Vinicius Jr. just did something no Brazilian has managed in nearly a quarter century. By scoring in all three of Brazil’s group stage matches at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Real Madrid forward joined Ronaldo and Rivaldo as the only Seleção players to accomplish the feat since the legendary 2002 squad lifted the trophy in Yokohama.

A tournament-defining run through the group stage

The milestone began taking shape on June 13, 2026, when Vinicius scored Brazil’s first goal of the entire tournament. It came in a 1-1 draw against Morocco at MetLife Stadium.

The second group match saw Vinicius shift into a different gear entirely. In Brazil’s 3-0 demolition of Haiti on June 20, 2026, he both scored and provided an assist.

Vinicius was directly involved in all four of Brazil’s goals across their opening two group matches. Across his last six World Cup appearances, spanning both the 2022 and 2026 tournaments, Vinicius has racked up six goal involvements.

Context from 2022 to 2026

The 2026 World Cup is co-hosted by Canada, Mexico, and the United States and features an expanded 48-team format, meaning more matches and more opportunities for elite players to separate themselves from the pack.

What this means for Brazil’s knockout ambitions

Brazil’s World Cup history is a paradox. They’re the most successful nation in the tournament’s history with five titles, yet they haven’t won it since that magical 2002 campaign. Ronaldo scored eight goals in the 2002 tournament. Rivaldo added five.

FIFA and multiple sports outlets have highlighted this milestone in June 2026. Six goal involvements in six World Cup appearances is the kind of consistency that separates good international players from great ones.