Felipe Melo Slams Brazil After Opening Draw With Morocco

Brazil opened the World Cup with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Morocco, and the result drew sharp criticism at home. Former Brazil midfielder Felipe Melo attacked coach Carlo Ancelotti’s decisions, saying the team started with the wrong lineup and was too passive defensively.

“Ancelotti is undeniably one of the greatest in history, but he cannot let things go this way,” Melo said. He argued that Roger Ibañez should not have started in the XI, and that Brazil improved after he was substituted. “He is a good player, but he is not a fullback. His first game as a fullback should have been as a center back,” Melo said.

Melo also criticized Brazil’s overall performance, saying he did not like the way the team played and that no team is above scrutiny. He said Vinicius was the only player who made a real difference, but added that Morocco were “much better” and that Brazil’s defensive organization must improve. “There is nothing to say, Morocco were much better than us,” he said.

He went further, saying Brazil were far below their level and that a draw was actually a good result in such a match. “It is unbelievable, it cannot happen that Brazil is as passive as it was and concedes a goal as it did,” Melo said. “This is not Brazil, three players in midfield are just staring at their opponents, the defense is making a mess. The team is too strong to look like this. It all started with 11 players who were a mistake.” Brazil now has one point in Group C and will face Haiti on Saturday, before closing the group stage against Scotland on Thursday.