Brazil is quite simply the world’s most successful soccer nation that has as its high altar the Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro, once the world’s largest stadium that at one time was capable of holding a crowd of up to 200,000. Although for the 2014 World Cup, including the final, it hosted a more modest 76,804
Brazil is the only nation to have taken part in every edition of the FIFA World Cup. It won the World Cup for the fifth time during the finals held in Korea and Japan in 2002. Brazil’s other moments of glory came in Sweden in 1958, Chile in 1962, Mexico in 1970, when it won the Jules Rimet trophy outright, and the US in 1994. The country was second in 1950, when the finals were held in Brazil, and in 1998 when the tournament was played in France; third in 1938 and 1978; and fourth in 1974 and now again in 2014. In its 1982 World Cup side that lost to Italy, it is thought that Brazil had the best and most exciting side not to win the tournament.
In 2014 Brazil was looking for its sixth title and as host nation had the weight of expectation of over 190 million Brazilians on its shoulders. Especially having won the Confederations Cup in Brazil in 2013. Sadly it was not to be, the team coming fourth overall after being beaten by Germany 7-1 in the most one sided semi-final of all time.
Watch FIFA’s video profile of the Brazilian team HERE
Brazil hosted the fourth World Cup in 1950, the first tournament to be played after World War II, when just 13 teams took part and the games were played in six Brazilian cities (Belo Horizonte, Curitiba, Porto Alegre, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo).
In 2014, 32 teams played across 12 host cities, being the six cities from 1950 plus Brasilía, which did not exist in 1950, Cuiaba, Fortaleza, Manaus, Natal and Salvador. Teams returning from 1950, other than Brazil, included Chile, England, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the US and the champions from 1950, Uruguay. Teams from 1950 that did not returning to Brazil in 2014 included Bolivia, Paraguay, Sweden and Yugoslavia.
World Cup Poster 1950
Brazil was the first country to win the World Cup outside of its own continent (in Europe), and has now won in Europe, Asia, North and South America.
Brazil and Brazilian players hold a number of other World Cup records. As well as most wins and most times in the semi-finals, it is, along with Italy, the only country to win back-to-back World Cups. In Ronaldo it had, until the 2014 cup, the tournament’s top overall goal scorer with 15 goals over three tournaments; Pelé is the only player to win three World Cup winners’ medals; Cafu has made the most appearances in a World Cup Final, and played the most winning games in the tournament; and Mario Zagallo, along with Germany’s Franz Beckenbauer, are the only people to win the World Cup as both a player and a coach.
During the 2014 World Cup Brazil played its 100th World Cup finals’ game. the 100th game was played in Brasilia on Monday, 23 June against Cameroon. A match which moved Brazil on into the last sixteen of the tournament.
By the end of the 2014 World Cup Brazil had played 104 games over twenty World Cup finals, winning 71, drawing 16 and suffering 17 defeats. In the process the team has scored 221 goals and let in 102, nearly 10% of those in their loss to Germany and the Netherlands in the 2014 semi-final and third and fourth place play off.
The only team to play more World Cup finals games than Brazil is Germany, who so far has played 106. The other countries making up the top five are Italy with 83 games, Argentina with 77 and England with 62.
Pelé could have a World Cup record book all to himself. As well as being the only player to win three World Cups, he is also the youngest goal scorer; youngest hat-trick scorer; youngest scorer in the final (and youngest player in the final); is responsible for the most goals scored in all finals; and has played in the most tournaments when scoring at least one goal.
The Brazilian squad for 2014 consisted of Goalkeepers: Júlio César (Toronto FC), Jefferson (Botafogo), Victor (Atlético-MG). Defenders: Dante (Bayern de Munique), David Luiz (Chelsea), Thiago Silva (Paris Saint-Germain), Henrique (Napoli), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Maicon (Roma), Maxwell (Paris Saint-Germain), Marcelo (Real Madrid). Midfielders: Hernanes (Inter de Milão), Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Oscar (Chelsea) Paulinho (Tottenham), Fernandinho (Manchester City), Ramires (Chelsea), William (Chelsea). Strikers: Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk), Fred (Fluminense), Hulk (Zenit), Jô (Altlético-MG), Neymar (Barcelona).
On the international stage the Olympic gold medal for football remains the only major soccer title never to be won by Brazil, having lost in three men’s finals and two women’s finals, the most recent being the men losing to Mexico in Wembley during the London Olympics in 2012. Brazil will now hope to correct that anomaly on its soccer CV in Rio de Janeiro in 2016. The Maracanã has been chosen to host the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2016 Olympics as well as the soccer tournament.
