Manager: Luis Felipe Scolari
Best finish: Winners (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002)
World Cup record: Played 104, Won 71, Drawn 16, Lost 17.
History
Hosts for the second time, Brazil are the only country to have taken part in every World Cup to date ahead of a 20th back on home soil, 64 years after the pain of finishing runner-up to Uruguay in Rio. They have won five since, finished second twice and third twice. It has been 12 years since their last win, in Japan/South Korea and achieved under Scolari, which will no doubt crank up the pressure from an expectant fanbase, but a 3-0 Confederations Cup final win over Spain last year proved they are up to the task.
Whiteboard
We reckon Scolari will favour a 4-2-3-1 but with the talent at his disposal he can, and has, experimented with a number of formations. Most, however, generally reflect the fact that he has no talismanic striker, per se, but an accomplished finisher in Fred and a wealth of talent behind him in Oscar, Neymar, Willian, Hulk et al. His full-backs - Dani Alves, Rafinha and Marcelo - will also be key.
All Star - Neymar
Didn’t quite live up to his billing in a debut season at Barca that has been tarnished by the small matter of his old man getting paid millions on the sly by the not-so-squeeky-clean Catalans, but he’s a key player in Brazil’s attack and is capable on his day of making vast swathes of opponents look rather foolish.
County Colours - Kerry
Cute hoors and iffy politicians, but them lads can sure play football.
Pundit’s Corner - Roy Keane
“Ghost of 1950? Give me a break, you’ve got your Oss-carrrs, you’ve got Neyyy-marrrs, just go out and win the bloody thing!”
Prospects
Strong favourites at around 3/1. Anything that doesn't end in the lifting of the trophy is failure. Scolari is talking a good game, his side have welcomed the pressure and expectation so far but there are no gimmes at this level and, unlike some, Brazil are almost guaranteed three tough games - Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon - before they even get out of Group A when they could meet one from Spain, Chile or Holland.
FINAL SQUAD
Goalkeepers: 1 Jefferson (Botafogo), 12 Julio Cesar (Toronto FC/Can), 22 Victor (AtleticoMineiro).
Defenders: 2 Dani Alves (Barcelona/Esp), 3 Thiago Silva (Paris St Germain/Fra), 4 David Luiz (Paris St Germain/Fra), 6 Marcelo (Real Madrid/Esp), 13 Dante (Bayern Munich/Ger), 14 Maxwell (Paris St Germain, Fra), 15 Henrique (Napoli/Ita); 23 Maicon (Inter Milan, Ita).
Midfielders: 5 Fernandinho (Manchester City/Eng), 8 Paulinho (Tottenham/Eng), 11 Oscar (Chelsea/Eng), 16 Ramires (Chelsea/Eng), 17 Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg/Ger), 18 Hernanes (Inter Milan/Ita), 19 Willian (Chelsea/Eng).
Forwards: 7 Hulk (Zenit St Petersburg/Rus), 9 Fred (Fluminense), 10 Neymar (Barcelona/Esp), 20 Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk/Ukr), 21 Jo (Atletico Mineiro).
STARTING LINE-UPS
BRAZIL (v Croatia): 12 Julio Cesar; 2 Dani Alves, 3 Thiago Silva, 4 David Luiz, 6 Marcelo; 8 Paulinho (18 Hernanes, 63 mins), 17 Luiz Gustavo (yc); 11 Oscar, 10 Neymar (yc) (16 Ramires, 88 mins), 7 Hulk (20 Bernard, 68 mins); 9 Fred.
BRAZIL (v Mexico): 12 Julio Cesar; 2 Dani Alves, 3 Thiago Silva (yc), 4 David Luiz, 6 Marcelo; 8 Paulinho, 17 Luiz Gustavo; 16 Ramires (yc) (20 Bernard, half-time) 11 Oscar (Willian, 84 mins), 10 Neymar; 9 Fred (21 Jo, 68 mins).
BRAZIL (v Cameroon): 12 Julio Cesar; 2 Dani Alves, 3 Thiago Silva, 4 David Luiz, 6 Marcelo; 8 Paulinho (5 Fernandinho, half-time), 17 Luiz Gustavo; 11 Oscar; 7 Hulk (16 Ramires, 63 mins), 10 Neymar (Willian, 71 mins); 9 Fred.
BRAZIL (v Chile): 12 Julio Cesar; 2 Dani Alves (yc), 3 Thiago Silva, 4 David Luiz, 6 Marcelo; 5 Fernandinho (16 Ramires, 72 mins), 17 Luiz Gustavo (yc); 11 Oscar (19 Willian, 106 mins), 7 Hulk (yc), 10 Neymar; 9 Fred (21 Jo (yc), 64 mins).
Luis Gustavo missed the quarter-final against Colombia after picking up a second yellow card in the tournament.
BRAZIL (v Colombia): 12 Julio Cesar (yc); 23 Maicon, 3 Thiago Silva (yc), 4 David Luiz, 6 Marcelo; 5 Fernandinho, 8 Paulinho (18 Hernanes, 86 mins); 7 Hulk (16 Ramires, 88 mins), 11 Oscar, 10 Neymar (15 Henrique, 88 mins); 9 Fred.
Thiago Silva missed the semi-final against Germany after picking up a second yellow card.
Neymar was ruled out of the rest of the tournament with a broken vertabra.
BRAZIL (v Germany): 12 Julio Cesar; 23 Maicon, 4 David Luiz, 13 Dante (yc), 6 Marcelo; 5 Fernandinho (8 Paulinho, half-time), 17 Luiz Gustavo; 7 Hulk (16 Ramires, half-time), 11 Oscar, 20 Bernard; 9 Fred (19 Willian, 69 mins).
BRAZIL (v Netherlands): 12-Julio Cesar; 23-Maicon, 3-Thiago Silva, 14-Maxwell, 4-David Luiz; 17-Luiz Gustavo (Fernandinho 46'), 8-Paulinho (Hernanes 57'), 11-Oscar, 16-Ramires (Hulk 73'), 19-Willian; 21-Jo
