World Cup 2022 Team Preview - Brazil

Brazil's odds to win the World Cup

4/1

Best World Cup

Winner 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002

2018 World Cup

Quarter-final

Brazil's World Cup Schedule

• Read a full Group G summary here

Road to Qatar

It didn't surprise many to see Brazil cruise serenely through their CONMEBOL World Cup qualification group. Twelve of their fourteen wins were by a margin of at least two goals, including three straight 4-0 successes to close their campaign. A goalless draw in Argentina proved they can grind out ugly results against quality opposition when necessary, and that stalemate kept their arch rivals at bay to ensure that their return game, originally suspended because of Covid issues, did not have to be played.

Recent form

Brazil have taken their qualifying form seamlessly into their World Cup preparations, with impressive 5-1 victories over South Korea and Tunisia in June and September bookending other winning performances against Japan (1-0) and Ghana (3-0). They will kick off their opening World Cup group games against Serbia with the confidence of 24 wins from their last 29 outings, drawing 4 and with just a solitary 1-0 reversal against Argentina in July 2021 blotting the copybook.

Brazil squad

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Liverpool), Ederson (Manchester City), Weverton (Palmeiras)

Defenders: Dani Alves (UNAM), Danilo (Juventus), Alex Sandro (Juventus), Alex Telles (Sevilla), Bremer (Juventus), Eder Militao (Real Madrid), Marquinhos (PSG), Thiago Silva (Chelsea)

Midfielders: Casemiro (Manchester United), Everton Ribeiro (Flamengo), Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle), Fabinho (Liverpool), Fred (Manchester United), Lucas Paqueta (West Ham)

Forwards: Antony (Manchester United), Gabriel Jesus (Arsenal), Gabriel Martinelli (Arsenal), Neymar (PSG), Pedro (Flamengo), Raphinha (Barcelona), Rodrygo (Real Madrid), Richarlison (Tottenham Hotspur), Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid).

Team insights

Probable formation: 4-3-3 When it comes to Brazil, a pre-set formation can sometimes seem almost meaningless, such is the fluidity of their line-up and their innate ability to combine intricate passing with expansive flair. Almost unbelievably, Neymar will lead the line as one of Brazil's elder statesmen, leaving head coach Tite to choose from an embarrassment of attacking riches as strike partners, with the names of Richarlison, Martinelli, Raphinha, Antony, Gabriel Jesus and Vicinius Junior all springing readily to mind. Tite is also spoilt for choice at the back, starting with a tricky choice between Alisson and Ederson in goal, with whoever gets the nod having the experience of Thiago Silva and Marquinhos marshalling the defensive unit in front of him. In the middle of the park, Casemiro, Fred and Fabinho are likely to contend for the boring midfield grunt work of winning and keeping possession before supplying their more expansive team mates in the final third.

World Cup prospects

Just about every previous World Cup has seen Brazil kick off as one of the tournament favourites, but it's worth remembering that since the halcyon days of Pele in 1970, Brazil have only reached three of the twelve subsequent World Cup Finals, with victories in 1994 and 2002 sandwiching 1998’s defeat in France. Just as in 2018, Serbia and Switzerland will be no pushovers in the early stages, but assuming Brazil are switched on from the outset, then they should top their group comfortably and also negotiate the Group H runner-up with no alarms in the next round. Best hope: Favourites (again!) to go all the way

Read more about each of Brazil's Group G opponents:

Switzerland, Serbia, Cameroon