Brazil national football team
The Brazil national football team, nicknamed Seleção Canarinho, represents Brazil in men's international football and is administered by the Confederação Brasileira de Futebol, the governing body of football in Brazil. It has been a member of FIFA since 1923 and a founding member of CONMEBOL since 1916. It was also a member of PFC, the unified confederation of the Americas from 1946 to 1961.
Brazil is the most successful national team in the FIFA World Cup, winning the tournament five times: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. The Seleção also has average overall performance in the World Cup competition, both in proportional and absolute terms, with a record of 76 victories in 114 matches played, 129 goal difference, 247 points, and 19 losses. It is the only national team to have played in all World Cup editions without any absence nor need for playoffs, and the only team to have won the World Cup in four different continents: once in Europe, once in South America, twice in North America, and once in Asia. Brazil was also the most successful team in the now-defunct FIFA Confederations Cup, winning it four times, in 1997, 2005, 2009, and 2013. With the capture of the gold medal at the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2020 Summer Olympics. Brazil is one of only two countries, the other being France, to have won all men's FIFA 11-player competitions at all age levels.
Brazil has the highest average Elo football rating over time, and the fourth all-time peak football Elo rating, established in 2022. In FIFA's ranking system Brazil holds the record for most Team of the Year first ranking wins with 13. Many commentators, experts, and former players have considered the Brazil team of 1970 to be the greatest team of all time. Other Brazilian teams are also highly esteemed and regularly appear listed among the best teams of all time, such as the Brazil teams of 1958–62 and the squads of the 1994–02 period, with honorary mentions for the gifted 1982 side. In 1996, the Brazil national team achieved 35 consecutive matches undefeated, a feat which they held as a world record for 25 years.
Brazil has developed many rivalries through the years, with the most notable ones being with Argentina—known as the Superclássico das Américas in Portuguese, Italy—known as the Clássico Mundial in Portuguese or the World Derby in English, Uruguay—known as the Clássico do Rio Negro, due to the traumatic Maracanazo, and the Netherlands due to several important meetings between the two teams at several World Cups.
History
Early history (1914–1929)
It is generally believed that the inaugural game of the Brazil national football team was a 1914 match between a Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo select team and the English club Exeter City, held in Fluminense's stadium. Brazil won 2–0 with goals by Oswaldo Gomes and Osman, though it is claimed that the match was a 3–3 draw.In contrast to its future success, the national team's early appearances were not brilliant. Other early matches played during that time include several friendly games against Argentina, Chile and Uruguay, all nations to which football had been introduced decades earlier.
Brazil participated in the first edition of the South American Championship in Argentina in 1916, finishing third place, and the 1917 edition in Uruguay, also finishing third. However, led by the goalscoring abilities of Arthur Friedenreich, they were champions on home soil in the 1919 edition. Brazil finished third at the 1920 tournament held in Chile and runners-up at the 1921 edition in Argentina. Brazil won the second title at home in 1922, the 100th anniversary of Brazilian independence.
Brazil finished fourth place at the 1923 edition held in Uruguay, did not participate in the 1924 edition also held in Uruguay, and finished second at the 1925 tournament held in Argentina. Brazil did not take part in the 1926, 1927 and 1929 editions.
First World Cup appearance and title drought (1930–1949)
In 1930, Brazil played in the first FIFA World Cup, held in Uruguay. The squad lost 2–1 to Yugoslavia and defeated Bolivia 4–0, being eliminated from the competition in the group stage. Four years later, Brazil lost in the first round to Spain in the all-knockout 1934 World Cup, held in Italy.After not taking part in the 1935 South American Championship held in Peru and finishing runners up at the 1937 South American Championship held in Argentina, Brazil reached the semi-finals in the 1938 edition held in France, knocking out Poland 6–5, Czechoslovakia in the quarterfinals after a replay, before being defeated 2–1 by defending and eventual champions Italy. Brazil won third place after defeating Sweden 4–2. Brazil were the only South American team to participate in this competition after other teams boycotted due to the fact that a European nation was hosting. After that, Brazil did not take part at the 1939 South American Championship held in Peru.
Three South American Championship editions took place during World War II: 1941, 1942, and 1945.
After the war ended, Brazil participated in the 1946 South American Championship held in Argentina, finishing runners-up, and didn't take part in the 1947 edition hosted by Ecuador. At the 1949 South American Championship held in Brazil, the team won their third title, ending a 27-year streak without a South American title.
The 1950 World Cup at home and the ''Maracanazo''
After World War II left Europe in ruins, Brazil hosted the 1950 FIFA World Cup unopposed.At the tournament's group stage, Brazil defeated Mexico 4–0 at the Maracanã in Rio de Janeiro, tied with Switzerland 2–2 at the Pacaembu in São Paulo, and returned to the Maracanã to defeat Yugoslavia 2–0.
Unlike the other tournaments before and after, this edition had a final group stage to decide the champions. At this stage, Brazil defeated Sweden 7-1 and Spain 6–1, both at the Maracanã.
