• Team & Event Information: 2 - Organization & Leadership 4 - Travel 4 - Contact 5 - Player Profiles 19 - Schedule 20 - Team Roster 21 - Opponent Information • Season Review: 24 - All-Time World Cup Results 25 - Major Events 27 - Coaching History Records & Achievements 28 - Upcoming Group Stage Matches 31 - Brazil’s Honors, Records, & Awards 32 - How Brazil Qualifies to Host the World Cup
Head Coach: Luiz Felipe Scolari Luiz Felipe Scolari, the current Head Coach of the Brazilian national soccer team, was born on November 9th, 1948, in Passo Fundo, Rio Grande Do Sul. A descendant of Italian immigrants, Scolari grew up in Brazil and has worked as a former defender. However, because of his generally poor skills, he retired as a player in 1982 and instead worked up the managerial side of the sport, becoming a World Cup-winning football manager. He won the World Cup for Brazil in 2002, landed Portugal in 4th place in 2006, and returned as Brazil’s Head Coach again in 2012. This famous football manager is possibly most well-known for his passion on the sidelines. He always tries to keep his team members from external pressures and allows more freedom then the average coach. Scolari has been known to really foster team spirit and encourage the teams he works with before important performances.
Assistant Coach: Flávio Murtosa Flávio Teixeira, otherwise known as Flávio Murtosa, was born January 14, 1951 in Pelotas, Brazil. In the past he was a football player himself, but now he works as a team manager. He is good friends with Luiz Felipe Scolari and currently works as his Assistant Manager for the Brazilian national team. He has received many honors while working with Scolari, including winning the FIFA World Cup in 2002 for Brazil.
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Fitness Coach: Paulo Paixão Paulo Paixão was born on March 23, 1951 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He got a degree in Physical Education at the Integrated College Castelo Branco of Rio de Janeiro. Paixão’s studies specialized in soccer and exercise physiology. Currently, he is well-known for his work as a fitness trainer. Throughout his career, he has worked on many technical committees , including the Guild, the International, the CSKA, and the Brazilian national team. He has helped win various titles such as Champion of the World Cup in 1994 for the Brazilian national team and the FIFA Club World Cup Champion in 2006. He has worked for the past World Cup in 2010 and is working again as the Fitness Coach for the Brazilian team in the World Cup 2014.
Technical Coordinator: Carlos Alberto Parreira Carlos Alberto Gomes Parreira was born on February 27th, 1943, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. As a former football manager he has managed a number of teams from 1967 to 2012. Parreira has also incurred such honors as leading the Brazil national team to victory in the 1994 World Cup, the 2004 Copa América, and the 2005 Confederations Cup. Carlos Alberto is also known for his work with the Fluminense, a Brazilian football club based in the Rio de Janeiro. The club was founded in 1902 by aristocrats, and over the years, Parreira has served as the football team’s manager multiple times.