Brazilian Club Football
While Brazilians restrain their nationalistic tendencies for the World Cup, regional and club tendencies come to the boil every week in a display of joy that is unknown in most other soccer playing nations. Going to see a game of football in any stadium in Brazil is fun. Violence is rare between Brazilian fans, everything generally being done in good humour and visitors welcomed with open arms to join in this celebration of national passion and pride.
There are two national soccer tournaments played in Brazil each year. The Brasileirão (Brazilian Championship) is played for by the country’s top 20 clubs between March and early December. The four top clubs from the championship will then go on to play other South American teams for the Copa Libertadores, while the next four top finishers in the Brasileirão play the Copa Sudamericana (South American Cup).
The other national tournament is the Copa do Brasil (Brazil Cup), with the top, traditional clubs plus representatives chosen by each state. The winner of the Copa do Brasil also goes forward to play in the Copa Libertadores. The current holder is Flamengo.
Brazilian winners of the Copa Libertadores include Santos (1962, 1963, 2011), São Paulo (1992, 1993, 2005), Cruzeiro (1976, 1997), Gremio (1983, 1995), Internacional (2006, 2010), Flamengo (1981), Vasco da Gama (1998), Palmeiras (1999), Corinthians (2012) and Atlético Mineiro (2013).
A Brazilian club has been present in the Libertadores final since 2005. A total of nine consecutive finals. Brazilian teams have won the last four finals.
Brazilian teams to win the world club championship, played until 2004 as the Intercontinental Cup between the winner of the Copa Libertadores and the European Champions League, include Santos (1962, 1963), Flamengo (1981), Gremio (1983), and São Paulo (1992, 1993). Since 2005 it has been rebranded the FIFA Club World Cup it has been won by São Paulo (2005), Internacional (2006) and most recently, in 2012, by Corinthians. Corinthians also won an early version of the Club World championship in 2000, when it was held in Rio de Janeiro.
Among the best known Brazilian sides are Flamengo, Fluminense, Vasco da Gama and Botafogo (Rio); Corinthians, Palmeiras, São Paulo and Santos (São Paulo); Gremio and Internacional (Porto Alegre); Atletico (Curitiba); Atletico and Cruzeiro (Belo Horizonte).
Botafogo, São Paulo, Flamengo, Vasco and Fluminense are the five teams that have most supplied players to the national Brazilian side for the World Cup up to and including the 2014 squad. The full list is:
Botafogo (RJ) – 47 1930: Benedicto, Pamplona, Nilo, Carvalho Leite; 1934: Pedrosa, Germano, Octacílio, Canalli, Ariel, Waldyr, Martim Silveira, Carvalho Leite, Áttila; 1938: Nariz, Zezé Procópio, Martim Silveira, Perácio, Patesko; 1950: Nílton Santos; 1954: Nílton Santos; 1958: Nílton Santos, Didi, Garrincha; 1962: Nílton Santos, Didi, Garrincha, Amarildo, Zagallo; 1966: Manga, Rildo, Gérson, Jairzinho; 1970: Paulo Cézar, Jairzinho, Roberto; 1974: Marinho Chagas, Dirceu, Jairzinho; 1978: Rodrigues Neto, Gil; 1982: Paulo Sérgio; 1986: Josimar, Alemão; 1990: Mauro Galvão; 1998: Gonçalves, Bebeto; 2014: Jefferson
