Brazil
National Team Information
General Info
CONMEBOL
Seleção (The National Team), Canarinho (Little Canary), Amarelinha (Little Yellow), Verde-Amarela (Green-Yellow)
World Cup Participation
Championships
1919 South American Championship, 1922 South American Championship, 1949 South American Championship, 1958 FIFA World Cup, 1962 FIFA World Cup, 1970 FIFA World Cup, 1989 Copa America, 1996 CONCACAF Gold Cup, 1997 Copa America, 1997 FIFA Confederations Cup, 1999 Copa America, 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup, 2004 Copa America, 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, 2007 Copa America, 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup, 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, 2019 Copa America
Brazil National Football Team History
Beginnings and World Cup Win
The first-ever Brazil national football team was made up of players from São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. They defeated English club Exeter City 2-0 in their inaugural match in 1914. In their early years, Brazil struggled but they picked up their first trophy in the 1919 South American Championships.
Brazil national football team were one of 13 teams to participate in the first-ever World Cup in 1930 but were eliminated in the group stage. The Selecao first rose to prominence in 1950 when they hosted the World Cup and made the four-team final round. Needing a win in their last match against Uruguay, Brazil disappointingly fell 2-1 sending shockwaves throughout the nation.
The iconic yellow kit was introduced ahead of the 1954 World Cup, partially to forget the 1950’s disappointment, but Brazil fell in the quarterfinals. Pele made his national team debut in 1957 and he played a huge role in Brazil’s first ever World Cup win, at Sweden 1958. With a 5-2 win over Sweden in the final, Brazil national football team became the first team to win a World Cup outside of their own continent.
History
The best player in the world at the time, Pele was injured during the 1962 World Cup. However, Garrincha stepped up to the plate as Brazil’s leader and helped them win a second straight title. After a disappointing performance in 1966, Pele returned for his final World Cup and led Brazil to their third title at Mexico 1970. A flair-filled Brazil team won every single one of their games and Jairzinho became the only player to score in every World Cup match.
After Pele and other legends retired, Brazil went 24 years without making the FIFA World Cup final. That changed in 1994 as a more defensive-minded side won the tournament in the USA, after Italy’s Roberto Baggio skied his penalty in the final PK shootout. There was only an eight-year wait this time for glory as a Brazil team headlined by Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho guided the Selecao to their record fifth trophy at South Korea 2002.
Brazil national football team haven’t won a FIFA World Cup since, but they’ve often found success in the FIFA Confederations Cup and Copa America. They’ve also had world class players like Kaka, Neymar, Dani Alves and Thiago Silva come through the ranks since then.
2000 and On
Brazil got eliminated in the 2006 World Cup quarterfinal to France and Dunga was subsequently hired. Under him, Brazil won the 2007 Copa America as Robinho won the Golden Boot. Then, Brazil won the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup as they defeated the USA 3-2 in the final.
In 2013, under Luiz Felipe Scolari, Brazil successfully defended their Confederations Cup title. Neymar was named the Player of the Tournament and goalkeeper Julio Cesar won the Golden Glove award. There was a lot of excitement surrounding the Brazilian side heading into the 2014 World Cup on home soil.
Neymar managed to score four goals in the group stage as Brazil defeated Croatia and Cameroon and drew against Mexico. They went on to eliminate Chile in penalties in the round of 16, as Julio Cesar made three saves. Two defenders scored in the quarters against Colombia to advance to the semifinal. With Neymar injured and Thiago Silva suspended for the semifinal, Germany destroyed Brazil 7-1. It was Brazil’s first home loss since 1975 and their biggest defeat ever in a World Cup.
Four years later, Brazil reached the quarterfinals but lost 2-1 to eventual Bronze medalists Belgium. In 2019, Brazil won their first Copa America title since 2007 by defeating Peru 3-1 in the final. At the 2022 World Cup, Brazil soccer betting was incredibly popular and they entered the tournament as the favorites. They reached the quarterfinals, where they were eliminated on penalties by Croatia.
- Pelé, Neymar – 77 goals (tie)
- Ronaldo – 62 goals
- Romário – 56 goals
- Zico – 48 goals
Considered one of the best players of all-time, Pele has become synonymous with the Brazilian national team. As of the time of writing, he is the top scorer in national team history and he was one of soccer’s first global icons.
Pele scored six goals in the 1958 World Cup aged 17 as the World Cup’s youngest ever player at the time. He lifted the World Cup trophy three times and is undoubtedly Brazil’s best ever player.
Overshadowed by Pele, Garrincha was a magician with the ball at his feet and it is no wonder Brazil never lost a match with both Pele and Garrincha on the pitch. It’s no coincidence that Brazil’s worst ever FIFA World Cup performance came following his international retirement.
Before Cristiano Ronaldo, there was Ronaldo. Brazil’s third-leading scorer of all-time had an incredible mix of pace, power, and skill. He was widely regarded as the best player in the world in the lead up to the 1998 World Cup but suffered a convulsive fit before the final and didn’t play at his best. He redeemed himself by scoring eight goals to lead Brazil to a 2002 World Cup win.
Neymar ended 2022 as the top all-time scorer in Brazilian national team history, along with the legendary Pele. A global superstar, Neymar has been one of the best players in the world for a decade. Neymar was tied for the Champions League lead in goals in 2015 as he lifted the trophy with Barcelona. He’s also been the Champions League top assist provider on two occasions. He also won the Golden Ball at the 2013 Confederations Cup.
Brazil’s World Cup performance has been exceptional over the years but undoubtedly their best performance was in 1970. Often considered the greatest World Cup squad of all time, the team boasted players like Pele, Carlos Alberto Torres, Tostao, Gerson and Rivelino.
