It’s a new generation of Brazilian players, a new era, and a new World Cup challenge. And yet by the same token, it was a classic Brazilian tournament performance: it felt like it was put to our advantage. On a still night in Lussell Stadium’s giant golden ark, the tournament favorites played what you’d expect from tournament favorites: solid, expansive, and adorned with the sort of effortless brilliance that would make other countries furrow their brows a bit.
The game had three distinct periods. In the period, Brazil started very well, taking Serbia with tempo but perhaps not too much complacency, with uncertainty. As the second half progressed they began to warm to the task, with Richarlison’s goal breaking the deadlock. In the final half-hour, they loosened up easily: riotous skill, a relentless wave of attacks, and an early goal of a tournament contender from Richarlison, who scored the second with an outrageous bicycle kick.
It was Vinicius Junior and Neymar who combined for Richarlison’s goal, and the trio – with Rafinha also plugging in playfully down the right – looked early evidence of Qatar’s most balanced and lethal attack: pure trickery and pure speed, with sharp cutting. In front of the device. Casemiro was an efficient string-puller at the base of midfield.
Alex Sandro had a great game at left-back, which was considered one of Brazil’s problem areas. Serbia played well for 45 minutes. In the end, however, they looked not only battered but broken, made to follow the light rays.
And it’s not like Brazil are automatic favorites to win games like this. Their World Cup record against European teams since 2010 now reads: played nine, won three, drawn two, lost four. Every tournament they sweat a little more, fight a little harder, and stand a little less.
But it was, perhaps, a reminder that Brazil is at its best when they play with a little dash of imperial arrogance, fearlessness, and courage that pokes teams in the chest and asks: Well, how many stars are on your badge?
And of course, they can play with the devil a little too. Serbia got the game they wanted: aggressive, physical, spicy, and often smooth. Neymar, being Neymar, took a normal kick and limped over 10 minutes from time. But with Casemiro, Thiago Silva, Richarlison, and Rafinha, no team will escape the battle. At one point Rafinha tackled Filip Mladenovic and then just looked at him, only knowing he had been tackled.
Andrija Zivkovic, meanwhile, clung to Vinicius as an environmental activist clung to himself at a London road junction. Vinicius came a little deeper. After Zivkovic. Vinicius went to the right on the touchline. After Zivkovic. Vinicius entered. After Zivkovic. Later that night, when an exhausted Vinicius climbed into bed at the Westin Doha Hotel, he found Zivkovic already there waiting for him, a disgusting grin plastered across his face as he rolled over and took most of the duvet with him.
Few chances, but few moments for Brazil. And like a stubborn pistachio at the bottom of the bag, Brazil probed and scraped and prized and pulled, and finally worked Serbia loose. There were openings for Neymar and Sandro, with Neymar eventually tucking the ball into the penalty area with a delicious drop of the shoulder. Vinicius hit and curled over Vanja Milinkovic-Savic; Richarlison cleaned up the rebound.
And for the rest of the game, Brazil was simply unbearable. Casemiro shook the bar. Tite flexed some awe-inspiring muscles on his bench: Rodrigo, Antoni, Gabriel Martinelli.
But the game had already seen its crown. With 11 minutes remaining, Vinicius headed over a cross with the outside of the boot. Richarlison kicked the ball into the air with his leg, throwing himself skyward, his blond head spinning on its axis like a light show, before hitting the ball with a pure capoeira swipe: a goal straight out of a soft drink commercial filmed one neat take.
Tite talks a lot about balance: between attack and defense, flair and flexibility, enthusiasm and focus. It was a performance of making flesh out of his words. If anyone was criticizing, perhaps Brazil could have made a little more of its dominance later. But really that would be a catch for its own sake. Three points, wide smiles, and a familiar swagger that sounded like a favorite band playing all their old hits. Welcome back, guys.