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The World Cup 2014 will take place in the following stadiums of Brazil: - Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro - Arena de São Paulo in São Paulo - Mineirão Statium in Belo Horizonte - Estádio Nacional de Brasilia in Brasilia - Arena Castelão in Fortaleza - Arena Fonte Nova in Salvador - Estádio Beira-Rio in Porto Alegre - Arena Pernambuco in Recife - Arena de Amazonia in Manaus - Arena Pantanal in Cuiabá - Arena das Dunas in Natal - Arena de Baixada in Curitiba
For any media inquiries, please contact FIFA: The FIFA Media Department email: mediabrazil@fifa.org Tel: 0800 030 2014 (Domestic) +55 800 0302014 (International) Internet: www.FIFA.com Twitter: @fifamedia YouTube/FIFAtv
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Jefferson: 1 Position: Goalkeeper Age: 31; January 2, 1983 Height: 6’ 2” (1.88 m) Weight: 176 lbs (80 kg) Club: Botafogo FR (Brazil) International Caps: 9 International Goals: 0
Dani Alves: 2 Position: Defender Age: 31; May 6, 1983 Height: 5’ 8” (1.73 m) Weight: 141 lbs (64 kg) Club: FC Barcelona (Spain) International Caps: 79 International Goals: 6
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Thaigo Silva: 3 Position: Defender Age: 29; September 22, 1984 Height: 6’ 0” (1.83 m) Weight: 174 lbs (79 kg) Club: Paris Saint-Germain FC (France) International Caps: 51 International Goals: 3
David Luiz: 4 Position: Defender Age: 27; April 22, 1987 Height: 6’ 2” (1.89 m) Weight: 185 lbs (84 kg) Club: Chelsea FC (England) International Caps: 41 International Goals: 2
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Fernandinho: 5 Position: Midfielder Height: 5’9 (1.76m) Weight: 146lbs (66 kg) Born: May 4, 1985 (Age 29), in Londrina, Paraná, Brazil Club: Manchester City FC (ENG) International Caps: 10 International Goals: 2
Marcelo: 6 Position: Defender Height: 5’8 (1.72m) Born: May 12, 1988 (Age 26), Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Club: Real Madrid CF (ESP) International Caps: 36 International Goals: 4
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Hulk: 7 Position: Forward Height: 5’11 (1.80m) Weight: 187lbs (85 kg) Born: July 25, 1986 (Age 27), Campina Grande, Paraiba, Brazil Club: FC Zenit St. Petersburg (RUS) International Caps: 39 International Goals: 9
Paulinho: 8 Position: Midfielder Height: 5’11 (1.80m) Weight: 157lbs (71 kg) Born: July 25, 1988 (Age 25), São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil Club: Tottenham Hotspur FC (ENG) International Caps: 30 International Goals: 5
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Fred: 9 Position: Forward Height: 6’1 (1.85m) Weight: 165lbs (75 kg) Born: October 3, 1983 (Age 30), in Teófilo Otoni, Brazil Club: Fluminense (Brazil) International Caps: 38 International Goals: 18
Brazilian National Team: 2014- In May he was named to the Brazilian World Cup Roster, his second call up for the World Cup in his career… 2013- Became the starting center forward and scored in a match against England at Wembley Stadium, he later scored again in the return match, becoming the first player to score in the renovated Estádio do Maracanã. In the FIFA Confederations Cup he was joint top scorer of the tournament with five goals and earned the Silver Shoe… 2012- Played in just one international friendly for Brazil, in which he scored against Argentina in the Superclásico de las Américas… 2011- In the Copa América he scored an 89th minute equalizer in a 2-2 draw against Paraguay… 2007- Had just two appearances with no goals scored… 2006- Although he did not participate in the qualifying games, he was named to the World Cup squad. He came on as a substitute against Australia and scored in the 90th minute to help the Seleção win 2-0… 2005- Made his debut for Brazil on April 27 as a substitute in a friendly against Guatemala. Scored his first international goals on November 12 in a friendly against the United Arab Emirates.
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Neymar: 10 Position: Forward Height: 5’8 (1.74m) Weight: 141lbs (64 kg) Born: February 5, 1992 (Age 22), in Mogi das Cruzes, Brazil Club: FC Barcelona (Spain) International Caps: 52 International Goals: 35
Brazilian National Team: 2014- Scored a hat trick during a friendly against South Africa in Johannesburg in March. Was named to Brazil’s squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in June… 2013- Was selected to play for the Brazilian team in the FIFA Confederations Cup, held in Brazil. Switched to the number 10 after previously wearing the number 11. Scored in three consecutive games in the FIFA Confederations Cup, was named Man of the Match in each of those games. Scored Brazil’s second goal of the final in a 3-0 win over Spain. Was awarded the Golden Ball for Player of the Tournament… 2012- Was selected to play for Brazil in the 2012 Summer Olympics in London where he won a silver medal. Scored his first full international hat trick against China on September 10th. Scored the game winner in a 2-1 win against Argentina in the first leg of the Superclásico de las Américas… 2011- Scored twice in a friendly game versus Scotland in March. Participated in the Copa América, was named Man of the Match in Brazil’s opening game against Ecuador. Scored two goals in the first round game against Argentina… 2010- Was first called up to the Brazil Senior team on July 26th for a friendly match versus the United States of America. Made his debut for the senior team on August 10th, started the match and wore the number 11. Scored off a header just 28 minutes into his debut game.
