Brazil set up nine mannequins as Japan's deep block — and drilled how to break it

Nine mannequins, standing in for Japan

At Brazil's training ground in Morristown, New Jersey, the coaching staff placed nine mannequins on the pitch: five across the back line, four in midfield — the defensive shape Ancelotti's assistants expect Japan to use when they don't have the ball. Saturday's session was spent on how to break that low block (Estadao/InfoMoney, Terra).

Brazil's plan to do so is concrete: move the ball quickly to shift the opponent to one side, run in behind, and build numerical advantage on the flanks to open the block from the outside. The deeper Japan sit, the more it becomes a question of how to use the width of the penalty area — and Brazil have been rehearsing on that premise.

Tournament rules require teams to train in the host city the day before a knockout match. Brazil flew to Houston on the 27th and will hold their eve-of-match session on the 28th at the stadium of MLS side Houston Dynamo (Estadao/InfoMoney).

A settled XI, for the first time in 15 games

There is another telling detail in the preparation: across 15 matches since taking over in May 2025, Ancelotti can keep the same starting XI for the first time. Carrying the momentum of a 3-0 win over Scotland, the projected lineup — reported in agreement by several Brazilian outlets — is Alisson; Danilo, Gabriel Magalhaes, Marquinhos, Douglas Santos; Casemiro, Bruno Guimaraes, Paqueta; Rayan, Matheus Cunha and Vinicius (Estadao/InfoMoney, Terra, Itatiaia).

The right flank is without Raphinha, who did not travel with the squad because of a right-thigh muscle injury; his best case is a round-of-16 return, more realistically the quarter-finals. Filling that gap is young Rayan, named in the starting XI. Matheus Cunha takes the central role, with Neymar kept on the bench as a second-half option. A day earlier there had been talk of using Neymar as a 'false nine' closer to goal; the latest projected XI leans instead toward Cunha through the middle.

How Brazil frames 'last year's 3-2'

That Brazil are not taking Japan lightly is clear from the coach's words. But alongside the caution, the local coverage also carries a certain framing.

As a matter of fact, on October 14 last year in Tokyo, Japan beat Brazil 3-2. Brazil led 2-0 in the first half through Paulo Henrique and Gabriel Martinelli, then conceded a second-half comeback to Minamino, Keito Nakamura and Ueda — the first defeat Brazil had ever suffered against Japan (ESPN).

Brazil's major press adds a note to that match: the defense that day was largely a reserve unit, and not one of the defenders who started is in this World Cup squad (Estadao/InfoMoney). The result — a Japan win — does not change. But on the Brazilian side, that loss is remembered as a game played without their best defense. How an opponent frames the rematch is worth seeing from Japan's side too.

Japan prepare without their pivot

Japan, meanwhile, work on without their attacking pivot. Takefusa Kubo continues to rehab the left knee he hurt against the Netherlands; he has resumed change-of-direction and ball work, but is widely expected to miss the Brazil match. The team began in a small group before heading to Houston (Gekisaka). Japan's all-time record against Brazil is one win, two draws and 11 losses (Soccer King).

A Brazil XI drilled to break a block, against a Japan side that will sit and defend — the 15th meeting of the two kicks off at 2 a.m. Japan time on June 30 at NRG Stadium in Houston, shown on Fuji TV, NHK BS and DAZN.