May 8 – Brazil’s attempt to win the World Cup on home soil will be handed to those who have given the country back its pride under coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. In other words, no big surprises.
Seventeen of Scolari’s provisional squad were also included in last year’s Confederations Cup when Brazil hammered defending World and European champions Spain 3-0 in the final.
Veterans Kaka, Ronaldinho and Robinho have been left out as Scolari stands by those have put together 14 wins and four draws. Only five players survive from the squad eliminated in the quarter-finals in South Africa four years ago and only six have previously been to a World Cup .
The other telling statistic is that only four of the 23-man party play their club football outside Europe. Chelsea’s quartet of defender David Luiz and midfielders Oscar, Ramires and Willian made the squad but there was no place for Liverpool midfielders Philippe Coutinho and Lucas Leiva. By contrast Tottenham’s Paulinho, who has had an in and out season with the London club, retained his spot.
Brazil will face Croatia, Mexico and Cameroon in Group A of the tournament.
Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Toronto FC, on loan from QPR), Jefferson (Botafogo), Victor (Atletico Mineiro).
Defenders: Marcelo (Real Madrid), Daniel Alves (Barcelona), Maicon (AS Roma), Maxwell and Thiago Silva (both Paris St-Germain), David Luiz (Chelsea), Dante (Bayern Munich), Henrique (Napoli).
Midfielders: Paulinho (Tottenham Hotspur), Ramires (Chelsea), Willian (Chelsea), Oscar (Chelsea), Hernanes (Inter Milan), Luiz Gustavo (Wolfsburg), Fernandinho (Manchester City).
Forwards: Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk), Neymar (Barcelona), Fred (Fluminense), Jo (Atletico Mineiro), Hulk (Zenit st Petersburg)
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