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Oscar: 11 Position: Midfield Height: 5’10 (1.80m) Weight: 150lbs (68 kg) Born: September 9, 1991 (Age 22), in Americana, Brazil Club: Chelsea (England) International Caps: 36 International Goals: 10
Brazilian National Team: 2014- Scored in an international friendly versus South Africa. Was called to join the Brazilian team in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, his first career World Cup call up… 2013- Scored a total of four goals in international friendly appearances for Brazil. Played in all of Brazil’s matches in the FIFA Confederations Cup, provided the assist for Neymar’s second goal. Helped Brazil beat World Cup champions Spain to win the FIFA Confederations Cup… 2012Received his first Senior Team call up in a game versus Argentina, came on as a substitute in an 0-0 draw. Scored his first international goal in a friend against Argentina on June 9th. Scored a penalty and recorded three assists against China in an 8-0 rout on September 10th. Earned a brace against Iraq in October. Earned a silver medal in the 2012 Summer Olympics. All goals in the Olympic tournament were either assisted or scored by Oscar and Neymar.
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Júlio César: 12 Position: Goalkeeper Height: 6’1 (1.86m) Weight: 174lbs (79 kg) Born: September 3, 1979 (Age 22), in Duque de Caxias, Brazil Club: Toronto FC (MLS) International Caps: 85 International Goals: 0
Brazilian National Team: 2014- Was named to Brazil’s FIFA World Cup squad on June 2nd… 2013- Was called to start in a friendly against England on February 6th. Started in a friendly 2-2 draw with Italy. Played a full 90 minutes in a 1-1 international friendly against Russia on March 25th. Was called to play in the FIFA Confederations Cup, he played in three Group A matches and kept two clean sheets. Saved a penalty kick taken by Diego Forlan in the semi final versus Uruguay. Brazil won 2-1 and the keeper was named Man of the Match. Won the FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Glove award for his outstanding performance in goal, keeping three clean sheets, the tournament’s best… 2012- Made four appearances in goal… 2011- Made seven appearances for the senior national team… 2010- Was named to Brazil’s FIFA World Cup squad for the second time in his career. Brazil was eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Netherlands… 2009- Played in the FIFA Confederations Cup. Brazil won, beating the United States of America 3-2 in the final… 2008- Made 11 appearances for the Brazilian senior team… 2007- Replaced Doni as the first choice keeper for the senior team… 2006- Was included in the Brazilian FIFA World Cup squad… 2005- Made one international friendly appearance… 2004- First international appearance came during the Copa América. He played in all six matches as the starting keeper. In the final match of the tournament against Argentina, he blocked one of the Argentinians’ shots, helping Brazil win 4-2… 2003- Had his first call up to the Brazilian senior team as a backup keeper for Dida for the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup. He did not play.
