Brazil 3-0 Scotland as Neymar Returns - Vinicius Brace Sends Selecao Through
Hard Rock Stadium Miami. Vinicius goals in all 3 group games. Neymar sub on 76th after calf injury. Scotland out again.
The stadium chanted one name before the final whistle. Not the scorer. Not the coach. Neymar.
Brazil beat Scotland 3-0 at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on June 24, booking a place in the World Cup knockout round. But the night belonged to two forwards at opposite ends of a comeback story.
Vinicius runs the show
Vinícius Júnior scored in the 7th minute and again just before halftime. Matheus Cunha added a third.
That makes Vinícius the only player with a goal in all three Brazil group games. He now has four at this tournament - level with Kylian Mbappé of France, one behind Lionel Messi’s five.
| Scorer | Minute |
|---|---|
| Vinícius Júnior | 7’, ~45’ |
| Matheus Cunha | 2nd half |
Brazil finished Group C ahead of Morocco on goal difference after both won their final games (Morocco beat Haiti 4-2).
Neymar’s return
Neymar missed Brazil’s first two matches with a right calf injury. On June 24, he finally appeared - substitute in the 76th minute.
The majority-Brazilian crowd had been chanting his name since midway through the second half. When he jogged on, Hard Rock Stadium erupted.
Neymar is 34, Brazil’s all-time top scorer with 79 goals in 130 caps. He has eight World Cup goals across three previous tournaments. This was his first touch of the 2026 edition.
Whether he starts the round of 16 remains TBD - but the symbol was clear: Brazil without Neymar survived. Brazil with him is a different threat.
Scotland’s party ends
The Tartan Army brought noise to Boston and Miami - their first World Cup since 1998. Scotland have now failed to escape the group stage in nine attempts.
They competed. They did not crumble early. But against a Vinícius in form and a Seleção heading for the knockouts, it was not enough.
Scotland must wait for other results to learn if they can sneak through as one of the best third-place teams - a long shot after a 3-0 loss.
What is next
Brazil march on - young legs up front, a legend back on the pitch, and the old expectation: anything less than the title is failure.
Neymar got his moment. Vinícius got the goals. Scotland got memories - and another early flight home unless the math saves them.