Their manager: Luis
Felipe Scolari
Their squad:
Goalkeepers: Julio
Cesar (Toronto FC), Jefferson (Botafogo), Victor (Atletico Mineiro)
Defenders: Dani
Alves (Barcelona), Maicon (Roma), Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain), David
Luiz (Chelsea), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Dante (Bayern Munich), Maxwell (Paris
Saint-Germain), Henrique (Napoli)
Midfielders: Willian
(Chelsea), Oscar (Chelsea), Ramires (Chelsea), Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur),
Hernanes (Internazionale), Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Fernandinho (Manchester
City), Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk)
Forwards: Neymar
(Barcelona), Hulk (Zenit St. Petersburg), Fred (Fluminense), Jo (Atletico
Mineiro)
Projected Formation:
4-2-1-3
Match Schedule:
·
Brazil vs.
Croatia, June 12, Sao Paulo, 4 p.m. EST
·
Brazil vs.
Mexico, June 17, Fortaleza, 3 p.m. EST
·
Cameroon vs.
Brazil, June 23, Brasilia, 4 p.m. EST
Why they will win the
World Cup:
If everything ends the way it is supposed to, on July 13,
Brazil will be lifting the World Cup trophy at the Marcana. A host country has
not won the World Cup since France did so in 1998, and it is due to happen
again. No European country has won a World Cup hosted in North or South
America. Brazil are five time champions and adding a sixth would signal the
arrival of their new “Golden Generation” following their triumph last summer in
the Confederation’s Cup. With home crowds and the entire country cheering them
on, they will enjoy one of the greatest home field advantages in the tournament’s
history.
Why they will not
win:
Pressure. There will be an immense burden on the shoulders
of the Brazilian players and manager Luiz Felipe Scolari. Some pundits are suggesting
that home crowds will be uneasy if Brazil don’t score in the opening minutes of
every match. Will their fans be happy with a squad that grinds out the results required
to progress or will they demand the attacking flair and beauty that their
country is traditionally known for? The club also has a noticeable lack of
depth at the striker position, with only domestics Fred and Jo featuring for
the squad.
Three players to
watch:
Neymar: No player
has attracted as much attention heading into the tournament as Neymar. He is
the all action man for Brazil and will feature on their left wing. Blessed with
breathtaking speed and technical brilliance, Neymar is capable of producing
spectacular goals and providing equally brilliant assists. After what many
considered to be a disappointing first season with Barcelona, Neymar is eager
to show the world that he is capable of living up to all his hype.
Hulk: Fresh off a
successful club season with Zenit St. Petersburg, where Hulk captured the
competition’s MVP award and fell just one goal short of the competition’s top
scorer with 17. Hulk will likely feature on the right side of the Brazilian
formation, away from the traditional striker position which he can also play. Hulk
enjoys cutting in from the right side and firing laser shots on goal with his
left foot. With a game to live up to his superhero moniker, Hulk will make a
lot of heads turn in Brazil.
Thiago Silva: Widely
considered to be the best central defender in the world, there is no player
that more aptly fits the label of complete defender. As captain of the Selecao,
he will shoulder the weight of an entire nation as he leads a defense that is
capable of contributing on both ends of the field. Fresh off a Ligue 1 title
with PSG, Silva should be in good shape after getting lots of rest going into
the tournament. Silva’s biggest challenge may be developing defensive cohesion
among maverick defenders Dani Alves, Marcelo, and David Luis.
Projected Finish:
Brazil should easily win Group A outright and I would be very surprised to see them eliminated before the semi-final. They are my pick to win it all.
Projected Finish:
Brazil should easily win Group A outright and I would be very surprised to see them eliminated before the semi-final. They are my pick to win it all.
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