The Beautiful Game

Brazil 1970 Team, the greatest football team of all time according to a poll by World Soccer Magazine

As FIFA World Cup Football 2010 South Africa approaches near (June 11-July 11) I feel the urge to write something about my passion for football. I was never a good football player but I can claim myself a passionate football fan.

My first experience of enjoying a World Cup was 1994. Romario, the evergreen Brazilian was the star in that World Cup and Brazil, the most successful footballing nation won their 4th title. It was end of 24 years title drought for Brazil, the country credited for producing most talented football stars than any other nation.

I was just a kid then but fell in love with Brazil since 1994. When I grew up I tried to learn why Brazil is so outstanding in football. There are amazing stories behind rise of Brazil. Through this post I reproduce collected information from web and other sources about Brazilian Football.

Football as described by Great Pele "The Beautiful Game" was always worshiped by Brazilians as their second religion and first love. Football is a part and parcel of Brazilians' life. They can sacrifice everything simply for football. There is no other nation in the world that loves football more than life. Here lies Brazil's strength, for this they are outstanding.

There is lots of uncertainty in my life. But one thing is certain in my life. I will always love football and hail Brazilian Football, not only because Brazil plays well, but also I respect Brazilians who love football so passionately.

No team in the history of football has enjoyed as much success as Brazil. When it comes to the FIFA World Cup, not only have the South American giants won more titles and more games than anyone else, and scored more goals, they have been ever-present at the finals, never once failing to negotiate their region's qualifying tournament. However, the reigning South American champions and FIFA Confederations Cup holders failed in their bid to reach a fourth successive FIFA World Cup Final at Germany 2006. That tournament marked the end of a golden era in the country's history and ushered in what what fans hope would be an equally successful spell under former Auriverde star Dunga.

With Brazil's phenomenal recent record at the finals, it is easy to forget that it was not always that way. Back in 1950, they hosted the FIFA World Cup supremely confident of celebrating the title at the awe-inspiring Maracana Stadium but failed to count on Obdulio Varela's indomitable Uruguay side snatching victory in the decisive game. There was a happier ending in Sweden eight years later, when a 17-year-old Pele guided Brazil to their first triumph. His magical skills, along with those of Garrincha and other fabled names, ensured the country's continued domination over the next few years as further titles were added at Chile 1962 and, perhaps most spectacularly of all, at Mexico 1970.

Pele's retirement marked a downturn in Brazilian fortunes, however, and it was some 24 years and several false dawns later before the Canarinhos reached the pinnacle of world football once more. At USA 1994, Carlos Parreira was at the helm of a side famed more for its tactical nous than technical prowess.

Nevertheless, with the magic of Romario and Bebeto and the leadership of Dunga, Parreira duly guided Brazil to victory over Italy on penalties after the first goalless Final in the competition's history. In 1998, with Ronaldo having assumed Romario's mantle, the team coached by the legendary Mario Zagallo fell to France in the Final, opening a wound that would take four years to heal. Although Luiz Felipe Scolari's unheralded team arrived at Korea/Japan 2002 without the tag of favourites, they proceeded to sweep aside all-comers with some dazzling football from the three Rs - Rivaldo, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho - to claim a fifth FIFA World Cup.

In 2006, with Parreira back at the helm once more, the Seleção boasted perhaps the most glittering line-up in their history, with Kaka, Ze Roberto, Ronaldinho, Adriano and Ronaldo set to threaten even the tightest defences. They did wreak a certain amout of havoc in Germany, but not for quarter-final opponents France, who sent the Auriverde packing with a 1-0 win. Though no consolation for their elimination, Ronaldo's feat of becoming the competition's all-time top-scorer during the finals was a source of pride to all Brazilians.

In the aftermath of Germany 2006, the Brazilian Football Condeferation entrusted the running of the team to the hugely sucessful ex-international Carlos Dunga, who had captained Brazil to the world title in 1994 but who, curiously, had never worked as a coach before. Dunga wasted little time in repaying his employers' faith, leading the side to a 3-0 win over rivals Argentina in the final of the Copa America Venezuela 2007, having blooded a host of new players and coped without several big-name stars. All told, it bodes extremely well for the five-time world champions as they bid to repeat their first-place finish that took them comfortably through the qualifiers for Germany 2006.

Brazil continued their extraordinary form in World Cup qualifying round topping in table in continental zone. Their superb skills reflected in FIFA Confederations Cup 2009 as they remained unbeaten and won all three games in the group stage and reached semifinals. Brazil under supervision of coach Dunga is determined to win FIFA World Cup- 2010 in South Africa.

If  you have any doubt considering Brazil as the most successful footballing nation, just have look on Statistics. Hope you'll get the right answer even if you don't support Brazil.

HONOURS:

FIFA World Cup™ victories:
Winner- (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002)
Runners-Up (1950, 1998)
Third- (1938, 1978)
Fourth- (1974)

FIFA World Cup™ appearances:
18 (1930, 1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006)
  

Continental titles:

Winner:
Copa America- (1919, 1922, 1949, 1989, 1997, 1999, 2004, 2007) Runners-Up:
Copa America (1921, 1925, 1936, 1945, 1946, 1953, 1957, 1959, 1983, 1991, 1995), CONCACAF Gold Cup (1996 USA, 2003 USA/Mexico)
  

Best Results:

Winner:
FIFA U-20 World Cup Final (1983, 1985, 1993, 2003), FIFA Futsal World Cup Final (1989, 1992, 1996, 2008), FIFA Confederations Cup (1997, 2005 and 2009), FIFA U-17 World Cup Final (1997, 1999, 2003), FIFA Club World Cup (2000, 2005, 2006), FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Final (2006, 2007, 2008) 

Runners-Up:
Olympic Football Tournament Final (1984, 1988), FIFA U-20 World Cup Final (1991, 1995), FIFA U-17 World Cup Final (1995, 2005), FIFA Confederations Cup (1999), FIFA Club World Cup (2000), FIFA Futsal World Cup Final (2000), Olympic Football Tournament Women Final (2004, 2008), FIFA Women's World Cup Final (2007) 

Third:
FIFA U-20 World Cup Final (1977, 1989, 2005), FIFA U-17 World Cup Final (1985), Olympic Football Tournament Final (1996, 2008), FIFA Women's World Cup Final (1999), FIFA Futsal World Cup Final (2004), FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Final (2005), FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Final (2006) 

Fourth:
Olympic Football Tournament Final (1976), Olympic Football Tournament Women Final (1996, 2000), FIFA Confederations Cup (2001), FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Final (2002, 2004)

Courtesy: FIFA