After conceding three goals against Japan in October, manager Carlo Ancelotti focused on the Brazilian team’s defensive system. The big news for the match against Senegal, which will be played in London at 1pm (Brasilia time), will therefore be the presence of Eder Militao on the right wing. But it’s not just the Italian’s back that needs attention. Like the defense, the offense is also feeling the effects of the tumultuous preparation cycle for 2026. Attack power, traditionally one of Brazil’s strengths, has plummeted.
From 2022 onwards, the number of goals scored was conspicuously low, with 53 goals in 31 games. There were 125 matches (55 matches) in the 2022 World Cup cycle. Last time (2018) it was 109 in 52 games.
To be sure, the current cycle is not over yet, and the last World Cup was held six months later than usual, so it will be unusually short. However, the lack of efficiency up front is evident when comparing average goals scored. In the period leading up to the Qatar World Cup, he scored 2.27 goals, and in the previous tournament (France 2018) he scored 2.09 goals, but now he is scoring 1.71 goals.
Brazil team average goals by cycle:
- 2026: 1.71 (53 goals in 31 games)
- 2022: 2.27 (125 goals in 55 games)
- 2018: 2.09 (109 goals in 52 games)
This period, where cause and effect are intertwined, is also characterized by the absence of a leading scorer. The highest scorer this season with Amarerinha has not reached 10 goals. Leadership belonged to Rodrigo, scoring 8 out of 23 matches (average 0.35). Next is Raphinha with 6 out of 20 points (0.3) and Vini Junior with 6 out of 23 points (0.26).
Brazil’s top scorer this season:
- Rodrigo: 8 goals in 23 games (0.35)
- Rafinha: 6 goals in 20 games (0.3)
- Vini Junior: 6 goals in 23 games (0.26)
In both total points and average, this trio’s numbers are far lower than the team’s leading scorers from last cycle. Neymar scored 20 goals in 34 games (0.59 points). Richarlison found the back of the net the same number of times, but in 48 games, resulting in 0.41 points per game.
However, Neymar hasn’t played for the national team for over two years, and with a bad period at Santos, a return seems increasingly remote. Richarlison is also going through a bad phase. He has not found the back of the net once for the national team this season. His last goal was against South Korea in the Qatar Cup.
The national team’s No. 9 shirt is at such a crisis that manager Ancelotti is sticking to Richarlison’s shirt number from last season in order to justify his commitment to Richarlison. However, the manager admitted in his last call-up that the original idea for the games against Senegal and Tunisia was to give Pedro a chance. However, the Flamengo center forward suffered a fracture in his right forearm a week before the list was announced.
The key players for the 2026 World Cup are not suffering from this headache. In Argentina, where he has already scored 77 goals in 35 matches, Messi has already scored 17 goals in the 24 times he has appeared on the field this season, giving him an average of 0.7 goals. And you are not alone. Lautaro Martinez has 15 points (0.52) in 29 games.
England have talent like Harry Kane, who scored 84 goals, scoring 23 goals (0.76 points per game) in 30 games. Cristiano Ronaldo has an incredible 25 goals in 29 games (0.86) for the Portuguese team, who have scored 98 goals.
Top scorers for major teams in current cycle:
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal): 25 goals in 29 games (0.86)
- Harry Kane (England): 23 goals in 30 games (0.76)
- Lionel Messi (Argentina): 17 goals in 24 games (0.7)
- Mbappé (France): 17 goals in 27 games (0.63)
- Memphis Depay (Netherlands): 12 goals in 21 games (0.57)
- Lautaro Martinez (ARG): 15 goals in 29 games (0.52)
- Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain): 13 goals in 28 games (0.46)
The World Cup, which will be held in the United States, Mexico and Canada, is expected to feature top scorers and a great offensive line. Dramatic Spain has already scored over 100 goals this cycle. They are more distributed among the players, but the protagonist belongs to Oyarzabal (0.46), who found the back of the net 13 times in 28 games.
Major team offenses in the current cycle:
- Spain: 108 goals in 35 games (3.08)
- Portugal: 98 goals in 35 games (2.8)
- Netherlands: 89 goals in 35 games (2.54)
- France: 87 goals in 35 games (2.48)
- Morocco: 87 goals in 39 games (2.23)
- Senegal: 86 goals in 43 games (2)
- England: 84 goals in 36 games (2.33)
- Argentina: 77 goals in 35 games (2.2)
- Croatia: 75 goals in 32 games (2.34)
- Germany: 68 goals in 35 games (1.94)
- Columbia: 67 goals in 37 games (1.81)
- Italy: 65 goals in 33 games (1.97)
- Uruguay: 59 goals in 33 games (1.78)
- Brazil: 53 goals in 31 games (1.71)
- Ecuador: 37 goals in 34 games (1.09)
The average number of goals scored during the “Ancelotti era” is still low. However, it is slightly higher than the selection in the cycle: 1.83 (11 out of 6 games). Estevan is the top scorer with three goals.
The manager’s main intervention was to define a four-attacker formation, with the front man making intense movements to confuse rival scorers. In this sense, Senegal will be a big test for Ancelotti’s team. This is because it will be the strongest opponent since Ancelotti took over as manager.
–What I can say is that we will maintain the same system as the game against Korea. I believe that every time a team played with two pivots, things went well. In my opinion, it’s the best system with very strong players up front. But a stronger plan at the back cannot be ruled out, the coach said.
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