Vinícius made bold statements immediately after Brazil qualified for the 2026 World Cup, having scored in every match and now contending for the top scorer title.
On 25 June 2026, Vinícius Júnior, Brazil's star forward, gave an interview after the final Group C match of the 2026 World Cup group stage, where Brazil crushed Scotland 3-0. He scored two goals for the Samba team in this match.
With this win, Brazil ended with 7 points, equal to Morocco, but advanced to the round of 32 as Group C champions due to a superior goal difference. They will face the runner-up from Group F—either the Netherlands, Japan, or Sweden.
Brazil is aiming to claim its record sixth World Cup title, last achieved in 2002. Meanwhile, Vinícius Júnior scored in all three group stage matches, totaling 4 goals, tying with Kylian Mbappé (France) and Erling Haaland (Norway), only behind Lionel Messi (Argentina), who has 5 goals.
Vinícius Júnior became the first Brazilian to score in every group stage match since Jairzinho (1970), Romário (1994), Ronaldo, and Rivaldo (2002). All four of those players won the World Cup in their respective years.
When asked whether Brazil could win the 2026 World Cup following in the footsteps of these legendary players, Vinícius said, "I usually don’t focus much on statistics."
"Normally, I don't score this many goals, but the coach adjusted my playing position, and I adapted well. Now I’m scoring and helping the team."
"I hope I can help lead the team to the final. I’m very happy with the team’s performance. When everyone plays well, the ball gets to the attacking areas, and we have opportunities to score."