Seleção Brasileira

The most successful national team in World Cup history, with five titles and an unmatched record of appearances.

The Brazil national football team (Portuguese: Seleção Brasileira de Futebol), nicknamed Canarinho, represents Brazil in men's international football and is administered by the Brazilian Football Confederation, the governing body of football in Brazil. It has been a member of FIFA since 1923 and was a founding member of CONMEBOL in 1916. It was also a member of PFC, the unified confederation of the Americas, from 1946 to 1961.

Quick Facts

Fifa world cup titles: 5
Confederations cup titles: 4

Lore & Background

Brazil is the most successful national team in the FIFA World Cup, winning the tournament five times: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002. The Seleção also has the best overall performance in the World Cup competition with a record of 79 victories in 119 matches played and 135 goal difference. It is the only national team to have played in all World Cup editions without any absence nor need for playoffs. Brazil was the most successful team in the now-defunct FIFA Confederations Cup, with victories in 1997, 2005, 2009, and 2013.

Many commentators, football experts, and former players regard Brazil's 1970 World Cup-winning side as the greatest football team of all time. Other Brazilian squads are also highly esteemed and regularly appear listed among the best teams of all time, such as the teams of 1958–62 and of 1994–02 period. Brazil has developed many rivalries through the years, the most notable being with Argentina, Italy and Uruguay. In FIFA's ranking system, Brazil holds the record for most Team of the Year first ranking wins with 13. It also has the highest average Elo football rating over time.

Reader's Guide

Brazil's first-ever game was a 1914 match between a Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo select team and the English club Exeter City, held in the stadium of Fluminense FC. Brazil won 2–0. Brazil achieved third place at the first two editions of the South American Championship in 1916 and 1917. They were champions in the 1919 edition, held in their own country.

Brazil won the 1922 championship, again on home soil. In 1930, Brazil played in the first FIFA World Cup, held in Uruguay. After losing to Yugoslavia and defeating Bolivia in the group stage, they were eliminated. Four years later, Brazil lost in the first round to Spain in the 1934 World Cup.

Brazil reached the semi-finals at the 1938 World Cup in France, eliminated by Italy, but achieved third place after defeating Sweden. After World War II, Brazil won their third South American title at the 1949 edition. In the 1950 World Cup, Brazil hosted and reached the final group stage, but lost 2–1 to Uruguay in the Maracanazo. The defeat marked the end of the Brazil team wearing white as their default uniform.

At the 1954 World Cup, Brazil debuted a new uniform with yellow shirts, blue shorts, and white socks. Brazil won their first World Cup in 1958, becoming the first nation to win a World Cup outside of its own continent. They won again in 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002.