Has Vinicius Jr brilliance just papered over the Brazilian cracks?

Vickery added: "This is precisely why Brazil are so dangerous. How many teams can play that badly and still be in the game? It's the individuality."

Figure caption,

Vinicius Jr scores 'lightning bolt' equaliser for Brazil

Ancelotti's first World Cup match ends in apology

At the age of 67, this was Ancelotti's first game as a head coach at a World Cup.

"This is a beautiful moment for me," said the five-time Champions League-winning boss on the eve of the match.

In the end he was forced to apologise following his team's lacklustre performance in the stifling New Jersey heat.

"I am sorry we didn't play as well as we hoped," said the Italian in his post-match media conference.

The Italian - the first overseas coach to lead Brazil at a World Cup - was brought in after a poor qualifying campaign which saw Brazil's place at the tournament thrown into serious doubt after the team only won three of its first eight qualifiers.

The five-time world champions qualified in the end but not before suffering six defeats in 18 games on the way to finishing fifth in the South American qualifying table.

Their latest indifferent performance will only serve to raise more questions than answers.

"This is the first match of the World Cup," Ancelotti said. "It wasn't a bad result but we will keep picking up.

"We have to do better, that's very clear. We have to have a more balanced team and we have to be more aggressive.

"I am not disappointed but I am not satisfied either. Not everything goes perfect and we have to accept criticism."

Will Vinicius become Brazil's darling?

Vinicius' goal was a moment of breathtaking beauty we have come to expect from the outstanding talent.

Will he kick on and write his name into Brazilian folklore?

"The expectation was for him, by now, to have become the Selecao's leading figure," said Brazilian football expert Marcus Alves.

"Yet, four years on from a penalty shootout exit against Croatia in the 2022 World Cup quarter-finals, doubts remain around him."

However, there can be no doubting the quality of his goal here - his 10th for Brazil, with three of those coming on US soil.

"This is where Vinicius Jr comes into his own," former England goalkeeper Joe Hart told BBC One.

"He was quiet in the game, of course he was, but you can't criticise players like this on the big stage.

"He cuts in, smashes it past Bono. What a moment."

Vinicius talked on Friday about how this was "the most important time in my life and career".

"I feel great freedom and sincere trust from Ancelotti. He is sure I can do for the national team what I do for Real Madrid," he added.

"I want to try to write the history of the country and the national team. We must do everything to win."

Brazil came up short against Morocco.

Failure at this tournament, after a 24-year title drought, would lead to serious questions about how the most successful team in World Cup history moves forward.