Brazil, South Africa 2010
Brazil is, simply put, the most successful football team ever. Aside from the statistics, Brazil’s artistry on the field, attacking football, scoring prowess, celebrity football players and sheer consistency make them the most loved team on the planet, watched in wonder whenever and wherever they play. Brazil has also given us some of the biggest stars in football and many of them have become legends of the game. True lovers of football can’t miss a Brazil game. No matter which players are wearing the Yellow and Green jersey, if the team is Brazil then the standard is bound to be the best in the world.
The Brazilian National Flag
If the game was invented in England, it has been perfected in Brazil. A clear indication of this is the fact that Brazil has won the FIFA World Cup a record 5 times and been the runners up twice. Brazil won the football world cup in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and in 2002. They came second twice; in 1950 to Uruguay and in 1998 to France. In 1938 they finished 3rd and again in 1974 and 1978, Brazil lost in the semi finals. So out of 18 world cup football tournaments, Brazil has finished in the top 4 on as many as 10 occasions. It is thus not surprising that Brazil today stands at # 1 in the FIFA rankings.
Interestingly, Brazil also remains the only country to have successfully qualified to the FIFA World Cup on all occasions. Since the country has already qualified for the next world cup to be held in South Africa in 2010 and Brazil is themselves hosting the next one in 2014, the country is certain to be there in the next two world cups as well.
The national team of Brazil has played internationals for a long time. The first match the team played was on September 20th 1914 when Brazil lost to Argentina 0-3 at Buenos Aires. Brazil’s biggest win to date has been against Nicaragua on October 17th 1975 when Brazil won 14-0. The country suffered it’s worst defeat against Uruguay (0-6) on September 18th 1920.
Besides the world cup football tournament Brazil has done very well in the Copa América, organized by the South American football confederation. The Brazilian national team has won this tournament 8 times; in 1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004 and 2007. To complete the list of trophies, Brazil has won the Confederations Cup three times; in 1997, 2005 and in 2009, making Brazil arguably the most successful national football team ever.
Brazil has given us some of the biggest names in world football including Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Djalma Santos, Pelé, Dunga, Ronaldinho, Zico, Garrincha, Zizinho, Arthur Friedenreich, Tostão, Didi, Kaka and many others. Many followers of the game believe Pelé to be the best footballer ever; he was even proclaimed ‘Athlete of the Century’. Garrincha was regardedas a national hero when he took Brazil to world cup success in 1962 after Pelé got injured during the first group match and could not take any further part that year.
The current Brazilian national side is coached by Dunga, who was himself a very fine defensive midfielder in his playing days. The current team includes
- Júlio César
- Juan
- Gilberto Silva
- Júlio Baptista
- Adriano
- Lúcio
- Kaká
- Ronaldinho
- Luís Fabiano
- Robinho
- Maicon