History
Brazil are the most decorated country in World Cup history having won the tournament five times, most recently in 2002. This will be Brazil’s 19th consecutive FIFA World Cup finals and they are the only country to have taken part in every edition of the tournament. Their sensational record boasts a total of 64 victories, 14 draws and 14 defeats in 92 games played. Well known for their unique style of football and star studded teams, Brazil have been fan favourites since the beginning of World Cup history.

Qualification
Qualification was a breeze for Brazil, as Dunga’s side recovered from a slow start to top the ten-team South American group. Two wins from their opening six games put the manager under pressure, with the home fans and pundits continually critical of the European-based players, but seven victories in the next ten saw Brazil not only reach the World Cup with ease, it also saw the Canarinho show themselves to be one of the clear favourites to triumph in South Africa. With Luis Fabiano spearheading a fearsome attacking unit, Dunga has added defensive solidity to a side that has never struggled to score goals, but has often been caught out at the back. This more conservative style has won the manager few friends in Brazil, but it was the cornerstone of the team’s successful run in qualification, which started with a 3-0 win away in Chile and saw a place at the finals secured with three games to spare thanks to a 3-1 win in Rosaria against the old enemy, Argentina.

Prospects
Brazil are once again one of the favourites to win the World Cup. Winners of the tournament in 1994, losing finalists at France ’98 and champions again in 2002 - despite having one of their weakest line-ups for many years, Brazil’s recent World Cup pedigree is more than a match for their glittering past. A quarter-final defeat to France in 2006 came as a huge disappointment, and saw coach Carlos Alberto Parreira replaced by Dunga, even though the former World Cup winning captain had no previous managerial experience. Dunga has transformed Brazil into a well-drilled side, often opting for two defensively minded central midfielders to shield the defence, allowing a hugely talented attacking unit the freedom to play. The coach’s decision to move away from the policy of just picking players from the major European sides was greeted with scepticism at first - particularly after a slow start to qualifying - but the likes of Luis Fabiano, Nilmar and Vagner Love played a large part in the national team’s improvement, while the introduction of many home-based players to the national set-up was also a welcome change. Triumphs in the 2007 Copa America and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup signalled Brazil’s return to form, and with their new-found solidity added to the usual attacking flair, they are rightly considered to be one of the favourites for the title - along with Spain and England. However, the most likely stumbling block for the Brazilians could be in Group G - this tournament’s ‘Group of Death’ - with Portugal and Ivory Coast presenting a serious threat to Dunga’s hopes of leading the squad to the knock-out stages.