They cruised through the Group Stage and outscored their three knockout stage opponents, 11-4. The final was one-sided as Brazil demolished Italy, 4-1. Pele scored the opener and Gerson, Jairzinho and Carlos Alberto all added exclamation points in front of over 100,000 fans at the Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Poor performances at the World Cup have been few and far between for Brazil but the 1966 World Cup is the last time they failed to make it out of the Group Stage. The 1966 World Cup in England is remembered as an incredibly physical tournament, which clashed with Brazil’s free-flowing and creative play style.
Brazil national football team never lost a game with Pele and Garrincha on the pitch, but both were nursing injuries throughout the tournament. The Selecao won their first match over Bulgaria, but lost 3-1 to both Hungary and Portugal for an atypical early elimination.
Brazil Soccer Leagues & Clubs:
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A:
The Campeonato Brasileiro Série A, or Brasileirão for short, is the top tier Brazilian soccer league. The Brasileirão consists of 20 teams and the season runs from April to December. The league follows a double round-robin format and the bottom four teams go down to the second tier at the end of each season. The top six qualify for the Copa Libertadores.
Serie A Teams 2022-2023 Season
| Team |
|---|
| América Mineiro |
| Athletico Paranaense |
| Atlético Mineiro |
| Bahia |
| Botafogo |
| Corinthians |
| Coritiba |
| Cruzeiro |
| Cuiabá |
| Flamengo |
| Fluminense |
| Fortaleza |
| Goiás |
| Grêmio |
| Internacional |
| Palmeiras |
| Red Bull Bragantino |
| Santos |
| São Paulo |
| Vasco da Gama |
Campeonato Brasileiro Série B
The Campeonato Brasileiro Série B is the second division in Brazil. It’s another option for Brazil soccer betting and also contains 20 teams. The Série B follows a very similar format as the Brasileirão. There’s a double round-robin and the top four teams are promoted to the Brasileirão. Meanwhile, the bottom four teams go down to the Série C. The 2023 season will run from April to November.
Serie B Teams 2022-2023 Season
| Team |
|---|
| ABC |
| Atlético Goianiense |
| Avaí |
| Botafogo-SP |
| Ceará |
| Chapecoense |
| CRB |
| Criciúma |
| Guarani |
| Ituano |
| Juventude |
| Londrina |
| Mirassol |
| Novorizontino |
| Ponte Preta |
| Sampaio Corrêa |
| Sport |
| Tombense |
| Vila Nova |
| Vitória |
| Swansea City |
Brazil Cups & Tournaments
Brazil’s soccer teams compete in the annual Copa do Brasil, which was founded in 1989. A total of 92 teams participate in the tournament from all 26 Brazilian states. The first two rounds are held as single-elimination fixtures. From then on, all ties are two-legged.
The Supercopa do Brasil is an annual match between the Campeonato Brasileiro champions and the winners of the Copa do Brasil. If a team wins both competitions, the second team in the match is the Campeonato Brasileiro runner-up. The match was revived in 2019 after not being held since 1992.
Brazil Soccer Betting Information
Betting on the Serie A
The most popular league for Brazilian soccer betting is the Brasileirão. For many, this is the most exciting league in the Americas. It’s also the league where the vast majority of the most talented Brazilian players get their start. The creativity in the Brasileirão is off the charts and it makes for a great watch. Brazil’s historical best teams are known as the G-12 or Big Twelve. The G-12 consists of Atlético Mineiro, Botafogo, Corinthians, Cruzeiro, Flamengo, Fluminense, Grêmio, Internacional, Palmeiras, Santos, São Paulo and Vasco da Gama.
Over the last few years, Palmeiras, Corinthians and Flamengo have been highly successful. Still, heading into 2023 there have been three different champions over the last three years. Palmeiras won their record 11th title in 2022, Atletico Mineiro took home the trophy in 2021 and Flamengo triumphed in 2020.
Home teams did particularly well in the 2022 season. They won 44 percent of the time and drew 28 percent of the time. Away teams won in just under 28 percent of matches. The league has been relatively low scoring over the last couple of seasons. There were just 2.22 goals per game in 2021 and 2.38 goals per game in 2022. There were two goals or fewer in 56 percent of matches in 2022. In 2022, both teams scored in 50 percent of matches and clean sheets were kept in 56 percent of games.
Brazil National Team Betting Tips & Odds
Brazil’s national team is iconic and they have qualified for every single World Cup. The Seleção are generally among the favorites in every single tournament they enter. Brazil kept an incredible 14-3-0 record in CONMEBOL 2022 World Cup qualifiers and have reached the knockout stage of every World Cup since 1986. Due to their success, betting tips often recommend picking Brazil.
Neymar is still in his prime and will almost certainly get another shot to win the World Cup in 2026. The amount of talented Brazilian players is stunning and they figure to be a force to be reckoned with for some time. The next big opportunity to bet on Brazil will be in the 2024 Copa America. Plus, they should be a popular pick in 2026 World Cup Qualifiers as well.
Young players like Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo are expected to be mainstays in the side for years. Meanwhile, Raphinha, Richarlison and Lucas Paqueta will still be in their primes by the time the 2026 World Cup comes around. Expect Brazil’s betting odds to be relatively short to win the FIFA World Cup in 2026 once again.
Summary
Brazilian soccer is world renowned. The national team has won the most World Cups, with five. Meanwhile, one can find Brazilian players in all of the world’s top leagues. Even though so many Brazilian players go abroad, the Brasileirão is still a highly competitive league. Bettors should also be aware that along with the top flight, many Brazilian states run their own concurrent regional leagues.
Expect Brazil to remain a soccer power in the coming years. Along with that, there should be plenty of betting opportunities.
