Brazil national football team

The Brazilian national football team is the most successful national football team in the world, with five FIFA World Cup victories, including the most recent tournament in 2002.

History

Brazil is the only nation to have qualified for every World Cup finals tournament. However, the nation's early appearances were far from successful, partly due to internal strife within Brazilian football over professionalism, which made the Brazilian Football Confederation unable to field full-strength teams. In particular, disputes between the São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro state football federations meant that the team would be composed of players coming from only one of the federations. In both the 1930 and 1934 tournaments, Brazil were knocked out at the very first stage, but 1938 was a sign of things to come, as Brazil finished a strong third, with Leonidas making history and being the first player to score four goals in a World Cup match.

Related Topics:
Brazilian Football Confederation - São Paulo - Rio de Janeiro - 1930 - 1934 - 1938 - Leonidas

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Brazil hosted the {{Wc|1950}}, which was the first tournament to be held after World War II, the only time Brazil has done so. The 1950 tournament was unique in not having a single final, but rather a final round-robin stage of four teams; however, to all intents and purposes the deciding game between Brazil and Uruguay acted as that tournament's "final". The match was hosted at the Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro, watched by 200,000 people, and Brazil only needed a draw to win, but lost the match 2-1 after being 1-0 up; this match has since been known in south america as "Maracanazo".

Related Topics:
World War II - Uruguay - Maracanã - Rio de Janeiro - Maracanazo

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In the {{Wc|1958}}, Brazil won its first World Cup title, defeating the host Sweden in the final, 5-2, becoming the first and only nation to win a World Cup title outside of its own continent. A celebrated fact was that the coach of the team at the time, Vicente Feola, would sometimes take naps during training sessions and would sometimes close his eyes during matches, giving the impression that he was asleep! Because of this, Didi was sometimes said to be the real coach of the team, as he commanded the mid-field.

Related Topics:
Vicente Feola - Didi

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In the {{Wc|1962}}, Brazil "conquered" again, with Garrincha as the star player, specially after Pelé was injured in the second game and unable to play for the rest of the world cup.

Related Topics:
Garrincha - Pelé

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Brazil won its third World Cup in Mexico in the {{Wc|1970}}. Brazil fielded what has been considered to be the best soccer squad ever with Pelé, in his last World Cup finals, Carlos Alberto, Jairzinho, Tostão, Gérson and Rivelino. After winning the Jules Rimet Trophy for the third time Brazil was allowed to keep it for good.

Related Topics:
Pelé - Carlos Alberto - Jairzinho - Tostão - Gérson - Rivelino - Jules Rimet Trophy

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The {{Wc|1978}} was notoriously controversial. In the second group stage Brazil were competing with tournament hosts Argentina for top spot and a place in the World Cup final. In their last group match, Brazil defeated Poland 3-1 to go top of the group with a goal difference of +5. Argentina were only on a goal difference of +2, but in their last group match, they managed to defeat Peru 6-0 and thus qualify for the final. The controversy comes from the fact that not only was the Peruvian goalkeeper Ramón Quiroga born in Argentina, but had only let in 6 goals in the previous 5 matches, where as the Argentines had only scored 6 goals in the tournament up to that point. Both sides have always denied any wrongdoing. Because of this and the fact that Brazil were the only undefeated team of the whole cup, many Brazilians consider themselves the moral victors of this World Cup.

Related Topics:
Argentina - Poland - Goal difference - Peru - Ramón Quiroga - Argentina

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In the {{Wc|1982}}, the team played beautifully, with talents such as Zico, Falcão and Sócrates. The team was able to finish as the winner of its first round group and beat Argentina, 3-1. But at the second round game against Italy they lost, after a brilliant game played by the Italians. Paolo Rossi managed to score three goals, beating the favorite Brazilians. The final score was 3-2.

Related Topics:
Zico - Falcão - Sócrates - Italy - Paolo Rossi

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Only in the {{Wc|1994}}, 24 years after Brazil's third World Cup win, were they able to win another title. The struggles ended in World Cup USA with a final against 1970 opponents Italy. A dour and defensive final finished 0-0 after extra time, so Brazil and Italy competed in the first penalty shootout for a World Cup in the history of the tournament, and Brazil won when Roberto Baggio missed the final penalty.

Related Topics:
Extra time - Penalty shootout - Roberto Baggio

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Brazil finished as runner-up in the {{Wc|1998}}, losing to France in a problematic final game when the star player Ronaldo suffered health problems (or, it has been speculated, a nervous breakdown) on the eve of the game. The coach of the team at the time, Mário Zagallo, famously (and ironically, given the result) said prior to the final "Vocês vão ter que me engolir" which roughly translates to "You'll have to listen to me now" in response to the large criticism he received prior to and during the World Cup.

Related Topics:
France - Ronaldo - Mário Zagallo

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Brazil won its fifth championship at the {{Wc|2002}} in Japan and South Korea. The final game was between arguably the two best teams (or at least the most successful) in football history: Germany and Brazil. Strangely, this was the first ever meeting in the World Cup between the two teams, and could not have happened on a bigger stage. Brazil won the game by a 2-0 score.

Related Topics:
Japan - South Korea - Germany

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Brazil have also won the Confederations Cup twice, in 1997 and 2005. Although they have never won the Gold Medal at the Olympic Games, they did win two Silvers (1984, 1988) and a Bronze (1996).

Related Topics:
Confederations Cup - 1997 - 2005 - Olympic Games - 1984 - 1988 - 1996

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Brazil also won four titles of the World Youth Championship, in 1983, 1985, 1993, and 2003.

Related Topics:
World Youth Championship - 1983 - 1985 - 1993 - 2003

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