Brazil has gone into enough recent World Cups with talent, expectation and history on their shoulders, but have failed to do anything of note with this generation of players.
The most decorated country in tournament history has not won it since 2002, and their recent track record has been too patchy for anyone to pretend this is the old Brazil simply rolling through the door.
Carlo Ancelotti’s arrival changes the mood. His prestige gives Brazil a calm, elite feel they were missing. This is not a prediction of the Italian’s decisions. It is my view of the starting XI that gives them the best chance of ending their fruitless run in a competition they have so often dominated.
Brazil’s best XI for the World Cup
Alisson Becker still feels like the clear choice in goal, provided he can stay fit. Brazil has other options, but when Alisson is right, he remains one of the top goalkeepers in the world and gives this team the security it badly needs.
Danilo gets the nod at right-back after Wesley’s injury blow earlier this week. It is not a glamorous pick, but it is the most sensible one.
Marquinhos and Gabriel Magalhães would be my center-back pairing. They were Champions League final opponents at club level, but for Brazil they offer the best mix of experience, composure and physical authority. Bremer only just misses out, which says plenty about the depth available in central defense.
Alex Sandro completes the back four on the left. There is an age concern there, and the full-back pairing reads like that of a mid-table Premier League side, but that’s what Ancelotti has to work with.
The midfield double-pivot should be Casemiro and Bruno Guimarães. Casemiro has been brought back into the Brazil picture as a major leadership figure after a strong resurgence at Old Trafford.
Bruno Guimarães should be next to him. He is Brazil’s best midfielder right now, and another invaluable leader in a side that needs more than just flair if it is going to survive the pressure of a World Cup.
Then comes the spicy part. Brazil has so much talent in attack, but only three spots behind Igor Thiago. Joao Pedro’s shock snub makes the striker call much cleaner, and Thiago’s brilliant Brentford season has earned him the chance to lead the line.
On the bench, we’ll see exciting options like Endrick, Matheus Cunha and Bournemouth wonderkid Rayan.
Vinícius Júnior has to start from the left. He is the star of this Brazil side, even if the national team version still needs to fully match the Real Madrid version. Raphinha should go back over to the right, where he would likely rather play at Barca if not for a certain Spanish teammate.
And stringing it all together for the final time, Neymar has to play as the No.10.
The fitness concern is obvious, but if Brazil is going to finally return to the biggest stage, it feels right that its most gifted player still has a central role in the story.
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