Kevin McCarra/The Guardian
Kaka can inspire Brazil to victory at World Cup 2010. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty ImagesHistory lesson
The only team to have appeared at every World Cup; five-times winners; runners-up in 1950 and 1998; semi-finalists in 1938, 1974 and 1978. The 1970 team are seen as one of the best teams ever and their fourth goal in the final – a sweeping move involving 83% of the population of Brazil – as one of the greatest ever scored. Have produced players of breathtaking skill such as Pelé, Garrincha and Rivaldo as well as dead-eyed finishers such as Romário.
Tactics board
Brazil play a 4-2-3-1 with Luís Fabiano as a lone centre-forward ahead of Robinho, Kaká and Ramires. Purists will tell you that Dunga's decision to leave out Ronaldinho is a sign of Brazil's drift away from jogo bonito but it's still not exactly Stoke City we're talking about here. True, they employ not one but two defensive midfielders but they still have room for the creativity of Kaká and Robinho's pointlessly overelaborate jinking.
Grudge match
Brazil have three main rivals: Argentina, Argentina and Argentina. When the teams met in the last 16 of the 1990 World Cup Argentina's medical team were accused of putting tranquillisers in Branco's water as Brazil crashed out.
Also known as
The poetic – canarinhos (little canaries); the imposing – a selecção (the selection); and the factual – verde amarela (yellow and green).
The players
Vuvuzela superstar
Kaká. Clean-living, fresh-faced poster boy who plays for Real Madrid and Jesus. Boasts an off-field persona so spotless that scientists have proven he can cure acne-ridden teenagers just by looking at them.
There's always Bolton
Luís Fabiano is linked to the Premier League every other second and his speed and strength is suited to the English game. Sevilla want around £18m for him and Harry Redknapp, down to 53 fit strikers, could see him as the man to bolster Spurs' Champions League campaign.
Laager lout
It's bad enough that the Roberto Mancini-baiting, stepovering Robinho has a tendency to go missing on the pitch he also regularly dropped off Manchester City's radar before being packed off to Santos.
The coach
Body double
Dunga means "Dopey" in Portuguese and work as an extra at Disney World is a possibility should the football not work out.
Big game hunter
Although his pragmatic approach is seen as un-Brazilian by some – he left Ronaldinho out of the squad – he has won the Copa América and the Confederations Cup.
Loved or loathed
When Dunga captained his country to victory at the 1994 World Cup, Brazilian reporters described him as a dour symbol of everything that was wrong with the game when they really meant to say he was a towering pillar of strength.
The country
Commentators' kit
Brazil is home to the acai berry which contains high levels of antioxidants, vitamins, minerals and anthocyanins which will improve your concentration, memory and sex life. Or at least that's what the 94 emails we received in our inbox this morning told us.
They gave the world
Attractive female fans in skimpy clothing, Brazil's answer to drunk students dressed up as pirates at Trent Bridge on a rainy Ashes Thursday in June.
National monument
Beautiful beaches, beautiful people, a tropical climate and a rapidly growing economy have bolstered Brazilian optimism. Like Britain then, except for the beaches, beautiful people, climate, economy. Oh, and the optimism.
Qualifying
Comfortable. Finished top of their group with three matches to spare but the process was not as imperious as some would have liked, taking only one point off Bolivia and drawing 0-0 four times.
The Triesman tapes ... what he didn't say
"Coffee-fuelled adrenaline junkies offering sanctuary to train robbers and party-animal pubic topiarists who think they invented passing to feet."
Statistics
World Cup: record 18 finals
P92 W64 D14 L14 F201 A84
Winners in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
199,854: Maracanã crowd who watched Brazil's 2-1 defeat by Uruguay in the 'fateful final' of 1950 tournament. The hosts had led 1-0
Fixtures
North Korea, 15 June, Ellis Park, 7.30pm
Ivory Coast, 20 June, Soccer City, 7.30pm
Portugal, 25 June, Moses Mabhida Stadium, 3pm
The verdict
Dunga's men have talent but it is the power and depth of the squad that are truly intimidating. The attackers are not quite so distinguished as in the past but overall resources are rich, with, for instance, Maicon and Dani Alves as candidates for right-back. Rightful favourites to win their sixth World Cup on a fifth continent.
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