Scotland player ratings vs Brazil: Vinícius Júnior dominates as McKenna's error costs Scotland

Vinícius Júnior was the best player on the pitch in Scotland's 0-3 defeat to Brazil, and the ratings reflected it. He scored twice in the first half, had a third effort ruled out by VAR and kept finding the same space whenever Scotland backed off. The damage started early, when Scott McKenna's pocket-picking error at seven minutes handed Brazil their opener.

Vinícius Júnior set the tone

The first goal came after Rayan took the ball from McKenna in his own box, leaving Scotland on the back foot almost immediately. Vinícius then added a second before the interval, which is why the game felt over long before the final whistle.

One rating put it bluntly: Craig Swan wrote that Angus Gunn was "completely exposed against Vinicius Jnr when McKenna's major error left him one-on-one against the superstar." He also described McKenna's return from injury as a "nightmare entrance to the tournament" after the early mistake gifted the opener.

The scale of the Brazilian forward's influence was obvious enough in the numbers. Vinícius Júnior scored two goals, had one disallowed, and kept pulling Scotland's back line apart with the same direct running. Matheus Cunha added Brazil's third on the hour, but the contest had already been decided by then.

Scotland's night went sideways early

Andy Robertson lasted only 45 minutes of his 97th cap before being substituted at halftime. That says plenty about how badly Scotland were being stretched, especially down that side, where Brazil kept finding room.

McKenna's rating was a 4, and that feels fair given how costly the first error was. Scotland also failed to score, so the defensive issues stood out even more in a match where Brazil never really looked under pressure.

Steve Clarke's side have now conceded in the opening minutes for a second straight game, after going behind in 70 seconds against Morocco and then after seven minutes against Brazil. The pattern is becoming hard to ignore, and it is the part of this defeat that will concern Scotland most before the next match against Scotland vs Brazil.