La Verdeamarela opened their campaign in the South American qualifiers with a commanding display, routing a weaker opponent 5–1 to set the tone on the road to the 2026 World Cup in North America.
Brazil, under Fernando Diniz, started with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Bolivia on the first matchday of the South American qualifiers. The Canarinha showed little trouble throughout, even when a late penalty was missed. Neymar, a familiar figure at the dawn of the game, helped spark the decisive push.
Rodrygo opened the scoring in the 24th minute, providing a cushion for Brazil to control the second half. Rafinha and Rodrygo continued the onslaught, with Neymar adding twice to raise Brazil’s total. Bolivia’s Abrego added a late consolation, briefly stirring hope before Brazil restored their advantage. Neymar’s brace propelled him beyond Pelé to become Brazil’s all‑time top scorer, surpassing a record held by Pelé for decades and extending his lead at 79 goals to 77. It marked a landmark moment in Brazil’s long, storied history of goal scoring in international play.
The next assignment for Verdeamarela is a road trip to Peru on September 12 as the road to the 2026 World Cup in North America continues to unfold.
South American qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup in North America: dates, fixtures, results and format
updates and analysis continue as GOAL tracks the competition and the teams’ progress.
BRAZIL – BOLIVIA, MINUTE BY MINUTE
- Minute by minute coverage of Brazil against Bolivia.
- GOAL FOR BOLIVIA! Abrego makes it 4-1.
- BRAZIL’S GOAL! A Brazilian quartet celebrates a dominant performance.
- BRAZIL’S GOAL! The third arrives, the second for Rodrygo on the scoresheet.
- BRAZIL’S GOAL! A superb move by Rafinha extends the lead.
- BRAZIL’S GOAL! Rodrygo stays sharp and Brazil remains ahead.
- DISCIPLINE BREAKTHROUGH! A Bolivian goalkeeper denies Neymar from the spot.
- Good evening and welcome to another GOAL broadcast. Brazil will face Bolivia on the first date of the 2026 South American Qualifiers.
VISCARRA saved Neymar’s penalty shot, a moment of drama that kept the game closer than Brazil might have hoped. The save was widely noted by observers and fans alike, underscoring the fine margins in international play.
— TyC Sports reports the moment, with social media catching the reaction from fans and pundits alike.
THE TARGET EXAMPLE
HOW TO WATCH LIVE TV AND STREAMING
COURSE
BRAZIL
Ederson; Danilo, Marquinhos, Gabriel, Renan Lodi; Bruno Guimarães, Casemiro; Raphinha, Neymar, Rodrygo; Richarlison. DT: Fernando Diniz.
BOLIVIA
Guillermo Viscarra; Jairo Quinteros, Adriano Jusino, Marcelo Suarez; Diego Daniel Medina Roman, Diego Bejarano, Boris Cespedes, Roberto Fernández, Gabriel Villamil; Jaime Arrascaita and Marcelo Martins. DT: Gustavo Costas.
Attribution: Goal