World Cup Team Guide: Brazil

Manager: Tite

Key player: Neymar - Already fourth on Brazil's list of all-time top goalscorers having scored 53 goals in 83 games for his country and still just 26, the PSG star will be the man charged with leading a talented Brazil side as they look for their sixth World Cup title.

Qualifying:

Brazil were the first country other than Russia to secure their place at the tournament, crusing through South American qualifying with a record of 12 wins, 5 draws and just one defeat from 18 games.

Last time out:

2014 World Cup:

The 'Seleçao' safely navigated their group on home turf, with a draw with Mexica the only blot on their copybook. Narrow victories over South American rivals Chile and Colombia followed in the last 16 and quarter-finals respectively, with the former beaten on penalties and the latter by two goals to one. However, Brazil's tournament came to a crashing end in Belo Horizonte in the semi-finals as they were embarrassed by Germany, shipping seven goals.

History:

Brazil are the only side to have featured in every World Cup since the tournament's inception in 1930 and are the most suuccessful nation, having claimed the title on five occasions: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. The 'Seleçao' have also twice finished as runners-up, in 1950 and 1998. You have to go back as far as 1990 for the last time Brazil didn't make at least the quarter-finals.

Who will they face?

Switzerland (7pm, June 17, Rostov-On-Don), Costa Rica (1pm, June 22, St Petersburg), Serbia (7pm, June 27, Moscow).

Official squad:

Goalkeepers: Alisson (Roma), Ederson (Man City), Cassio (Corinthians).

Defenders: Fagner (Corinthians), Danilo (Man City), Pedro Geromel (Gremio), Joao Miranda (Inter), Marquinhos (PSG), Thiago Silva (PSG), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Filipe Luis (Atletico Madrid).

Midfielders: Casemiro (Real Madrid), Renato Augusto (Beijing Guoan), Fred (Shakhtar Donetsk), Paulinho (Barcelona), Fernandinho (Man City), Philippe Coutinho (Barcelona).

Forwards: Douglas Costa (Juventus), Willian (Chelsea), Gabriel Jesus (Man City), Roberto Firmino (Liverpool), Neymar (PSG), Taison (Shakhtar Donetsk).