Are Brazil ready for the 2014 World Cup?

A few decades ago, the prospect of Brazil hosting the FIFA World Cup would have been daunting to those hopeful or desperate to lift the Holy Grail of international football. A breathtaking football team backed by a vociferous crowd blessed with soaring energy levels, consistently churned out legends – that’s a potent combination for any team wishing to challenge the Samba boys in their own backyard.

Come 2013, and the dynamics seem to have changed significantly. The Dutch team, with a perfect record in qualification, and a German team full of the next generation of superstars, are the ones drawing all the attention. The hosts meanwhile have done little to justify their tag of perennial favorites. The Brazil team isn’t the best team in the world any more; they’re not even the best team in the Americas, after Uruguay proved their credentials by bagging the Copa America.

The Brazil form guide doesn’t make for good reading. Since Luiz Felipe Scolari took over the reins, Brazil have played 3 matches, losing 1 and drawing 2. Not that luck played a part in these fixtures; England dominated Brazil in their encounter (how often do we say that about England against a top quality side?), and the South Americans needed a late equalizer from the prolific Fred to save them the blushes against a modest Russian side.

So why is the Brazilian era of domination on the decline? And are they ready to compete for the 2014 World Cup? Here are a couple of factors which could be critical in determining Brazil’s success in the upcoming months.

Scolari, really?

It goes without saying that Scolari is a vastly experienced campaigner. At 64, he’s managed 17 sides in 23 spells, leading Brazil to victory in the 2002 World Cup. But a closer look tells us a different story of the magnitude of his managerial success. On the way to the 2002 WC, Brazil were put in the same pool as China, Turkey and Costa Rica, a relatively easy assignment. Belgium were swept aside with ease in the knockout stages, while an outrageous piece of individual brilliance from Ronaldinho caught out England keeper David Seaman from all of 40 yards in the quarters. In the semis, a repeat of the group stage encounter saw Brazil beat Turkey again.

The final saw Ronaldo score twice against a German side missing the monumental presence of Michael Ballack and with an outstanding-yet-hampered Oliver Kahn, who chose to play despite ligament damage. Brazil’s triumph was also built on the foundation of an unstoppable Ronaldo, who bagged 8 goals in the tournament. Individual brilliance gave Scolari a lucky break, which soon crumbled in the years to come.

After becoming Portugal’s manager, Scolari failed to beat an unfancied Greek side in the final, with a team boasting the golden generation of Portugal: the penalty specialist Ricardo, Cristiano Ronaldo, Luis Figo, Pauleta, Nuno Gomes and Deco. World Cup 2006 saw Portugal crash out against France in the semifinals, and saw them finish 4th after a thumping at the hands of hosts Germany in the 3rd place playoff.

At Euro 2008, Portugal were dumped out by the Germans yet again, this time in the quarterfinals. We all know how the Chelsea experiment ended for him, and yet, the nostalgia of the 2002 triumph reigns supreme over footballing logic. So it still remains to be seen if Scolari is the right man for the job.

Starting 11?

Scolari has experimented with a 4-2-3-1 and a 4-3-3 against Russia and Italy respectively, both with slightly different starting 11’s. And he has been pretty open in his experiments of playing players out of position in a bid to find the best tactical equation.

Employing a 4-2-3-1/ 4-3-3 formation against Italy, we saw Hulk start instead of Oscar, in an unconventional role on the left wing; Neymar and Fred were the others in attack. Fernando and Hernanes proved to be revelations in the central defensive midfield roles, helping Brazil garner a 2-0 lead in the first half.

Against Russia, Kaka and Oscar were deployed out wide in spite of being players who prefer central roles. Kaka looked woefully off the pace from the flanks, and only improved when he was shunted inside, where he looked a little more at ease. The back 4 looked disoriented as well, as counter attacks from the Russians regularly found Alves and Marcelo out of position. Neymar too had a quiet night yet again, raising doubts over the hype surrounding the hottest property in South America.

Scolari’s experiments with so many positions and players have left a huge question mark over the starting 11. Thiago Silva is the only mainstay in defence; David Luiz and Dante are competing for the other centre-back slot. The left-back slot could be up for grabs, a three way fight between Felipe Luis, Marcelo and Porto’s newest revelation, Alex Sandro. Dani Alves’ defensive shortcomings at Barcelona are no secret either, and Scolari might prefer a more disciplined right-back in Rafael.

The two central defensive midfield slots are Brazil’s strongest and most aptly filled. Corinthians’ Paulinho has been excellent, underlining his worth in their Copa Libertadores and Club World Cup wins with strong defensive showings. Chelsea’s Ramires has been impressive too; his tireless running and astounding bursts of pace have made him a leading contender to fill that place. Lazio’s deep lying playmaker Hernanes has shone on the domestic circuit, and Fernando has been quietly efficient for Gremio in the Brasileirao. Bayern’s Luis Gustavo isn’t half bad an option either, and can operate as a defensive midfielder or as a defender, while the injured Sandro has raised eyebrows with some eye-catching performances for Spurs.

The attack is where Scolari has to get his selections straight, considering the wealth of attacking talent available to him. Fred has been Brazil’s savior in the Scolari era, scoring 3 of Brazil’s 4 goals in the 3 games under Scolari. But questions have been raised over Fred’s attacking prowess against top class opposition. Neymar too has been a massive disappointment on the international stage, constantly ridiculed by the media for his lackluster performances against England and Russia. Although he has outstanding potential, whether Neymar plays as well for Brazil as he does for Santos remains to be seen. Other centre forward options include Luis Fabiano, who is no stranger to goal-scoring since his time at Sevilla. Tottenham target and Internacional youngster Leandro Damiao will also be eager to leave his mark on the national side after impressing at the London Olympics.

The 3 men behind the centre forward will also require careful consideration, with a variety of options to choose from. Oscar has been in fine form for the reigning European champions, while Hulk’s pace and strength on the wings will be extremely hard to ignore. Kaka’s experience will also play a key role in a relatively inexperienced Brazil squad, even though some might argue that Kaka’s irregular appearances on the club scene and decline in his performance levels do not merit him a place in the national side. Other options include Atletico Madrid frontman Diego Costa and PSG’s pocket rocket Lucas Moura, who set the stage alight against Valencia in the Champions League round of 16.

Looking at things from the big picture, Scolari has a lot of work to do. Brazil are now ranked 18^th in the world, a number which is almost disgraceful by the extremely high standards of the football-raving nation. With players like Michel Bastos, Taison and Willian creating waves of their own in their respective domestic leagues, Scolari might have an even bigger selection headache, or better options to look at, whichever way you choose to see it.

With more than a year to go, Scolari has enough time to set the record straight, but with only international friendlies to look forward to, can Brazil develop the kind of match sharpness required against top opposition? 2014 might seem some way off, but for Brazil, every match leading to next summer will now be of utmost importance.