Getty Images SportCarlo Ancelotti owes Vinicius Jr a gift! Brazil star proved coach wrong after doing the 'impossible' in key role against Scotland
Vinicius reveals Ancelotti promise
Brazil secured a comfortable victory in Miami, but the headlines belonged to Vinicius, who revealed a private wager with his coach. The attacker opened the scoring early on and added another before the break, but it was the nature of his second strike - a header - that triggered a post-match joke.
Speaking after the final whistle, the winger claimed that Ancelotti had doubted his ability to find the net with his head. "I'm not worried about the numbers, but rather about doing my job as best as possible to help the Selecao," Vinicius told SporTV. "I am very happy with the goals, today there was even a header, which I had promised the coach I would score and he said it was kind of impossible and that he would pay me a gift. So I'll wait."
AFPEntering the history books
Beyond the friendly bet with Ancelotti, Vinicius's performance saw him join an elite group of Brazilian legends. By finding the net in Miami, he became the eighth Brazilian player to score a goal in every single group stage match of a single World Cup edition, matching a feat achieved by some of the game's greatest icons.
Despite the individual accolades and surpassing the records of several former greats, the 25-year-old remains focused on the bigger picture. "The most important thing is the victories, our improvement in the competition and in the games. Now it's time to continue and improve even more for the next objective, because now it's the knockout stage," the forward added.
Real Madrid star punishes Scotland
It was a night where Scotland's defensive errors were brutally punished by a clinical Brazilian frontline. After just seven minutes, a poor clearance allowed Vinicius to round the goalkeeper and slot home, setting the tone for a difficult evening for the Scots at the Hard Rock Stadium.
The Real Madrid man was relentless, seeing a second goal ruled out by VAR for a foul before eventually getting his brace in first-half stoppage time. His aerial effort, meeting a deep cross from Bruno Guimaraes, not only doubled the lead but also ensured he had officially proven his manager wrong regarding his heading prowess.
Getty Images SportBrazil have eyes on the ultimate prize
With Brazil safely through as group winners, Ancelotti's side looks like a formidable force heading into the business end of the tournament. The match also saw the return of Neymar from the bench, though the veteran struggled to match the intensity displayed by his younger teammate, who was clearly the catalyst for the victory. The Selecao now is preparing for the round of 32, and the confidence within the camp is soaring.
Advertisement
