Brazil manager, Tite, has put together a 23-man World Cup squad that looks to set to cause some rumbles in Russia with quality across the pitch
There were no major surprises as Brazil boss Tite announced Brazil’s official 23-man World Cup squad.
Some fans were hoping for two or three miraculous inclusions, but at the end of the day, Adenor Bacchi remained faithful to the group of players that has been an essential part of his success, in the qualifiers as well as the preparatory games.
The severe injury Paris Saint Germain fullback Dani Alves picked up seemed like a huge blow to Tite’s plans, as he is a known advocate of the 35-year-old due to his passing technique as well as his ability to improve build-up play, especially when releasing the ball from the back.
However, the veteran is not getting any younger, and his injury could turn out to be a blessing in disguise if Manchester City right-back Danilo can build on the momentum he has recently gained, and translate his club form to the national team.
The rest of the back-five was completely expected, with Corinthians’ number one Cassio getting the edge over Valencia’s Neto, while Gremio captain Pedro Geromel rightly displacing Sao Paulo’s Rodrigo Caio, whereas Filipe Luis made the list ahead of Alex Sandro, as expected.
Moving on to midfield, this was the only sector with a potential to pull one or two surprise picks, but at the end of the day, none of that happened as Tite went with Shakhtar Donetsk duo Fred and Taison ahead of the likes of Gremio pair Arthur and Luan, as well as Turkish league stars Giuliano or Anderson Talisca.
Taison’s versatility allows him to operate as a wide forward, but he is probably on the roster to be utilized as an attacking midfielder, with Brazil already having several options on the flanks such as Willian, Douglas Costa, Neymar and even Philippe Coutinho if necessary.
The forward line was likewise, absolutely easy to predict. All in all, 21 out of the 23 names seemed like a lock. Despite the absences of Alex Sandro, Fabinho and Arthur, who are most popular among the fans, Tite has picked a very strong Brazilian team, capable of going far in Russia.
How Tite lines up his team, and the tactical scheme that will be used is what will actually be the difference-maker. The truth is that the Seleção boss has helped the team climb the ladder since taking charge around two years ago.
Brazil was in danger of missing out on the World Cup but ended up first in the CONMEBOL qualifiers, and by some distance. The team has finally found an identity and a clear style of play. In the worst-case scenario, if Brazil has a dull performance, it is likely that the team will remain defensively organized and will not concede many goals, which would consequently keep them in contention to pull out an equalizer or even a late-winner.
In addition to that, for the first time in ages, the bench is almost as strong as the starting lineup, which leaves the possibility of a plan B or even a plan C, depending on the circumstances of the game. Brazil has everything to be crowned world champions in July and become the first non-European nation in history to win the World Cup on European territory in the 21st century.