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Dante: 13 Position: Defender Height: 6’2 (1.88m) Weight: 192lbs (87 kg) Born: October 18, 1983 (Age 30), in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil Club: FC Bayern Muenchen (GER) International Caps: 12 International Goals: 2
Maxwell: 14 Position: Defender Height: 5’9 (1.76m) Weight: 161lbs (73 kg) Born: August 27, 1981 (Age 32), in Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Espirito Santo Brazil Club: Paris Saint-Germain FC (FRA) International Caps: 9 International Goals: 0
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Henrique: 15 Position: Defender Height: 6’1 (1.85m) Weight: 172lbs (78 kg) Born: October 14, 1986 (Age 27), in Teófilo Otoni, Brazil Club: SSC Napoli (ITA) International Caps: 6 International Goals: 0
Ramires: 16 Position: Right-sided Midfielder Height: 5’11 (1.80m) Weight: 161lbs (73 kg) Born: March 24, 1987 (Age 27), in Barra do Pirai, Rio de Janeirp Brazil Club: Chelsea FC (ENG) International Caps: 47 International Goals: 4
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Luiz Gustavo: 17 Position: Midfielder Height: 6’2 (1.88m) Weight: 172lbs (78 kg) Born: July 23, 1987 (Age 26), in Pindamonhangaba, Brazil Club: VfL Wolfsburg (Germany) International Caps: 23 International Goals: 1
Hernanes: 18 Position: Midfielder Height: 5’11 (1.80m) Weight: 168lbs (76 kg) Born: May 29, 1985 (Age 29), in Recife, Brazil Club: FC Internazionale (Italy) International Caps: 26 International Goals: 2
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Willian: 19 Position: Midfielder Height: 5’8 (1.76m) Weight: 165lbs (75 kg) Born: August 9, 1988 (Age 25), in Ribeirão Pires, Brazil Club: Chelsea FC (England) International Caps: 10 International Goals: 2
Bernard: 20 Position: Forward Height: 5’4 (1.66m) Weight: 126lbs (57 kg) Born: September 8, 1992 (Age 21), in Belo Horizonte, Brazil Club: Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) International Caps: 13 International Goals: 1
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JO: 21 Position: Forward Height: 6’2 (1.89m) Weight: 172lbs (78 kg) Born: March 20, 1987 (age 27), in São Paulo, Brazil Club: Athlético Mineiro (Brazil) International Caps: 19 International Goals: 5
Victor: 22 Position: Goalkeeper Height: 6’4 (1.93m) Weight: 185 lbs (84 kg) Born: January 21, 1983 (age 31), in Santo Anastácio, Brazil Club: Athlético Mineiro (Brazil) International Caps: 6 International Goals: 0
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Maicon: 23 Position: Defender Height: 6’0 (1.84m) Weight: 170lbs (77 kg) Born: July 26, 1981 (age 32), in Criciuma, Brazil Club: AS Roma (ITA) International Caps: 74 International Goals: 7
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Group A: Cameroon
How They Qualified: Cameroon secured their spot in the 2014 World Cup by beating Tunisia 4-1 in the Confederation of African Football Third-Round on November 17th, 2013. The CAF Third Round consisted of 10 African Teams competing for 5 slots to qualify for the World Cup in Brazil. Cameroon and Tunisia ended with a 0-0 draw in their first match of the two-legged knockout. Cameroon came into the next game strong and won with a score of 4-1 in the second match. Key Players: Samuel ETO’O will be making his 4th world cup appearance for Cameroon this June. ETO’O is nearing the end of his career at the age of 33 but has kept his eyes on the back of the net. The captain of the Cameroon Squad will be determined to upset opponents in what is likely to be his last world cup appearance. Another player to watch is Alexandre Song. The 26 year old is versatile which allows him to play at defensive back or central the midfield position. Song is best known for his accurate passing ability and quick attacking pace. His talents could cause troubles for opponents in this year’s World Cup. An up and coming player by the name of Vincent Aboubakar is eager to demonstrate his athletic ability and let his presence be known. The 22 year old center forward will be making his second World Cup appearance and will be determined to put on a better display than he did four years ago. In the French League Aboubakar has a total of 12 goals thus far and looks to add to his career total at the World Cup. Notable Past Performances: Cameroon’s most important game took place on November 17th, 2013. Cameroon and Tunisia were facing a scenario that determined whether or not they would compete in Brazil at the FIFA World Cup in 2014. It was the 2nd game of the two legged knockout series and each team was looking to make a statement after a 0-0 draw in game one. Within the first 5 minutes of the game Cameroon’s Pierre Webo eased the tension by scoring the first goal of the match. As the match continued Cameroon went on to score 3 more goals and only allow 1 by the visiting Tunisia. Cameroon proved to be a solid squad when facing a must win situation and controlled the pace for the entirety of the match. Cameroon’s performance could be replicated when they enter the stage in Brazil for the 2014 World Cup. Coach: Volker Finke was named the manager Cameroon’s National football team on May 22nd, 2013. The West Germany native and former player of TSV Havelse, turned his attention to coaching after his playing days. Finke has managed since 1975 and is best known for the 16 years he spent managing SC Freiburg (A German Football Club). Finke has lead Cameroon to a record of 5 wins 5 draws and 5 losses. He helped Cameroon qualify for the World Cup in 2014 and hopes to take his squad deep in the Cup.
