Brazil ramp up their push for a sixth star as they begin their World Cup knockouts campaign against dark horses Japan.
After an underwhelming start in a 1-1 draw with Morocco, Carlo Ancelotti’s side seem to have found their groove in North America after storming to successive 3-0 wins against Haiti and Scotland to top Group C.
But they have by no means been handed a lay-up in the round of 32, with Japan yet to be beaten at these finals – and the Selecao will have bad memories of tonight’s opposition.
Japan actually got the better of Brazil in a friendly last October, coming from two goals down to stun the five-time World Cup winners 3-2 – might a repeat be in store?
Follow all the latest updates from Brazil vs Japan in the World Cup round of 32 below:
Ancelotti’s sticks with formula, Japan ring changes
Brazil are unchanged from the team that hammered Scotland in Miami, while Japan have made four changes from the drab draw against Sweden
Defenders Shogo Taniguchi and Takehiro Tomiyasu, midfielder Kaishu Sano and winger Junya Ito are back in the XI.
Excitement builds in Houston
The fans are filing into what is normally known as NRG Stadium.
How ‘brand Brazil’ lost its shine as World Cup’s defining team
Bring the adverts up on YouTube now and what will strike first is how dated it looks. The production, the concept: it all belongs to a bygone era. From the airport to the dressing room, the Three Rs are very much not in 4k.
For fans of a specific age, Brazil and Nike’s series of promos still stir up reminders of a golden era, supported by the idea – so eloquently expressed in a piece by the author Paul Howard last week – of everyone’s favourite World Cup being the one closest to when they are 10 years old.
For the Selecao, however, that last globally successful period of joga bonito is a peak that feels more and more difficult to reascend with each passing tournament.
What Japan’s blueprint to win the World Cup by 2050 tells us about football’s future
Japan believe they have cracked the code to becoming a football superpower and it has everything to do with joy. Four years ago the JFA released a manifesto outlining exactly how they plan to win the World Cup by 2050. As hosts, no less.
The strategy is filled with the familiar ingredients of pyramid graphics and bullet points, mentions of synergy and talent identification, but the headline that sets The Japan Way apart arrives on the first page.
“To become the happiest country in the world through football.”
Confirmed Japan XI
Suzuki; Tomiyasu, Taniguchi, H Ito; Doan, Sano, Kamada, Nakamura; J Ito, Maeda; Ueda.
Confirmed Brazil XI
Alisson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Santos; Casemiro, Bruno, Paqueta; Rayan, Cunha, Vinicius Jr.
Tonight’s referee
… is Maurizio Mariani from Italy, who will be assisted by Daniele Bindoni and Alberto Tegoni.
In his first World Cup, Mariani has already taken charge of the 1-1 draw between Saudi Arabia and Uruguay and Colombia’s 1-0 victory against DR Congo.
Brazil’s new striker hero
All of the big hitters have turned up in this World Cup so far, with Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, Erling Haaland and Vinicius Junior all among the goals.
But the latter’s teammate Matheus Cunha has also been in excellent form so far, too, with three goals from his opening three appearances.
He also enjoyed an impressive first season at Old Trafford, after joining Manchester United from Wolverhampton Wanderers last summer for £62.5m. He scored 10 goals and assisted in two more as United finished third in the Premier League table.
He has only scored four goals in his 26 Brazil appearances, and three of them have come in the US, where he thrives in this forward line.
Japan’s recent joy against Brazil
Japan have only beaten tonight’s opponents once in 14 attempts, but that came the last time they met in October 2025.
They were trailing 2-0 at half-time in Tokyo thanks to goals from Paulo Henrique and Gabriel Martinelli. Takumi Minamino, Keito Nakamura and Ayase Ueda were all on target in the second half to give their side their first-ever victory over the Selecao.
Whether that will count for anything at the Houston Stadium remains to be seen, after all, this one has so much more riding on it.
