Brazil beat Ecuador 1-0 on Friday to get their qualification for the 2026 World Cup off to a better start after four bad games. The only goal was made by Rodrygo.

Rodrygo’s goal that was stopped in the 30th minute was enough to give Brazil all three points. South America was halfway through the qualifying rounds when Brazil played on Friday in Curitiba. They were in sixth place.

After their third win in qualifying, they moved up to fourth place with 10 points from seven games, but they are still eight points behind France, who is in first place.

In 2026, the World Cup will be held in the US, Canada, and Mexico. It will have room for 48 teams. Only the top six teams from South America will immediately be sent to the event. The seventh-placed South American team moves on to a play-off between teams from different confederations.

In recent foreign events, Brazil hasn’t done very well. They lost in the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup and in this year’s Copa America, they didn’t get past the last eight.

It was clear again against Ecuador on Friday that they haven’t been able to move the ball well lately. They had the ball for a long time, but only managed three shots on goal, so they didn’t have many clear chances to score.

Rodrygo scored around the half-hour mark by picking up the ball on the edge of the area, touching it, and then shooting from 25 yards out. The Real Madrid player who took the shot hit Willian Pacho in the head before it went in off the post.