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Group A: Croatia
How They Qualified: Croatia was part of UEFA qualifying group for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. That group consisted of Belgium, Croatia, Macedonia, Scotland, Serbia, and Wales. Croatia placed amongst the eight best and advanced to a twolegged playoff against Iceland. Croatia and Iceland were held to a 0-0 draw in the first game. Croatia then prevailed 2-0 and qualified for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Key Players: Croatia’s captain Darijo Srna, who wears No.11, is a presence for Croatia with his great leadership skills and veteran experience. His play on the wing always keeps opposing teams on edge, and he is best known for his crossing and free kick ability. Croatia’s other key players involve Midfielders Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic. Modric and Rakitic are heavily relied upon to be difference makers in the game. Modric’s controlling play at midfield in the English Premier League, has helped him gain recognition internationally. Modric wears the No.10 and is considered by many to be the face of Croatian soccer. Rakitic wears the No. 19 and he portrayed his skills in a 2014 qualifying game against Macedonia. He scored off a free kick to help the Croatians secure a 2-1 victory. He is a player that can strike at any moment especially when given an opportunity on a free kick. Notable Past Performances: (November 19th, 2014) - Croatia beat Iceland 2-0 in Zagreb to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The Croatia team dealt with injuries and played much of the tournament with 10 players. Mario Mandzukic opened the scoring in the 27th minute but was sent off shortly after the goal. The team’s numerical disadvantage worried players as they headed into the midway point. Just two minutes into the second half a young midfielder named Mateo Kovacic, set all worried aside with a goal for Croatia. After the spark set by Kovacic, Croatia continued to dominate Iceland and secure a spot in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Coach: Niko Kovac currently holds the Head Coach position for the Croatia National football team. He was best known as the former captain of Croatia before his retirement in 2009. On January 21, 2013, Kovac signed a two year contract and took over the head coaching duties from Igor Stimac after Croatia totaled one point in their last 4 qualifiers. Kovac and Croatia ended up qualifying for the 2014 World Cup and posed a group stage record of of 1 win, 0 draws, and 2 losses.
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Group A: Mexico
How They Qualified: Mexico qualified for the FIFA World Cup on the 20th of November, 2013. Mexico played New Zealand in the CONCACAF qualification playoff, due to a tie in the Oceania Qualifying tournament. The playoff consisted of two games played at each teams’ home field. Mexico won both of the games with scores of 5-1 and 4-2, to secure a spot in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Key Players: Mexico’s No. 4 Rafael Marquez, became the first player ever to captain a team four consecutive times in the FIFA World Cup. His experience and leadership basically gives Mexico a coach on the field. He will look to lead his defensive unit to stop goal scorers at all costs and could be the key to Mexico’s success. A rising star is a player named Guillermo Ochoa. Ochoa is a 28 year old goal keeper getting his first start in the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Ochoa has been a backup for Mexico’s National Team since 2006 and has gained experience and knowledge over the years. His 6 foot frame and cat like reflexes will create frustration for opponents throughout the World Cup. The last key player for Mexico is Forward Javier Hernandez. Although he has not scored for the team in over year he is always considered a threat. Wearing No. 14, the 26 year old has made his presence known in the past and will look to do so this year. Notable Past Performances: On November 20th, 2013 Mexico defeated New Zealand 4-2 in the second leg of the CONCACAF/Oceania intercontinental playoff. With that win it gave Mexico’s National team a 6th consecutive spot in the World Cup. Mexico’s own Oribe Perralta contributed three goals to help pave the way. The match looked like an easy win for Mexico, however, the score narrowed to a 3-2 Mexico advantage in the 83rd minute with New Zealand surging back. Carlos Pena of Mexico ended that surge with a goal in the 86th minute to help Mexico secure the victory. Coach: Miguel Herrera was named the manager of Mexico’s National Football team in May 2013. Herrera was assigned as the Interim Coach to guide the team through the intercontinental playoffs. Herrera’s animated personality and bold strategies paid off as Mexico defeated New Zealand to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. On December 2nd, Herrera’s contract was extended and he remains the Manager of the Mexico’s National Team with a record of 2 wins, 0 draws, and 0 losses. Prior to managing Mexico’s National team, Herrera was the manager of Club De Amèrica and formerly played for the Mexico National team from 19931994, as a defender.