São Paulo (SP) – 42 1950: Bauer, Rui, Noronha, Friaça; 1954: Mauro, Alfredo, Bauer, Maurinho; 1958: De Sordi, Mauro, Dino Sani; 1962: Bellini, Jurandir; 1966: Bellini, Paraná; 1970: Gérson; 1974: Valdir Peres, Mirandinha; 1978: Valdir Peres, Chicão, Zé Sérgio; 1982: Valdir Peres, Oscar, Serginho, Renato; 1986: Oscar, Falcão, Müller, Careca, Silas; 1990: Ricardo Rocha; 1994: Müller, Cafu, Zetti, Leonardo; 1998: Zé Carlos, Denílson; 2002: Rogério Ceni, Belletti, Kaká; 2006: Rogério Ceni, Mineiro
Flamengo (RJ) – 33 1930: Benevenuto e Moderato; 1938: Walter, Domingos da Guia, Leônidas da Silva; 1950: Juvenal, Bigode; 1954: Dequinha, Rubens, Índio; 1958: Moacir, Zagallo, Joel, Dida; 1966: Paulo Henrique, Silva; 1970: Brito; 1974: Renato, Paulo Cézar; 1978: Toninho, Zico; 1982: Leandro, Júnior, Zico; 1986: Zico, Sócrates; 1990: Zé Carlos, Renato Gaúcho; 1994: Gilmar; 1998: Zé Roberto, Júnior Baiano; 2002: Juninho Paulista; 2010: Kléberson
Vasco (RJ) – 32 1930: Brilhante, Itália, Fausto, Russinho; 1938: Niginho; 1950: Barbosa, Augusto, Danilo, Ely, Ademir; Chico, Alfredo, Maneca; 1954: Paulinho de Almeida, Ely, Pinga; 1958: Bellini, Orlando, Vavá; 1966: Brito; 1978: Abel, Dirceu, Roberto Dinamite; 1982: Pedrinho, Roberto Dinamite; 1990: Acácio, Mazinho, Bismarck, Bebeto, Tita; 1994: Ricardo Rocha; 1998: Carlos Germano
Fluminense (RJ) – 311930: Velloso, Ivan Mariz, Fortes, Fernando Giudicelli, Preguinho; 1938: Batatais, Machado, Romeu, Hércules, Tim; 1950: Castilho; 1954: Castilho, Veludo, Pinheiro, Didi; 1958: Castilho; 1962: Castilho, Jair Marinho, Altair; 1966: Altair, Denílson; 1970: Félix, Marco Antônio; 1974: Marco Antônio; 1978: Edinho, Rivellino; 1982: Edinho; 1986: Paulo Vítor, Branco; 1994: Branco; 2014: Fred
Palmeiras (SP) – 24 1938: Luizinho; 1950: Jair, Rodrigues; 1954: Rodrigues, Humberto; 1958: Mazzolla; 1962: Djalma Santos, Zequinha, Vavá; 1966: Djalma Santos; 1970: Leão, Baldocchi; 1974: Leão, Luís Pereira, Alfredo, Ademir da Guia, Leivinha, César; 1978: Leão, Jorge Mendonça; 1986: Leão; 1994: Mazinho, Zinho; 2002: Marcos
Santos (SP) – 24 1958: Zito, Pelé, Pepe; 1962: Gilmar, Mauro, Zito, Mengálvio, Coutinho, Pelé, Pepe; 1966: Gilmar, Orlando, Zito, Lima, Pelé, Edu; 1970: Carlos Alberto, Joel, Clodoaldo, Pelé, Edu; 1974: Marinho Peres, Edu; 2010: Robinho
Corinthians (SP) – 23 1938: Jaú, Brandão, Lopes; 1950: Baltazar; 1954: Cabeção, Baltazar; 1958: Gilmar, Oreco; 1966: Garrincha; 1970: Ado, Rivellino; 1974: Zé Maria, Rivellino; 1978: Amaral; 1982: Sócrates; 1986: Carlos, Édson, Casagrande; 1994: Viola; 2002: Dida, Vampeta, Ricardinho; 2006: Ricardinho
Atlético Mineiro (MG) – 12 1970: Dario; 1978: Toninho Cerezo, Reinaldo; 1982: Luizinho, Toninho Cerezo, Éder; 1986: Edivaldo, Elzo; 1998: Taffarel; 2002: Gilberto Silva; 2014: Victor, Jô
Cruzeiro (MG) – 11 1966: Tostão; 1970: Wilson Piazza, Fontana, Tostão; 1974: Nelinho, Wilson Piazza; 1978: Nelinho; 1994: Ronaldo; 1998: Dida; 2002: Edílson; 2010: Gilberto
Roma (Italy) – 09 1982: Falcão; 1994: Aldair; 1998: Cafu, Aldair; 2002: Cafu; 2010: Doni, Juan, Julio Baptista; 2014: Maicon
Real Madrid (Spain) – 09 1998: Roberto Carlos, Zé Roberto; 2002: Roberto Carlos; 2006: Roberto Carlos, Cicinho, Ronaldo, Robinho; 2010: Kaká; 2014: Marcelo
Internacional (RS) – 08 1950: Adãozinho, Nena; 1974: P. C. Carpegiani, Valdomiro; 1978: Batista; 1982: Edevaldo; 1986: Mauro Galvão; 1990: Taffarel
Barcelona (Spain) – 08 1994: Romário; 1998: Giovanni, Rivaldo; 2002: Rivaldo; 2006: Ronaldinho Gaúcho; 2010: Daniel Alves; 2014: Daniel Alves, Neymar
