Poyet left speechless by Igor Thiago's glaring header miss as Morocco lead Brazil at World Cup

Brazil striker Igor Thiago wasted one of the clearest chances of the World Cup 2026 group stage, heading wide from inside the six-yard box in the 14th minute of their Group C opener against Morocco, before the Africans took the lead shortly after.

The Brentford forward’s effort — recorded at a staggering 0.52 expected goals, a figure that reflects just how straightforward the opportunity was — sailed toward the corner flag with the score level at 0-0. Morocco capitalised on the reprieve, opening the scoring 10 minutes later to lead at half-time.

Gus Poyet, on punditry duty in the BBC studio, could barely contain himself. “I cannot say what I said about his miss off-air,” the Uruguayan manager and former player admitted, leaving little to the imagination about the strength of his private verdict.

The miss threatened to reshape the narrative of a match in which Morocco had been the dominant side for long stretches. The reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions — who earned that title in unusual circumstances after Senegal were disqualified following a final they had won — carried themselves with the authority of a team that belongs at the top table of international football.

Morocco’s rise has been well-documented since their run to the 2022 World Cup semi-finals, but their display against one of the tournament favourites suggested that story has further chapters to write. Had Thiago converted, the complexion of the half — and perhaps the wider perception of Morocco’s performance — would have looked very different.

Brazil, widely regarded as contenders for the expanded 48-team tournament, will need a sharper cutting edge in the second half if they are to avoid an opening-game defeat.