The 5 time World Cup champions, Brazil, are most observers' choice of finalists around this time of the year. Their record speaks for itself, reaching the final stage of the competition an impressive 7 times since the inaugural tournament in 1930. After their somewhat disappointing and lackluster performance in the 2006 edition when they crashed at the hands of a Zidane-inspired France, Brazil appointed Dunga as the head coach. The Brazil legend wasted no time in putting his stamp on the team and quickly collected both the 2007 Copa America and the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup since his reign at the helm. Despite some struggles during their qualifying campaign and a general criticism from the Brazil fans for the team's defensive approach, Dunga has nonetheless qualified for the finals and put together an impressive squad to challenge for World Cup glory this summer.
Powerful, efficient, well-drilled. Words we don't often use to describe a Brazil team. But this is how Dunga has molded this team, in his own image and mirroring his own playing style: disciplined, physical, and effective. Although the Brazil fans have spoken against Dunga's tactics, the results have shown that his pragmatism are well worth the sacrifice of the fluid and expansive Joga Bonito football Brazil is renowned for. Dunga's Brazil team is one which is founded on a solid defensive base and which moves as a unit in both attack and defense. The employing of two defensive midfieders (the veteran Gilberto Silva and the '08-'09 season's revelation, Felipe Melo) protecting the back and breaking up attacks sets up the spring board for lightning-fast counter-attacks spearheaded by Sevilla center forward Luis Fabiano. The back-four is impressive in itself as it contains Champions League winning trio Julio Cesar (Goalkeeper), Maicon (Right-Back), and Lucio (Center-Back). Portugal Liga winning Benefica captain, Luisao (Center-Back), joins this backline along with promising AC Milan young defender Thiago Silva (Center-Back). In this defensive arsenal it must also be mentioned that Brazil boasts of the two best right-backs in the world, Maicon and Daniel Alves, who are important elements of Dunga's counter-attacking system.
The one reproach we might have about Dunga's selection would be a possible lack of goals, especially should Fabiano go down due to injury. Grafite ('08-'09 Bundesliga topscorer with 28 goals) has not enjoyed as prolific a season this year (11 goals) and is largely untested at the World Cup stage. It is the same case with Nilmar but he has however been part of Dunga's set up throughout the qualifying campaign. His undeniable ability, it has to be said, belies his inexperience at this level but reliance on him might be gamble nevertheless. Another worry is the injury blighted playmaker, Kaka, who has not enjoyed the best of season since his big-money transfer to Real Madrid. As such he will not come into the competition in the best of forms. One glimmer of hope however is the rejuvenated Robinho, who seems to have found a new lease on life since his January switch to childhood club Santos. In effect an in-form Robinho might prove invaluable to Brazil's campaign, and Dunga's confidence in him can only serve as further impetus for him to finally fulfill his immense potential.
More importantly than anything else, Dunga has assembled a group of players who not only play into his system but that he also as great faith and trust in. In fact many of the players he had first installed in the team since his first triumph at the 2007 Copa America are present in this team: Robinho, Elano, Julio Baptista, Gilberto Silva and Josue amongst a few new addition (namely Ramires, Felipe Melo, Nilmar). Even still there was a unanimous outcry from the Brazil fans and general football audience at the exclusion of Brazilian samba star Ronaldinho. The explanation is two-fold but really quite simple:
- Ronaldinho does not fit in Dunga's system
- Dunga does not trust him
I am convinced Dunga had long before decided, as all anxiously awaited on the final 23-man squad announcement, that Ronaldinho was not going to be part of his plans. Although the Brazilian playmaker had enjoyed one of his more productive seasons in recent years, contributing 12 goals and 14 assists for Italian club AC Milan, he would never have made the squad... at least not as long as Dunga was in charge. Thus it is not going to be an issue of the lack of goals of Dunga's Brazil squad, in which ball-winning midfielders outnumber the forwards, but by their water-tight defensive unit that they will make it to this summer's World Cup finals. After all, if we are to believe the old school of thought: in football it is through a solid defensive base that teams progress in big tournaments.
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