FIFA World Cup - Brazil

In 1950, Brazil hosted the World Cup and the soccer loving nation were fully behind their heroes, who at the time played in a white shirt with blue collar. Going into the final match, which was decided by a league format as opposed to a stand-alone match, Brazil only needed a draw to clinch the trophy whilst rivals Uruguay had to win.

As so often happens in football, the team that needs to win invariably finds that extra level of desire and hunger as Uruguay shocked the Maracana stadium by snatching a 2-1 victory. It is said that some part of the Brazilian psyche has never recovered from this crushing defeat and even though they have tasted glory on the world stage five times since, there are still more Brazil soccer.books about this tournament than any of the tournaments they won.

An attempt to put this tragedy behind them, Brazil set about finding a new soccer uniform and it was then they took to wearing the world famous strip they wear today. Brazil burst back onto the world stage in 1958 when inspired by the 18 year old Pele, Brazil lifted the World Cup in Sweden. Four years later, they triumphed again but their biggest triumph was to come in 1970.

There are very few soccer historians who will argue with quality and strength of the Brazil 1970 World Cup squad. Perhaps it is helped by the color television footage of the tournament but some of the goals they scored on their way to winning the final 4-1 against Italy were phenomenal. Pele had his third World Cup winners medal and all of the world fell in love with Brazilian soccer.

The following decades were a low point for the national team at the World Cup although the 1982 team could have won the trophy if they knew how to defend. The 1982 team took the style of attacking football to the extreme and although they were eventually outdone by Italy and Paulo Rossi, many soccer fans fell in love with Brazil once again.

The 1994 World Cup wasn't too exciting and the final was largely forgettable but for the Brazilian fans who witnessed the team clinch their fourth world title in a penalty shoot-out couldn't have cared less. Brazil also made it to the final in 1998 but were limp and insipid against France as the host nation ran out 3-0 victors and there were serious doubts placed over whether Ronaldo would return to his best.

These doubts were blown away four years later when the striker was the top scorer in the 2002 World Cup, scoring both goals in a 2-0 victory over Germany which saw the South American nation take their fifth World Cup. There obviously has to be a number of teams at the World Cup to make it worth watching but for many people, it wouldn't be a without Brazil.

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