Brazil secured a vital 1-0 victory over Ecuador in their 2026 World Cup qualifying match on Friday, thanks to a solitary goal from Real Madrid forward Rodrygo. The win comes as a much-needed boost for Brazil, who had been struggling in the qualifying campaign and found themselves languishing in sixth place in the South American standings.
Rodrygo’s deflected strike in the 30th minute proved to be the difference between the two sides. The Real Madrid attacker collected the ball on the edge of the penalty area, took a touch, and unleashed a powerful shot from 25 yards out. The ball appeared to clip off Ecuador defender Willian Pacho before finding the back of the net off the post.
Despite dominating possession for much of the game, Brazil struggled to create clear-cut scoring chances, registering only three shots on goal. Their lack of fluency in attack, a recurring theme in recent international tournaments, was evident once again. Brazil’s recent struggles include a quarter-final exit in the 2022 World Cup and a disappointing last-eight finish at the Copa America earlier this year.
With the 2026 World Cup expanded to 48 teams and being hosted in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, the top six finishers in South American qualifying will automatically qualify for the tournament. The seventh-placed team will have to compete in an inter-confederation playoff for a chance to secure a spot. This victory pushes Brazil into fourth place in the South American standings with 10 points from seven games. They are still eight points behind leaders Argentina, but the win provides some much-needed momentum for their qualifying campaign.