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Brazil National Team: 5-Time World Cup Champs 1958: Brazil takes down the host country, Sweden, to win their first World Cup. The star player of this Brazilian team was the 17-year-old, phenom Pelé who put in 6 goals in the tournament. In one match against France he scored a hat trick. This team won their group play and then went on to play Wales in the first round. After beating Wales, they took on France, which is the Pelé hat-trick game. They beat them 5-2, and went on to play in the championship game. Brazil showed the host nation they were a force to be reckoned with by beating them 5-2. 1962: After winning the previous World Cup, the Brazilian national team automatically qualified for the World Cup, which took place in Chile. Not only did an earthquake effect this World Cup preparation, but violence and rioting also had a major effect. Despite those issues, Brazil came out eager to remain the champs. Once again, they won their group play but lost Pelé to an injury. They went into the quarterfinals to play England and beat them 3-1. They took on the host nation, Chile, and beat them 4-2 to advance and play their group member, Czechoslovakia. Brazil beat them 3-1 and remained the World Cup champs. 1970: The ninth World Cup took place in Mexico. Brazil’s opening match was against previous champs, England. Brazil beat England to then sweep the group play. Brazil had two dominant players in, Jairzinho and Pelé who combined for a total of 11 goals in the tournament. The knockout round began with Brazil playing Peru and they beat them 4-2. Next up was Uruguay in the semi finals and the Brazilians beat them 3-1. They then headed to the championship game in Mexico City to play the Italians. Pelé put them up a goal quickly with the Italians striking back a mere 19 minutes after, but it was all Brazil in the second half pouring in three more goals to win their third World Cup 4-1. 1994: Brazil began to become World Cup fiends going for their 4th title. The United States hosted this World Cup in 8 states with 9 total venues. Brazil was ranked as the 3rd seed going into the tournament and their group consisted of Sweden, Russia, and Cameroon. They won the group with a draw and two wins. In the round of 16, Brazil played the United States beating them 1-0. The Netherlands and Brazil met in the next round with another close victory of 3-2. It seemed to be a one-goal game-winning trend, which continued in their 1-0 win over Sweden. The final match took place in Pasadena, California against the Italians. After playing 90 minutes and overtime, the game went into penalties and Brazil won 3-2 in PKs. 2002: Korea and Japan hosted this World Cup. Brazil took over in the group play and ended up 3-0 in it. The Brazilians ended up playing all European teams from the round of 16 to the final against Germany. The leg of Ronaldo kept Brazil moving to a 2-0 victory in the final to win the World Cup. Ronaldo was awarded the golden boot. The Brazilians proved they are the best with five World Cup victories to date.
