Four years have pbaded since Brazil's disastrous 7-1 semifinal defeat to Germany in the World Cup that it hosts, but it seems that Brazil is returning to its best record before this summer's tournament.
The arrival of Tite in 2016 signaled the start of a new dawn for Canarinho after two years floating on the road with former manager Dunga. The Brazilian leader has restored the arrogance of the nation and allowed the squadrons to attack the stars to express themselves freely.
Neymar, Gabriel Jesus and Philippe Coutinho are the protagonists of the soccer style that many expect Brazil to bring to Russia, and all eyes will be shown to be in the battle of the fitness of the PSG star throughout each stage of the competition.
Many expect Brazil to make a statement this time after the disappointment of 2014, and it is being rated one of the favorites to win the World Cup, a title that has eluded the five-time champions for 16 years.
How they qualified
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Brazil overwhelmed their South American counterparts on their way to Russia by becoming the first team to qualify for the summer tournament in addition to the hosts. During the qualifiers, Brazil won 12 victories and suffered a single defeat, which was against Chile in its first game.
The arrival of Tite in 2016 transformed Brazil and restored the momentum of attack that was lost under Dunga, when the Seleção scored 30 goals in its 12 final clbadifications, compared to the 11 that they scored in the first six .
The exciting qualifying campaign saw a lot of attacking talents, as Gabriel Jesus scored seven goals, with Neymar and Paulinho scoring six each to establish a dominant 10-point lead over Uruguay, which ranks second.
Group Stage Games
Brazil joined Group E and has its first scheduled game against Switzerland on June 17, in what is the most difficult game on paper at this stage.
The Canarinho will have a burning desire to redeem themselves after their last exhibition in the World Cup, and they are expected to fire their weapons against the Swiss, as they will be desperate to lead their group to establish a clash with the runner-up. from Group F in the last 16.
The clash against Serbia on June 27 will see Tite's side facing a defensively astute setup, which is controlled by veterans Aleksandar Kolarov, Branislav Ivanovic and Nemanja Matic. Serbia is expected to fight for second place with Switzerland.
While Brazil is the firm favorite to lead the group, Costa Rica should not be underestimated when the two sides meet in St. Petersburg on June 22, as the Ticos could emerge. as a surprise package once again after reaching the quarterfinals the last time.
Possible route to the final
Brazil is expected to lead its group, and if it does, it would coincide with the Group F runner-up in the last 16-a group of potential opponents containing Germany , Mexico, Sweden and South Korea.
If everything goes as expected, Brazil will avoid an early revenge match with the Germans and probably coincide with Mexico, although Sweden and South Korea should not be underestimated either. The second match from there to the final is not easy, as the quarter-final phase could provoke a clash against Belgium, which has yet to prove that its stars are capable of participating in a major tournament but that it has the quality to head any team. in the world.
A victory there could set up a showdown with France's favorite, which is backed by a terrifying amount of depth throughout the team and will be looking at the trophy after falling into the final hurdle at Euro 2016 in his home. floor.
If Brazil reaches the final, it is more likely that Spain or Germany are waiting. Simply hearing the name of the latter should be enough motivation.
List of squads
Tite's 23-man squad for the Brazil World Cup this summer includes:
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Cbadio.
Defenders: Marcelo, Danilo, Filipe Luis, Fagner, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Miranda, Pedro Geromel.
Midfielders: Willian, Fernandinho, Paulinho, Casemiro, Philippe Coutinho, Renato Augusto, Fred.
Forwards: Neymar, Gabriel Jesus, Roberto Firmino, Douglas Costa, Taison.
Expected Listing
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(4-3-3): Alisson; Marcelo, Marquinhos, Silva, Miranda; Casemiro, Fernandinho, Paulinho; Coutinho, Neymar, Jesus
Perspective
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It is difficult to look beyond Brazil when evaluating which two nations are destined to line up in the final in Moscow on July 15, as the abundance of talent throughout the ranks they claim that they can answer any number of questions raised by the opposition.
Tite has his side shooting at all cylinders after a 20-game losing streak with a single loss since he took over. At that time, Brazil scored 44 goals at that time, averaging more than two goals per game with their manager at the top and an indication that the Seleção has returned to its free scoring form.
A strong spine that includes players like Alisson, Marquinhos, Casemiro and Neymar make Brazil score, with the key of Real Madrid midfield as a key to establish the pace that the rest of the team uses to launch the attack.
Question marks will remain on the fitness of Neymar's match at the start of the tournament, although he looked very good to score on his return against Croatia on June 3, since Brazil can not afford to lose its star. he did it in 2014. The rest of the squad is more balanced and capable, but the forward raises his game to another level in the national shirt and provides a potential for difference that few nations in the world possess.
Brazil is expected to at least reach the semi-final, where a likely encounter with France would be the decisive moment. The victory against Les Bleus would see Brazil marked as a favorite against alleged fellow finalists in Spain or Germany.
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