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Brazil national football team

Brazil
Nickname(s) Canarinha
(Little Canary)
A Seleção
(The Selection)
Verde-Amarela
(Green and Yellow)
Samba Boys Pentacampeões
(Five Time Champion)
Association Confederação Brasileira de Futebol
(Brazilian Football Confederation)
Confederation CONMEBOL (South America)
Head coach Mano Menezes
Captain Lúcio
Most caps Cafu (142)[1][2]
Top scorer Pelé (77)[2]
FIFA code BRA
FIFA ranking 6
Highest FIFA ranking 1 (1993–2007, 2009–10)
Lowest FIFA ranking 8 (August 1993)
Elo ranking 4
Highest Elo ranking 1 (1958–63, 1965–66, 1970–74 1978–79, 1981–83, 1986–87, 1990,1992,1994–00, 2002–10)
Lowest Elo ranking 18 (November 2001)

Home colours

Away colours

First international
Argentina 3–0 Brazil
(Buenos Aires, Argentina; September 20, 1914)[3]
Biggest win
Brazil 14–0 Nicaragua
(Mexico; October 17, 1975)[4]
Biggest defeat
Uruguay 6–0 Brazil
(Viña del Mar, Chile; September 18, 1920)
World Cup
Appearances 19 (First in 1930)
Best result Winners, 1958, 1962,
1970, 1994, 2002
Copa América
Appearances 32 (First in 1916)
Best result Winners, 1919, 1922,
1949, 1989, 1997, 1999,
2004, 2007
CONCACAF Gold Cup
Appearances 3 (First in 1996)
Best result 2nd place, 1996 and 2003
Confederations Cup
Appearances 6 (First in 1997)
Best result Winners, 1997, 2005, 2009


1930 World Cup in Uruguay

At the 1930 tournament Brazil were drawn into Group 2 with Bolovia and Yugoslavia. They lost their first every World Cup game 2-1 to Yugoslavia and beat Bolivia 4-0 in the second game. But that was that. Brazil finished second in the three team group and failed to advance to the second round. This poor result is mostly blamed on the rivalry between the states of Sao Paulo and Rio. Apparently Sao Paulo representatives were excluded from the committe to travel to Urgugay, and so in retaliation Sao Paulo clubs refused to release their players for the national team. Captain Preguinho scored three of Brazil’s five goals in Uruguay, but other than his contribution, Brazil’s 1930 World Cup is best forgotten.

1934 World Cup in Italy

The Brazil team crossed the Atlantic by boat for the 1934 World Cup tournament in Italy, which was a straight knockout with no group stage. They lost 3-1 to Spain in the opening game, and were out. So after 15 days on a boat, Brazil’s tournament was over after 90 minutes. Ouch. Divisions were once again to blame for the poor performance, with arguments erupting over the issue of professionalism vs amateurism. But I’m sure that spending more than two weeks on a boat didn’t help anybody.

Brazil national football team

The one bright spot was Leônidas da Silva (pictured), scorer of Brazil’s only goal. Leônidas is to some extent credited with popularizing the bicycle kick. He’d get a few more goals in the next tournament.


1938 World Cup in France

This is where Brazil started getting it together. The 1938 World Cup was a similar format to 1934, a 16 team knockout from the get go. Brazil opened with what sounds like one of the most exciting World Cup games ever, vs Poland. It was 4-4 after 90 minutes, and 6-5 to Brazil after extra time. Leônidas da Silva (Brazil’s only goalscorer form 1934) scored four, as did Poland’s Ernest Wilimowski. I can’t even imagine how good that game was. In the quarter-final Brazil drew 1-1 with Czechoslovakia, and then won the replay (yep, they had replays back then instead of penalty shootouts) two days later. Leônidas scored in both games.

For reasons best known to coach Ademar Pimenta, Leônidas was left on the bench for the semi-final vs Italy, and Brazil lost 2-1. They did win the 3rd place playoff vs Sweden 4-2 though, with Leônidas scoring another two and finishing the tournament as top scorer with seven. So third place and a Golden Boot winner. Brazil were getting serious. But thanks to World War II, there’d be no more World Cup until 1950.

Brazil team

Brazil team

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