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Neymar Moves to Improve After being omitted from the 2010 Brazilian World Cup roster, Neymar seems to have taken the advice of Steve Martin: “Be so good they can’t ignore you.” He is only 22 but has already amassed awards and nominations that a player in retirement age would be proud of. He has earned Golden and Silver Balls, Golden, Silver and Bronze Boots, player of the years, a Balon d’Or nomination and a FIFA Puskás Award for goal of the year, just to name a few. This year, in an effort to improve his skills, Neymar made the decision to move from his longtime Brazilian club team, Santos, to FC Barcelona in Spain. It was an emotional decision, he cried during the anthem at his last Santos game, but one that he felt he needed to make in order to bring his game to the next level. The move to Barcelona was not an easy transition. The Spanish league proved to be more physically challenging than Neymar initially thought it would be. But the 22 year old has risen to the challenge and improved a great deal under the tutelage of Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Xavi Hernandez. “In order to be the best, you must play with and against the best,” said Neymar. “That’s what I got when I moved here. There is no better teammate than Leo Messi, and going against Cristiano (Ronaldo) in Clásicos is one of the best tests of skill.” Neymar has spent the last year playing with and against the best in the world in La Liga and in the UEFA Champions League tournament. He has vastly improved his speed and skill and tested himself against many of the opponents he will see this summer in the World Cup. He has done everything he can to raise his game, now he can only wait to see if it has been enough.
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Brazil Dominates the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup The ninth FIFA Confederations Cup was held in June in Brazil, and the home team held nothing back, winning their fourth tournament title and third Confederations Cup in a row. Seleção head coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, presented a stacked roster that featured well-known players and burgeoning stars. The tournament was the first time Neymar donned the number 10 shirt and stepped in to the number 10 role in a big way, scoring four goals in five games and earning the Golden Ball for player of the tournament. Fred also continued to prove his worth as a forward, scoring five goals in five games earning the Silver Ball for the tournament. Vital assists from Oscar and Hulk as well as excellent defense work by Marcello and David Luiz were welcome signs of things to come. It is easy to view the Confederations Cup as a preview of the World Cup to come, the Seleção proved that they could perform well against the best in the world in front of a home crowd. But most importantly, the Brazilian squad also showed that the reigning world champion Spanish team is not infallible. They beat La Roja 3-0 in the final, ending the streak of dominance that Spain had come to enjoy in the last five years. Anything can happen in the 2013 World Cup, it will be anyone’s game. But the Seleção look primed to take on the competition and give their nation a sixth World Cup title.
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Group A: Brazil VS Cameroon June 23, 4 p.m. ET CBC TV
Brazil will be looking to get back at Cameroon after they lost a match 0-1 back in 2003. Although these two teams have not played each other in more than a decade, they have met 4 times. Brazil looks to be the heavy favorite in this matchup and will let their offense do the talking. The combination of Fred and Neymar will be a tough challenge for the Cameroon defense to handle. Cameroon will be without their Captain Eto’o, which might push Vincent Aboubakar to the next level. Cameroon’s focus will remain offensive but it would come as no surprise if they change their formation to keep Neymar in check. Volker Finke’s Cameroon will look to upset Luis Scolari’s Brazil, but it will all rest in the hands of the players. If Cameroon can hold off Neymar and Fred they will have a shot at handing Brazil a tally in the loss column.
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Group A: Brazil VS Croatia June 12, 4 p.m. ET CBC TV
Brazil will look to make a statement in the opening match to show the World they are capable of going the distance. Brazil and Croatia have crossed paths twice before dating back to a 2005 friendly, which resulted in a 1-1 tie. A year later Brazil defeated Croatia 1-0 in a group stage match held in Germany. Croatia is looking to turn things around and end their 4 game World Cup losing streak. Hopes are high for Croatia however they look to be the underdog in this matchup. Five-Time Winners Brazil will rely heavily on 22 year old forward, Neymar, to help the team make their way to the final. Croatia will look to Luka Modric to cause a stir in the Brazilian defense and upset a very strong Brazilian team. Something to watch for is the type of formation Croatian coach Nico Kovac will use. If the team can get Modric involved, it will be their best shot at an upset. Kovac plans to play a “4-2-3-1� in order to give Modric plenty of opportunities to score.
