touch near the box saw Ryan steal the ball with the enthusiasm of an 18-year-old and pass to Vinicius who collected the ball, rounded the goalkeeper and fired into the net. Nothing spectacular in plain sight. But look at its touches, piercings and minimalistic. Nothing is wasted, no energy or space. He controls it with his right hand, slips outside right foot and goes past goalkeeper Angus Gunn. Both touches are velvety light, with no irritation on the ball. “He is the most decisive player in the world,” his manager Carlo Ancelotti once said.
It was hard to argue. “It’s his torque,” Brazil assistant coach Francisco Mauri noted ahead of the World Cup. Physicists call this the “rotational equivalent of a linear force”, often used in reference to the “twisting force” of an engine. “He’s phenomenal in how he uses it. He doesn’t need to wind up a shot to generate power. Once he controls it, carries it, he wastes no time winding up the shot. He uses his ankle and manages to keep it and score. He’s scored a lot of those goals.” His ankles wiggle as if they were made of wax. It was no coincidence that the great Ronaldinho also had rubber ankles and was built on the narrow hard courts of futsal, where close control is essential.
The second (officially, that is) was a humdrum header from Bruno Guimaraes’ delightful cross. Vinicius, not known for thunderbolt headers, was a bit late. But he leaped to turn the ball towards the goal-ward. He pointed an imaginary gun at his head before starting the usual foot tap. But he was there for the header, running from deep after his defensive work.
His speed is understated. He is not a sprinter like Kylian Mbappe. The audience doesn’t feel the raw speed, doesn’t feel like he’s moving his legs, but moving at a devastating speed. There was another occasion in the second half when he swerved through the catacombs of a Scottish shirt, took the ball on the run, passed it to Mathews Cunha, whose shot was blocked by the goalkeeper, but here Vinicius almost palmed it at the other end. There was another lovely side-footed pass in his half that allowed Guimaraes to break free, even if the move melted away.
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Like two goals, he was there when Brazil needed him. He was their leader. He has a raft of seniors around him, both in terms of age and experience. For example Casemiro and Marquinhos; or Jesus Christ in the Sticks, Alison Baker. But Vinicius stamped his leadership by both action and deed. He skillfully mentored young Ryan, his goal provider. He asked Cunha to calm down after the referee called a foul against him. He urged the crowd to raise the decibel. He will remember it as an evening where he felt the unconditional love of the Brazilian fans. Missing the third goal would hurt him and he held up three fingers again before walking away at the end of the game. The magic number linking him and Pele, a legacy passed on. But Vinicius is lighting up the competition, perhaps not in the boundless myths of Brazilian football, but in a minimal way that could make them a force again.