Arguably one of the most popular football teams in the world, Brazil continue to be a force to be reckoned with in world football.
Legendary players like Pele, Garrincha, Ronaldo Nazario, Ronaldinho, Rivaldo have all donned the yellow of Brazil and the Selecao have won the World Cup five times, more than any other nation.
However, they have not been at their best in recent years, especially at the World Cup as their performances in recent editions have been underwhelming. They were knocked out in the quarter-final and Round of 16 in 2006 and 2010 respectively, but it was the 2014 edition that brought the most humiliation, that too on home soil. Brazil were humbled by Germany in a shocking 7-1 defeat in the semi-finals at the Maracana. The Germans went on to win the tournament by defeating Argentina in the final.
In 2018, Brazil were among the favourites with a strong squad, but were once again disappointed after being knocked out by Belgium in the quarter-final. The 2022 World Cup brought more of the same, as Croatia eliminated them in a dramatic penalty shootout, once again in the quarter-finals.
Their performances in the CONMEBOL qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup have not been convincing either. However, with a serial winner in Carlo Ancelotti at the helm, and some of Europe’s most exciting talents in the squad, there is renewed hope among the Joga Bonito faithful.
But will that be enough to finally end the 24-year long drought? GOAL takes a look at the players at their disposal for the 2026 showpiece in USA, Mexico and Canada.