GROUP A

“Winning without playing well is an illusion”
Brazil coach Tite

BRAZIL

For the opening game of the tournament, Brazil will revert to the white shirts they wore until the early 1950s in a nod to the centenary of the 1919 Copa – the first time that they held, and won, the competition. Brazil also staged the Copa in 1922, 1949 and 1989, and have a 100 per cent record as hosts.

And nothing less will be expected, or accepted, from the class of 2019.

Not only is the bar set high by history, Brazil also have a dismal recent run of tournament form to overturn. In the last three World Cups and three Copa they have only reached one semi-final. And no one needs reminding of that result…

Hopes were high that Tite’s team would bring that