Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva has declared his confidence that Brazil will defeat Morocco in their opening Group C fixture at the 2026 World Cup on Saturday night.

Lula made the prediction following a meeting of Brazil's Council for Sustainable Economic and Social Development, telling reporters he expects the Seleção to start the tournament with a win.

"I honestly think Brazil will win. I have made mistakes in my predictions before, in 1982 and 1986, but this time I want our team to succeed."

The president went further, insisting that any winning margin would do: "If Brazil wins by half a goal to zero, that would be good enough for me. But I believe they will win."

High-stakes Group C opener

The match is scheduled for Saturday at 11 p.m. local time (GMT+1) and will serve as the curtain-raiser for Group C, which also includes Scotland and Haiti.

The fixture carries enormous weight. Morocco arrive at the tournament buoyed by their historic run to the semi-finals at Qatar 2022, while Brazil bring a squad loaded with attacking talent and the weight of a nation's expectations.

Lula's reference to 1982 and 1986 — two of Brazil's most painful World Cup exits — underlines how deeply those wounds still run, and how much the country is counting on the current generation to deliver.

His comments capture a broader national mood in Brazil, where football is inseparable from identity and pride. Whether the Seleção justify his faith or Morocco produce another giant-killing moment on the world stage, this opener promises to be one of the most compelling matches of the entire tournament.