Rodrygo leads Brazil lineup as Ancelotti benches Endrick

rodrygo was not the story Brazil wanted to sell going into its 2026 World Cup debut against Morocco. Carlo Ancelotti instead opened with Igor Thiago at center forward, leaving Endrick and Matheus Cunha on the bench for the first lineup of the campaign.

That call shifted the shape of Brazil’s attack from the start. Igor Thiago got the nod because his game fits a classic number nine, while Endrick moved into a substitute role despite the expectations that had built around him.

Igor Thiago over Endrick

Ancelotti picked Igor Thiago because he offers a different profile. The forward was favored for his ability to pin center backs, play with his back to goal and bring physical presence inside the box, three traits the coaching staff valued against Morocco’s intensity in individual duels.

Endrick, one of Brazil’s main offensive alternatives for the second half, had scored the winning goal in the team’s last friendly before the World Cup debut. That made the benching more notable, not because the forward had lost relevance, but because Brazil chose structure and matchup fit over recent form.

Brazil’s Morocco selection

The lineup for the match against Morocco showed Ancelotti leaning into a tactical decision rather than a simple reward-for-form selection. Matheus Cunha also started on the bench, reinforcing that the coach wanted a different forward balance for Brazil’s opening game in the 2026 World Cup.

Endrick remains one of the major attacking options in the squad, and the decision leaves him in position to change the match after halftime if Brazil needs a different look. For now, the opening message is clear: Ancelotti was willing to start a more traditional center forward even with one of Brazil’s biggest young names available.