4 min readUpdated: Jun 28, 2026 11:28 AM IST With seven goals apiece, averaging 2.33 per game, Brazil and Japan boast two of the most prolific attacks at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. From a purely statistical standpoint, there is little to separate them. Choosing the more potent attack, hence, would have been a matter of opinion if they were not to meet in a round of 32 fixture on Monday. Brazil versus Japan headlines the first wave of knockout fixtures as the bracket for the last 32 is finally set following a captivating group stage. Here’s a quick look at five matches from those 16 that you can ill-afford to miss: Brazil vs Japan Only five teams have scored more goals in the group stage than Brazil and Japan, which highlights the potency in their respective attacks. Though, there is a characteristic difference: seven of Brazil’s eight goals have come from the pair of Vinicius Junior and Matheus Cunha. Japan, on the contrary, believe in the philosophy of decentralisation, having found five scorers so …