The team went into the last game of the final round, against Uruguay at the Maracanã needing only a draw to win the World Cup. Brazil opened the score, but Uruguay made a comeback and won the match 2–1 with a goal by Alcides Ghiggia deciding the match, and Uruguay won the World Cup in a game known as the Maracanazo. The match led to a period of national mourning and Brazil stopping wearing white as the main uniform.
1951–1957
After the disappointment at the World Cup held at home, Brazil competed and finished runners up at the 1953 South American Championship held in Peru.For the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland, Brazil was then almost completely renovated, with the team's uniform changed to yellow shirts with green details, blue shorts and white socks. The uniform was designed by Aldyr Schlee and is still used today. Brazil wanted to forget the Maracanazo, and still had a group of star players. Brazil defeated Mexico 5-0 and tied with Yugoslavia 1–1 at the group stage. France was also in the group, but Brazil didn't play them as the tournament only held two matched at the group stage. In the quarterfinals, Brazil were beaten 4–2 by tournament favourites Hungary in one of the ugliest matches in football history, known as the "Battle of Berne".
Brazil didn't take part at the 1955 South American Championship held in Chile, but finished fourth at the 1956 edition held in Uruguay and the 1957 tournament hosted by Peru.
Pelé and the First Golden Era (1958–1970)
For the 1958 World Cup held in Sweden, Brazil were drawn in a group with England, the Soviet Union and Austria. They beat Austria 3–0 in their first match, then drew 0–0 with England. Before the match, coach Vicente Feola made three substitutions that were crucial for Brazil to defeat the Soviets: Zito, Garrincha and Pelé. From the kick-off, they kept up the pressure relentlessly, and after three minutes, which were later described as "the greatest three minutes in the history of football", Vavá gave Brazil the lead, and they won the match 2–0. Pelé scored the only goal of their quarter-final match against Wales, and they beat France 5–2 in the semi-final. Brazil then also beat Sweden 5–2 in the final, winning their first World Cup and becoming the first nation to win a World Cup title outside of its own continent. Pelé described it tearfully as a nation coming of age.Brazil then competed in two South American championships held in 1959. The first was hosted by Argentina and Brazil finished runners-up. The second was held in Ecuador and Brazil finished third place.
In the 1962 World Cup held in Chile, Brazil was drawn with Mexico, Czechoslovakia and Spain. Brazil defeated Mexico 2–0 at the first match. The second was a goalless draw with Czechoslovakia, but Pelé got injured at this match and was unable to play for the rest of the tournament. So the protagonist became Garrincha as the star player, a mantle and responsibility laid upon him. Brazil then defeated Spain 2–1 at the final group stage match. Brazil knocked out England 3–1 in the quarterfinals, defeated hosts Chile 4–2 in the semifinals, and defended the World Cup title with a 3-1 win in the final against Czechoslovakia.
The team then finished runners-up at the 1963 South American Championship held in Bolivia.
In the 1966 World Cup held in England, Brazil had their worst performance in a World Cup. Brazil defeated Bulgaria 2–0, but lost to Hungary 3–1. The tournament was remembered for its excessively physical play, and Pelé was one of the players most affected. Against Portugal, several violent tackles by the Portuguese defenders caused forward player Pelé to leave the match and the tournament. Brazil lost this match 3-1 and was eliminated in the first round of the World Cup for the first time since 1934. They have not failed to reach the knockout stages of the competition since. Brazil became the second defending champion to be eliminated in the first round after Italy in 1950. France in 2002, Italy in 2010, Spain in 2014 and Germany 2018 also repeated the unglorious feat. After the tournament, Pelé declared that he did not wish to play in the World Cup again. Nonetheless, he returned in 1970.
After the early exit at the World Cup in 1966, Brazil did not take part in the 1967 South American Championship held in Uruguay. This was the last time Brazil did not take part at the tournament, and that would be the last edition before the tournament was renamed as the Copa América.
At the 1970 World Cup held in Mexico, the first World Cup held in North America and the first held outside Europe or South America, Brazil fielded what has been widely considered the best World Cup football squad ever, led by Pelé in his last World Cup finals, captain Carlos Alberto Torres, Jairzinho, Tostão, Gérson and Rivellino. Even though Garrincha had retired, this team was still a force to be reckoned with. They won all six of their games, starting with a 4–1 against Czechoslovakia, then a 1–0 against England, despite a spectacular save by Gordon Banks, and then a 3–2 against Romania during group play. Brazil then won 4–2 against Peru in the quarterfinals, then defeated Uruguay 3–1 in the semifinals and Italy 4–1 in the final. Jairzinho was the second top scorer with seven goals, and is the only player to score in every match in a World Cup; Pelé finished with four goals. Brazil lifted the Jules Rimet trophy for the third time, which meant that they were allowed to keep it. A replacement was then commissioned, though it would be 24 years before Brazil won it again. The Jules Rimet trophy was stolen from the CBF in 1983, and never recovered. CBF then was awarded a replica.