Yet the Brazilians remain aggrieved over a first-half ruling that went against them. They were denied a goal when Vinicius Jr was adjudged to have fouled Jack Hendry while winning possession before slotting past Angus Gunn. Referee Cesar Ramos consulted the pitch-side monitor at VAR’s behest and subsequently ruled the effort out. His verdict that the Real Madrid star had committed a foul on Hendry left Vinicius and his Brazilian team-mates incensed.
Despite Vinicius netting his second shortly afterwards, Brazil remain furious over the contentious call. According to Brazilian publication Estadao, Brazilian FA (CBF) president Samir Xaud has filed a formal complaint directly with FIFA.
The letter, addressed to Gianni Infantino, specifically requests that Ramos is not appointed to officiate any of their remaining fixtures. The federation cited a “negative history” with the Mexican official stretching back to 2018, when Brazil were controversially denied a penalty against Switzerland.
While the decision ultimately had no bearing on the final result, it is abundantly clear that Brazil are determined to avoid finding themselves at the centre of any further refereeing disputes. Cunha’s second-half strike against Scotland helped Brazil secure top spot in the group, with their superior goal difference proving decisive over Morocco.
A last-32 clash against Japan has since been confirmed, with either Ivory Coast or Norway lying in wait in the last 16 should they progress past that opening knockout tie.
Ancelotti chose not to address the incident following the final whistle, almost certainly because it ultimately proved inconsequential. Instead, he heaped praise upon Vinicius Jr, who has now netted four goals at this World Cup.
Speaking specifically about the left-winger, he said: “Vini is in great form at the moment and the team helps him a lot,” Ancelotti said. “He can play in various positions, both on the inside and on the wing.
“It’s very rewarding to see Vinicius like this, I had no doubt he could reach this level. I wasn’t the one who discovered Vini, he’s a top-class player, one of the best in the world.”