Brazil’s Neymar (at entrance) celebrates after scoring a purpose towards South Korea in Seoul on Thursday. AP
Brazil’s quest to win a record-extending sixth World Cup crown in Qatar will start towards acquainted opposition, with Serbia and Switzerland having additionally come up towards the Selecao 4 years in the past in Russia.
What has the look of a comparatively type draw for Brazil may even see them face Cameroon, who’ve a proud World Cup historical past however might wrestle to make a big effect this time.
Tite’s Brazil, in distinction, are the favourites going into the event and will likely be anticipated to barter Group G with out too many issues earlier than going through probably Portugal or outdated rivals Uruguay within the final 16.
Brazil kicked off their 2018 marketing campaign with a 1-1 draw towards Switzerland earlier than 2-0 wins towards Costa Rica and Serbia, however they by no means actually hit the heights anticipated of them earlier than being eradicated by Belgium within the quarter-finals.
They arrive into this World Cup recent from an unbeaten qualifying marketing campaign, with a squad led by Neymar however with fearsome high quality in all positions.
Nonetheless, the large query surrounds their lack of current expertise towards main European sides.
Since profitable their fifth title in Japan in 2002, they’ve been knocked out at subsequent World Cups by France, the Netherlands, Germany after which Belgium.
Nonetheless, they’ve performed only one match towards European opposition since their 2018 elimination, profitable a pleasant towards the Czech Republic.
“I’m expectant however targeted. We reached the World Cup: now it’s time to succeed in the ultimate and be champions. That is the reality,” Tite mentioned in an interview with The Guardian earlier this 12 months.
Brazil’s opening match this time will likely be towards Serbia, who did not qualify for Euro 2020 however beneath new coach Dragan Stojkovic topped their qualifying group forward of Portugal.
Serbia haven’t gone past the group stage on the World Cup of their final three makes an attempt however have an actual likelihood this time with a squad bristling with expertise in ahead areas.
The massive star is Juventus ahead Dusan Vlahovic, however Aleksandar Mitrovic is having fun with a positive season within the Premier League with Fulham, whereas in addition they boast Luka Jovic and Ajax’s Dusan Tadic.
Behind them, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic of Lazio additionally presents a purpose risk from midfield.
Cameroon to trigger a shock?
The ultimate group recreation between Serbia and Switzerland has the makings of a decider to see who will advance with Brazil, because the Swiss try and not less than match their runs to the final 16 in 2014 and 2018.
They knocked France out of Euro 2020 on penalties earlier than solely dropping within the quarter-finals to Spain in a shoot-out.
Murat Yakin has since taken over as coach from Vladimir Petkovic and Switzerland brought on one other upset in qualifying as they topped their group forward of European champions Italy, who then failed to come back by means of a play-off.
Then there’s Cameroon, who had been overwhelmed 4-1 by a Neymar-inspired Brazil in a depressing 2014 marketing campaign as they went house having misplaced all three group video games.
The Indomitable Lions, whose run to the quarter-finals in 1990 has not been bettered by an African consultant at a World Cup, then did not qualify 4 years in the past.
This 12 months has seen them lose within the semi-finals of their very own Africa Cup of Nations earlier than Rigobert Track took cost of the crew and led them to a dramatic play-off win over Algeria to return to the World Cup.
“The previous is the previous. There’s a new dynamic now, with new individuals in cost,” Track, whose outdated worldwide teammate Samuel Eto’o is now president of the Cameroonian Soccer Federation, informed FIFA.com just lately.
Track is decided to guarantee that their marketing campaign is just not overshadowed because it was in 2014, when gamers rowed over bonuses and Benoit Assou-Ekotto headbutted team-mate Benjamin Moukandjo throughout a 4-0 defeat by Croatia.
“I can let you know we is not going to be confronted with the identical issues that we had in Brazil,” added Track.
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