When the draw was made for the 2026 World Cup in the United States, Canada, and Mexico, Scotland fans were handed a familiar name to contend with.

The Scots made it back to international football’s biggest stage for the first time in 28 years after beating Denmark 4-2 in their final qualifying match. It was a match they had little room for slip-ups in, with a loss or a draw meaning they’d have to win their way through further matches in the playoffs to secure qualification – something Denmark weren’t so lucky in getting through.

Brazil, the five-time world champions, are one of the most iconic footballing nations on the planet, and an opponent Scotland know all too well from their World Cup history.

The two sides have met at the tournament on four previous occasions, each one a chapter in a long-running story that’s featured some of the most legendary players both nations have ever produced. From the Brazilian sides packed with players like Zico, Socrates, Dunga and Ronaldo, to Scotland squads built around the likes of Billy Bremner, Kenny Dalglish, and John Collins.

Scotland return to the World Cup stage in Group C this summer. They’ll play Haiti, followed by a tough match-up against Morocco, before facing the Selecao for the fifth time at a World Cup in the last match of the group, one that might require them to take points from Carlo Ancelotti’s men in order to progress from the group stage for the first time ever.

Before that showdown in Miami on the 24th of June, here’s a look back at every time these two sides have met at a World Cup.

1

1974 – West Germany

Scotland 0-0 Brazil

Scotland’s first World Cup encounter with Brazil came in 1974, and it was a physical, tense affair that produced no goals but plenty of drama.

The match featured some of the great names of 1970s football, Jairzinho and Rivelino lining up for the world champions, with Billy Bremner, Kenny Dalglish, and Peter Lorimer representing the Scots, yet the game descended into a grinding battle rather than a showcase of talent. Scotland stood firm throughout and came away with a hard-fought point against the reigning world champions, drawing 0-0. The result left them well-placed to qualify from the group, but a 1-1 draw against Yugoslavia was ultimately not enough. Scotland went home having not lost a single game, the cruel victim of goal difference.

2

1982 – Spain

Scotland 1-4 Brazil

The 1982 meeting in Seville is one of the most memorable Scotland have ever played at a World Cup, for the most bittersweet of reasons.

David Narey‘s thunderous long-range strike gave Scotland a shock early lead, silencing a Brazilian side containing some of the finest attacking talent the game has ever seen. Zico, Socrates and Falcao were all in that squad, and they responded brilliantly. Zico levelled before half-time, and the floodgates opened in the second half with goals from Oscar, Eder, and a late Falcao strike completing a 4-1 win. Narey’s goal has passed into Scottish folklore, even though what happened after wasn’t quite as memorable.

3

1990 – Italy

Scotland 0-1 Brazil

Italia ’90 began in the worst way possible for Scotland, losing their opening group game to Costa Rica. They redeemed themselves with a 2-1 win over Sweden, meaning their final encounter with Brazil in Turin was a must-win.

It was a tight and tense match, with Scotland defending resolutely against a Brazilian side that included Romario and Dunga in their starting lineup. Scotland goalkeeper Jim Leighton made a series of important saves to keep his side in the contest, but when Muller came off the bench and capitalised on a parry from Leighton in the 81st minute, Scotland’s World Cup dream was effectively over. The 1-0 defeat, combined with Costa Rica’s win over Sweden elsewhere in the group, confirmed Scotland’s exit at the group stage yet again.

4

1998 – France

Scotland 1-2 Brazil

Scotland’s most recent World Cup meeting with Brazil, and arguably the most dramatic, came in the opening game of the 1998 tournament at the Stade de France.

Brazil, featuring Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, and Rivaldo, were overwhelming favourites, but Scotland more than matched them for long periods. An early Brazilian goal was cancelled out by a composed John Collins penalty, and for a period Scotland dared to dream. It was not to be. A Tommy Boyd own goal sealed defeat for the Scots, with the ball deflecting cruelly off his chest from a saved Cafu shot. Scotland went on to be eliminated in the group stage with just a point, and it would be 28 years before they returned to a World Cup.

5

2026 – United States, Canada, Mexico

Scotland’s long-awaited return to the World Cup sees them drawn against Brazil once again, with the two sides set to meet in what will be the final group game for both nations.

Depending on how the earlier fixtures against Haiti and Morocco go, it could be a match with enormous implications for Scotland’s hopes of reaching the knockout rounds for the first time in their history. Both sides have stars of their own. Neymar, Vinicius Junior and co, as ever, come into the tournament as one of the favourites, while Andy Roberson, Scott McTominay and John McGinn will all be hoping that 28 years of Scottish pain can be put to rest.

Scotland’s record vs Brazil at the World Cup

The 2026 World Cup will become the most lucrative tournament in football history, with FIFA set to distribute a record £650 million across the competing nations, with £520 million set aside as dedicated prize money.

Everyone knows that England’s very best footballers are earning eye-watering sums at club level: Hundreds of thousands in wages per week, the image rights deals, the sponsorship arrangements and so on. But while the nation obsesses over what Harry Kane earns at Bayern Munich or what Jude Bellingham pockets at Real Madrid, the financial structure that governs international football is rarely put under the microscope.

