Just one game in, Brazil and Carlo Ancelotti are already under fire

World CupJust one game in, Brazil and Ancelotti are already under fireBrazil fought back for a 1-1 draw against Morocco in both teams’ World Cup opener, but the Seleção and manager Carlo Ancelotti faced harsh criticism from both fans and media immediately after the game.Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti reacts during the World Cup match between Brazil and Morocco in East Rutherford, N.J. on Saturday.Yuki Iwanmura / AP PhotoShareAdd NBC News to GoogleJune 13, 2026, 10:59 PM EDTBy Tim RohanEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. — On Saturday afternoon, thousands of Brazil fans, clad in highlighter yellow jerseys, made the trek to MetLife Stadium to watch their team play Morocco in its first game of this World Cup. They sang on the train in from Manhattan and waved flags and chanted throughout the warm, sunny day.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.But after 90 minutes of tense, back-and-forth play that ended in a 1-1 tie, those fans were less than thrilled. “That was a terrible performance,” one said as he left the stadium. “Terrible!”Soon, Brazil manager Carlo Ancelotti was sitting at a lectern, taking questions from another tough crowd: the Brazilian media. They peppered him with questions about his starting lineup, his substitution patterns, every tactical decision one could imagine. “You don’t win a World Cup based on your first match,” Ancelotti said through a FIFA interpreter.Maybe not. But Brazil didn’t look like a world power in the first half. Morocco’s speed and aggression gave it an early 1-0 lead. In the 21st minute, after a Brazil turnover, Morocco’s Brahim Diaz had the ball near midfield when he saw Ismael Saibari streaking toward the goal, his left arm extended, calling for the ball as if he were a wide receiver.Diaz made a perfect pass, in between two Brazilian defenders but in front of the Brazilian goalkeeper, Alisson Becker. On his first touch, Saibari...