Brazil’s final Group C fixture against Scotland in Miami on Wednesday evening brings the three-match opening phase to a head, with the Seleção’s position in the round of 32 and Neymar’s long-awaited return both hanging on the outcome. Carlo Ancelotti’s side enters the Hard Rock Stadium level on four points with Morocco but ahead on goal difference after a 1-1 draw with the north Africans and a 3-0 win over Haiti. Scotland, on three points following a 1-0 victory against Haiti and a 1-0 defeat to Morocco, still harbour hopes of direct qualification or a best-third-place slot. The simultaneous kick-off with Morocco’s match against eliminated Haiti in Atlanta ensures no side can shape its approach around the other result.

Ancelotti confirmed that Neymar, sidelined by a grade-two calf tear sustained in May, is fit and available for selection, though the 34-year-old is expected to begin on the bench and feature for a controlled 20 to 30 minutes if the match situation permits. Brazilian outlets report that the forward trained with intensity and drew enthusiastic reactions from team-mates, while the coach stressed his experience and quality would aid the squad regardless of playing time. The attack will be reshaped by the absence of Raphinha, who suffered a hamstring injury against Haiti; Rayan, who impressed as his substitute, and Luiz Henrique are the leading candidates to start on the right. Ancelotti may also rotate players carrying yellow cards, with Casemiro and left-back Douglas Santos both one booking away from suspension.

Historically, Brazil have never lost to Scotland at a World Cup, recording three wins and a draw across four group-stage meetings between 1974 and 1998. The most recent encounter of any kind was a 2011 friendly in London where a young Neymar scored both goals in a 2-0 victory. European analysts note that Scotland, organised by Steve Clarke and built around Premier League and Serie A performers such as Scott McTominay and Andy Robertson, will pose a physical test and rely on direct play and set-pieces. Brazilian observers, however, point to Ancelotti’s emphasis on control and avoiding errors, a pragmatic streak that delivered a controlled first half against Haiti and a clean sheet in that fixture.

A victory for Brazil guarantees a top-two finish and, if Morocco fail to win or cannot overturn the goal-difference margin, first place in the group. A draw secures qualification but would likely cede the lead to Morocco should they beat Haiti. Defeat would drop Brazil to third, though four points would almost certainly be enough to progress as one of the eight best third-placed teams. The stakes extend beyond mere advancement: the group winner faces the runner-up from Group F – potentially the Netherlands, Japan or Sweden – on Monday 29 June at 2pm Brasília time, a scheduling detail that has prompted discussion in Brazil about workplace conflicts. The second-placed team would meet the Group F winner later that evening, while a third-place path would pair Brazil with a group leader from A, E or I.

The match is the centrepiece of a six-game slate that also resolves Groups A and B. Canada and Switzerland, both on four points, meet in Vancouver with the group lead at stake, while already-qualified Mexico host the Czech Republic in the Azteca. For Brazil, the evening in Miami will not only settle their immediate knockout trajectory but also determine whether Neymar can gather competitive rhythm ahead of the sudden-death rounds.