Two Liverpool veterans who played hundreds of matches together will meet on opposite sides of the barricade. Robertson is used to trusting Alisson with his back, but now he will have to anticipate his decisions with the ball and read the trajectories of his throws. On this part of the pitch — in organizing play from the goalkeeper — much could be decided: how quickly Brazil will manage to restructure into attack through an experienced goalkeeper against a defender who knows his habits better than anyone.

McGinn is an experienced attack organizer, accustomed to the intensity of the Premier League and knowing how to build play through the center. Guimarães is younger and more dynamic, used to pressing and quick transitions in the English championship. The duel of two midfielders of different generations and temperaments will determine who dictates the rhythm in midfield.

Clarke builds Scotland on the principles of the English school — discipline, compactness, use of set pieces. Ancelotti came to Brazil to instill European tournament thinking into a team with an abundance of talent. A meeting of two generations of coaching philosophy: conservative order against aristocratic mastery.