How does pay actually work when a player pulls on an England shirt? What happens to the prize money FIFA hands out? Are the bonuses as generous as you might expect? And what do the players actually do with the money they earn from representing their country?

For a generation of English footballers whose combined weekly wage bill runs into the tens of millions, the answers are quite surprising:

Base Match Fees, Bonuses and How it Works

The FA doesn’t publicly disclose its player payment structure, but it’s understood that England players earn a base appearance fee of roughly £2,000 per game for representing the national side. That figure is, of course, dwarfed by what they earn week-to-week at their clubs, but the relatively modest amount is deliberate. Representing your country is treated as a matter of honour, not a payday.

The real money comes in the form of performance-related bonuses negotiated directly between the FA and the players’ group, and these scale significantly depending on how far England progress. For the 2026 tournament, reports from The Mirror suggest players could earn up to £500,000 each if England go all the way and lift the trophy in New Jersey on the 19th of July – not bad for five weeks’ work.

Thomas Tuchel, meanwhile, is said to be in line for a multi-million-pound bonus of his own if he delivers England’s first World Cup since 1966. FIFA pays prize money directly to the national federation rather than the players, so it’s the FA’s responsibility to distribute funds, covering staff costs, facilities and squad bonuses all from the same pot.

Commercial Rewards

Beyond official FA payments, a World Cup can be enormously valuable to players commercially. Brands and sponsors frequently hold back major advertising campaigns until the squad announcement is confirmed, at which point the chosen players see an immediate uplift in their market value and endorsement opportunities.

For household names like Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, tournament performances can trigger lucrative new deals or activation clauses already built into existing sponsorship contracts. A deep run, or an iconic moment in front of a global audience can be worth considerably more in commercial terms than any bonus the FA could provide.

What England Players Got for the 2022 World Cup

Much like the 2026 World Cup, England players were reportedly in line for £500,000 apiece had they won the tournament in Qatar. It was a significant increase on the £215,000 on offer for the 2018 campaign in Russia. But 2018’s semi-final, their best finish at a World Cup since ‘66, was likely what prompted the FA to further incentivise their players.

England’s exit in the quarter-finals at the hands of France meant the full bonus pot went unclaimed, with the payments scaling down according to how far the team progresses.

Do England Players Donate Their Fees to Charity?

This is perhaps the least-known and most admirable aspect of England’s financial setup.

Since 2007, every England men’s player has donated their match fees in full to the England Footballers’ Foundation (EFF), rather than keeping the money personally. The tradition was established by a players’ committee that included David Beckham, Gary Neville and John Terry, and it has continued ever since.

By 2018, the collective total donated through the EFF had surpassed £5 million, distributed across causes including UNICEF, Help for Heroes, Cancer Research UK and The Bobby Moore Fund. When Kylian Mbappe received widespread praise during the 2018 World Cup for donating his match fees to charity, Neville was quick to point out on social media that England’s players had been doing exactly that for over a decade.

The EFF has since become one of football’s quieter but most consistent examples of collective generosity, a tradition that will continue in North America this summer, regardless of how far England go.

Useful World Cup links

x

Liverpool are in advanced talks to secure their first signing of the summer transfer window, looking to bring back one of their former players.

The Reds are preparing for a new era at Anfield with an agreement in place for Andoni Iraola to join the club as their manager.

Iraola left Bournemouth this summer after guiding them into Europe, and he now looks set to replace Arne Slot, who was sacked last month.

After a disappointing 2025/26 season, the Liverpool hierarchy will likely want to back their new manager with reinforcements.

Thankfully for them, Iraola has shown he is capable of working with what he’s got, with Bournemouth regularly having to sell their key players.

Liverpool in Advanced Transfer Talks

According to a report from Anfield Watch, Liverpool are in advanced talks to sign Blackburn midfielder Patrik Farkas as their first addition of the summer transfer window.

Farkas is set to leave Blackburn at the end of the month due to his contract expiring, and discussions are now ongoing over a two-year deal at Anfield.

The Hungary U19 international left Liverpool four years ago after spending two years in the club’s academy.

His younger brother Erik currently plays for Liverpool, catching the eye at under-18 level during the 2025-2026 season.

Farkas looks set to become the fifth Hungarian on the books at Liverpool, joining his younger brother, Milos Kerkez, Dominik Szoboszlai, and Armin Pecsi.

Liverpool Need Senior Additions on Top

Although signing young talent for the future will be important for Liverpool going forward, they also need to ensure they strengthen their senior squad.

It was a disappointing 2025/2026 season for the Merseyside club, even though they managed to qualify for the Champions League.

Liverpool finished in fifth place, which thankfully was given as an extra Champions League place for the Premier League, avoiding it being a completely disastrous campaign.

Improvements are needed on and off the pitch, especially after a disappointing summer transfer window last year, in hindsight, with multiple players failing to make an impact.