The Selecao will enter the tournament with a star-studded squad.
Brazil reached the 2022 World Cup after staying undefeated in their brilliant qualifying campaign. One of the title contenders, Brazil national team, will play their matches in Qatar, which will be watched by millions of fans around the world. If you are one of those fans, we recommend that you spice things up by placing some bets on the World Cup games to get the most out of this exciting tournament. For example, KickForm offers a lot of free betting tips that you should definitely check out.
As Selecao prepare for the upcoming tournament, let’s take a look at the main competitions in Tite’s squad.
Ederson or Alisson?
The competition for Brazil’s starting lineup starts between the posts, where Tite has two of the best Premier League keepers at his disposal.
The Brazil boss has shown he would’ve started both of them if he could have. However, he has mainly used Alisson as his first-choice keeper recently.
The Liverpool star split duties with Ederson during the qualifying tournament. However, Tite has given Alisson eight more starts since then, while Henderson has made the lineup two times.
As of now, Alisson has a higher chance of staying as Brazil’s No.1. But Liverpool’s poor start to the new season might put the 29-year-old’s lineup chances in danger.
Backline: Will Militao start for Brazil?
Two players have sealed spots in Brazil’s four-man backline: Alex Sandro starts at left-back while Marquinhos play down the middle.
For the remaining two places, two veteran stars must compete against younger players.
Thiago Silva has a high chance of playing alongside Marquinhos at the heart of Brazil’s defence line. However, he must compete against Real Madrid’s Eder Militao for a starting place.
Militao has established himself as a key player for Real Madrid, winning the Champions League and La Liga with the Blancos last season.
Silva and Marquinhos have remained Tite’s main centre-back choices. But Militao’s current form makes it hard to imagine he would remain a backup during the Qatar tournament.
Tite must also choose between Dani Alves and Danilo for his side’s right-back position.
The Brazilian coach only named Danilo in his squad for the September friendlies.
The Juventus defender is currently Brazil’s only right-back. However, both Alves and Militao will compete to start ahead of the 31-year-old.
Midfield: Tite loves Fred too much!
Brazil plays with three players in their midfield line. The only sealed position is that of Casemiro, who is one of the main pillars of Tite’s lineup.
For the next two spots, Tite must decide whether to stay conservative or experiment with new options.
The Selecao have frequently used Fred in their starting lineup recently. Casemiro’s move to Manchester United also increases Fred’s chances as they both play for the same club now.
However, most observers believe Tite must offer more chances to Bruno Guimares, who has found a fantastic start to his Newcastle career recently.
Tite has also made Lucas Paqueta an important part of his squad. The West Ham star’s incredible versatility could be a game changer for the Selecao in the upcoming tournament.
Aston Villa’s Douglas Luiz has emerged as a new option for Brazil in recent months.
However, both he and Fabinho are behind Fred, Casemiro, Guimares, and Paqueta in Selecao’s pecking order.
As it stands, Casemiro will start alongside Fred and Paqueta in Brazil’s midfield.
Attacking line: Finding the right chemistry
As always, Brazil comes to the World Cup with one of the most exciting front lines of the tournament.
Neymar will start for Brazil in what might be his final competition with the Selecao. However, his position will depend on who will secure the next two attacking spots.
Vinicius Junior, Antony, Raphinha, Gabriel Jesus, and Richarlison are Tite’s top choices to create his forward line around Neymar.
If Neymar plays down the middle, Vinicius and Raphinha will most likely play on the sides.
Antony will have to compete against Raphinha for a starting spot. Manchester United’s newly-signed star has two months to prove his worth ahead of the Qatar games.
The abundance of winger options might also tempt Tite to play with a classic No.9.
Gabriel Jesus is on fire this season while Richarlison has found a solid start to his Tottenham career.
In this case, Neymar returns to the left-wing, while Antony will have a greater chance of securing the right-wing spot.
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