Team Sheet: Brazil

Written by Vidit Bhandarkar

These notes were gathered in preparation for our panel discussion of the favorites and dark horses for this year’s World Cup in Russia.

Manager: Adenor Leonardo Bacchi, commonly known as Tite, (no notable playing career)
- 19 games managed, 15W, 3D, 1L, 78.95% win percentage (appointed after Dunga in 2016, due to Dunga’s poor performances)
- “We’re not in the comfort zone stage but rather a confidence zone stage.”
2^nd in FIFA rankings
Odds: 5-1 (Brazil look like a new team playing with passion and flare. Tite has done well)
- Brazil is second favorite to win the WC, behind Germany
Winners of the South American section ahead of Uruguay, Argentina, and Colombia (in that order)
- Won 12, drew 5, lost 1
Brazil have won five times, and they are the only team to have played in every tournament (20 appearances).
- 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002 – Winners
Group E
- Switzerland
- Costa Rica
- Serbia
Won group with Mexico, Croatia, and Cameroon in 2014
- Knocked out 7-1 by Germany in Semi-Finals
  - Humiliating loss at home, so they have a point to prove in 2018
- Lost the third-place consolation game against Netherlands 3-0
Lost group stage (3^rd place) with Peru, Ecuador, and Haiti in Copa America 2016
- Brazil tumble out of Copa América in group stage after Peru’s handball goal (Peru won the game 1-0)
Latest friendlies
- Brazil 1-0 Germany
- Brazil 3-0 Russia

Squad
- 15 of 23 spots have been confirmed
- Goalkeepers: Allison (Roma)
- Defenders: Dani Alves (Paris Saint-Germain), Marquinhos (Paris Saint-Germain), Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain), Miranda (Internazionale), Marcelo (Real Madrid).
- Midfielders: Casemiro (Real Madrid), Fernandinho (Manchester City), Willian (Chelsea), Renato Augusto (Beijing Guoan), Paulinho (Barcelona), Coutinho (Barcelona).
- Forwards: Neymar (Paris Saint-Germain), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Gabriel Jesus (Manchester City)
Potential Picks for the last 8 spots:
- Goalkeepers: Ederson (City), Cassion (Corinthians), Neto (Valencia)
- Defenders: Felipe Luis (Atletico Madrid), Danilo (City), Alex Sandro (Juventus), David Luiz (Chelsea)
- Midfielders: Taison (Shakhtar), Giuliano (Fenerbahce), Oscar (Shanghai SIPG), Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg)
- Forwards: Douglas Costa (Juventus)

References:

Atkins, C. (n.d.). Predicting the Brazil Squad for the 2018 World Cup. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2126293-predicting-the-brazil-squad-for-the-2018-world-cup

FIFA.com. (n.d.-a). 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia^TM – Qualifiers – South America. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/southamerica/index.html

FIFA.com. (n.d.-b). The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking – Associations – Brazil – Men’s. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/associations/association=bra/men/index.html

FIFA.com. (n.d.-c). The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking – Ranking Table. Retrieved April 29, 2018, from http://www.fifa.com/fifa-world-ranking/ranking-table/men/index.html

International Friendly: England vs Brazil – Lineups, Preview and Prediction. (2017, November 14). Retrieved April 29, 2018, from https://realsport101.com/news/sports/football/international-friendly-england-vs-brazil-lineups-preview-and-prediction/

Lutz, T. (2016, June 13). Brazil tumble out of Copa América in group stage after Peru’s handball goal. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/football/2016/jun/12/brazil-copa-america-handball-peru

sport, G. (2017, December 1). World Cup 2018: team-by-team guide to all 32 countries. The Guardian. Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/football/2017/dec/01/world-cup-2018-team-by-team-guide

World Cup 2018: Brazil confirms most of their squad for Russia, Neymar and Coutinho are in. (n.d.). Retrieved April 29, 2018, from https://www.cbssports.com/soccer/news/world-cup-2018-brazil-confirms-most-of-their-squad-for-russia/