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Group A: Brazil VS Mexico June 17, 3 p.m. ET CBC TV
Brazil will be determined to defeat Mexico as the two teams get ready to square off. If Brazil can defeat Mexico and manage not to concede a goal, it would make it the 4th consecutive time the team has done so. These teams have faced each other three times in the World Cup and Mexico will be looking to put an end to their scoring drought on June, 17th. Mexico has a tough team and Giovoni Dos Santos might be the key to ending the scoring drought. Brazil will look to their star player Neymar to lead the way and set the tone early. Mexico will rely on their defensive unit as well as Guillermo Ochoa to keep Neymar in check. Manager Miguel Herrera feels confident in his Mexico team and knows his players will put up a good fight against a strong attacking Brazil. The match could lean either way and most certainly will go down to the wire. The match will slightly favor Brazil due to their home field advantage.
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Brazil’s World Cup Review • Brazil has qualified for every FIFA World Cup, therefore the table is condensed to when they made the semi-finals and finals. • Brazil has won the FIFA World Cup five times, more than any other team.
• Golden Ball (awarded to the best player in the World Cup): o 1994 – Romário o 1998 – Ronaldo • Silver Ball: o 1982 – Falcão o 2002 - Ronaldo • Bronze Ball: o 1978 - Dirceu • Golden Boot (awarded to the top goalscorer of the World Cup): o 1938 – Leônidas o 1950 – Ademir o 1962 – Garrincha, Vavá o 2002 - Ronaldo • Silver Boot: o 1958 – Pelé o 1962 – Amarildo o 1970 – Jairzinho o 1986 – Careca o 1994 – Romário o 2002 - Rivaldo
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• Bronze Boot: o 1950 – Chico o 1958 – Vavá o 1982 – Zico o 1998 – Ronaldo o 2006 - Ronaldo • No Brazilian goalkeeper has ever won the Golden Glove. • Brazil has won the FIFA Fair Play Trophy, which is awarded to the team with the best record of fair play during the tournament, four times, in 1982, 1986, 1994, and 2006.
2014 FIFA World Cup is the 20th World Cup in its tournament history. Brazil is the host for the 2014 World Cup that originally included 32 teams representing various different countries that began June 12, 2014. Brazil qualified as the host country for the World Cup tournament in October 30, 2007. FIFA World Cup is watched by millions of fans throughout the world and attended by thousands of people. The last time Brazil had the privilege of hosting the biggest tournament in the world, was in 1950. They are one of only five to have ever hosted the World Cup twice. The other four countries are France, Mexico, Germany, and Italy. In previous World Cup tournaments there were only 10 host cities. However, due to Brazil’s broad size, they had 12 host cities during the World Cup. Those cities are Brasilia, Cuiaba, Manaus, Recife, Fortaleza, Natal, Salvador, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Belo Horizonte, Rio de Janeiro, and Sao Paulo. The arena in Brasilia is Estadio Nacional, has a capacity of 68,009, and was renovated in May 2013; in Cuiaba it is called Estadio Pantanal, has a capacity of 42,968, and opened a little over a year ago in April 2014; Manaus stadium is called Estadio Amazonia, has a capacity of 42,374, and opened in March 2014; in Recife the stadium is called Arena Pernambuco, has a capacity of 42,800, and was recently built and opened May 2013; the stadium in Fortaleza is called the Estadio Castelao, has a capacity of 58,000, and was built in 1973 and reopened in 2013; the stadium in Curitiba is called Estadio Da Baixada, holds 41,456, and opened in April 2014; the arena is Porto Alegre is called Estadio Beira-Rio, has a capacity of 48,849, and was built in 1969 but reopened about five months ago; in Belo Horizonte the stadium is called Estadio Mineirao, has a capacity of 57,400, and opened in 1965 and reopened in February 2013 after it was renovated; the stadium in Rio de Janeiro is named Estadio Do Maracana, has a capacity of 76,804, opened in 1950 and was renovated and reopened in June 2013; lastly the stadium in Sao Paulo is called Arena De Sao Paulo, has a capacity of 65,807 (20,000 are temporary seats), and was opened a few days before the tournament began.
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