Only a few short weeks ago, Brazil regained the top spot in the Fifa World Rankings, ousting Spain from their five-month reign.
This means that once again the South American giants will be the team to beat at the World Cup in South Africa this summer.
Brazil are the record setters of world soccer: they have won more World Cups than any other nation – five in all – winning three of them between 1958 and 1970; the first of these wins (in Sweden) being the first time a team won the cup outside of their own continent. On winning for a third time, they were allowed to keep the old Jules Rimet trophy.
Sadly their last World Cup in 2006 ended in disappointment with a 1-0 defeat to France. A month later, former Brazil midfielder and World Cup winner Dunga became the new coach for the team. Being his first managerial job, he had a lot of critics to answer to.
But since taking the reins he’s won over the nay-sayers, leading Brazil to victory in the Copa America in 2007 and the Fifa Confederations Cup 2009, and qualifying with ease for South Africa, finishing top of the South American table.
In doing so, Brazil continue their amazing record of qualifying for every World Cup.
Last year’s performance in the Confederations Cup – a dress rehearsal of sorts for the World Cup – provided a stage for Brazil’s star players to display their talents, with Kaká picking up the Golden Ball Award and Luis Fabiano getting the Golden Boot.
Despite their success, both manager and players know their biggest challenge lies ahead – even in the group stages.
While Korea DPR shouldn’t cause too many worries, their matches against Ivory Coast and Portugal will not be easy, and they cannot afford to relax too much early on.
Brazil’s success poses another problem. With a conveyor belt of talented soccer players coming out of the country, it was surely difficult for Dunga to trim his squad down to 23 players: Ronaldinho of AC Milan is the most high-profile player to lose out this time.
But others who made the cut are Kaká, Fabiano, Dani Alves, Felipe Melo and Robinho, while Inter Milan keeper Julio Cesar should hold on to the goalie’s jersey.
The star player has to be attacking midfielder Kaká, who currently plays club soccer with Real Madrid since moving last summer from AC Milan for a whopping €68m. In 2007 he won the Ballon d’Or and was recognised as Fifa World Player of the Year.
In the same year he won the Champions League, Super Cup and Fifa Club World Cup with AC Milan, and was also a member of the winning Brazilian squad at the 2002 World Cup.
His lists of honours are endless, but things could have been very different.
Ten years ago, when he was only 18, Kaká was nearly paralysed from a spinal fracture he suffered when he twisted his neck in a swimming pool accident.
His recovery mirrors that of his national team, who have thrown off the disappointment of Germany ’06 and head to South Africa with victory in mind. Indeed, whatever team you support this summer, Brazil will be the ones to watch.