Internazionale (Italy) – 08 1998: Ronaldo; 2002: Ronaldo; 2006: Júlio César, Adriano; 2010: Júlio César, Maicon, Lúcio; 2014: Hernanes
Grêmio (RS) – 07 1966: Alcindo; 1970: Everaldo; 1982: Batista, Paulo Isidoro; 1986: Valdo; 2002: Ânderson Polga, Luizão
Milan (Italy) – 07 1998: André Cruz, Leonardo; 2002: Roque Júnior; 2006: Dida, Cafu, Kaká; 2010: Thiago Silva
Portuguesa (SP) – 06 1954: Djalma Santos, Brandãozinho, Julinho; 1958: Djalma Santos; 1962: Jair da Costa; 1970: Zé Maria
Benfica (Portugal) – 06 1990: Ricardo Gomes, Aldair, Valdo; 2006: Luisão; 2010: Luisão, Ramires
Ponte Preta (SP) – 05 1978: Carlos, Oscar, Polozzi; 1982: Juninho, Carlos
São Cristóvão (RJ) – 05 1930: Zé Luiz, Teóphilo, Doca; 1938: Afonsinho, Roberto
Bayer Leverkusen (Germany) – 05 1990: Jorginho; 1994: Paulo Sérgio; 1998: Émerson; 2002: Lúcio; 2006: Juan
Olympique de Lyon (France) – 05 2002: Edmílson; 2006: Cris, Juninho Pernambucano, Fred; 2010: Michel Bastos
Bangu (RJ) – 04 1950: Zizinho; 1958: Zózimo; 1962: Zózimo; 1966: Fidélis
Bayern de Munique (Germany) – 04 1994: Jorginho; 2006: Lúcio, Zé Roberto; 2014: Dante
PSG (France) – 04 1994: Raí; 2002: Ronaldinho Gaúcho; 2014: Thiago Silva, Maxwell
Chelsea (England) – 04 2014: David Luiz, Ramires, Oscar, Willian
América (RJ) – 03 1930: Joel, Hermógenes; 1938: Britto
Napoli (Italy) – 03 1990: Alemão, Careca; 2014: Henrique
Ypiranga (RJ) – 02 1930: Oscarino, Manoelzinho
Torino (Italy) – 02 1986: Júnior; 1990: Müller
Fiorentina (Italy) – 02 1990: Dunga; 1998: Edmundo
Porto (Portugal) – 02 1990: Branco; 1998: Doriva
Deportivo La Coruña (Spain) – 02 1994: Mauro Silva, Bebeto
Juventus (Italy) – 02 2006: Émerson; 2010: Felipe Melo
Wolfsburg (Germany) – 02 2010: Josué, Grafite
Tottenham (England) – 02 2010: Gomes; 2014: Paulinho
Atlético Paranaense (PR) – 01 2002: Kléberson
Guarani (SP) – 01 1986: Júlio César
Americano (RJ) – 01 1930: Poly
Portuguesa Santista (SP) – 01 1938: Argemiro
Atlético de Madri (Spain) – 01 1982: Dirceu
Udinese (Italy) – 01 1986: Edinho
Olympique de Marselha (France) – 011990: Mozer
Sporting (Portugal) – 011990: Silas
PSV (Holland) – 011990: Romário
Reggiana (Italy) – 011994: Taffarel
Bordeaux (France) – 011994: Márcio Santos
Stuttgart (Germany) – 011994: Dunga
Shimizu S-Pulse (Japan) 1994: Ronaldão
Yokohama Flugels (Japan) – 01 1998: César Sampaio
Jublio Iwata (Japan) – 01 1998: Dunga
Parma (Italy) – 01 2002: Júnior
Real Bétis (Spain) – 01 2002: Denílson
Hertha Berlim (Germany) – 01 2006: Gilberto
Arsenal (England) – 01 2006: Gilberto Silva
Panathinaikos (Greece) – 01 2010: Gilberto Silva
Galatasaray (Turkey) – 01 2010: Elano
Sevilla (Spain) – 01 2010: Luis Fabiano
Villarreal (Spain) – 01 2010: Nilmar
Toronto (Canada) – 01 2014: Júlio César
Manchester City (England) – 01 2014: Fernandinho
Wolfsburg (Germany) – 01 2014: Luiz Gustavo
Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine) – 01 2014: Bernard
Zenit (Russia) – 01 2014: Hulk
São Paulo is home to one of the world’s most modern and complete soccer museums. Located in the Pacaembu Stadium, which when built in 1940 was the largest and most modern in South America, the Museu do Futebol is located appropriately enough in Praça Charles Miller, named after the British man who introduced football to Brazil in 1894.
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