Brazil are into the quarter-finals at Qatar 2022 after Richarlison helped to beat Son Heung-Min’s South Korea 4-1. But what are the Selecao’s biggest wins at the FIFA World Cup yet?
Tite’s team put on a clinic at Stadium 974 on Monday, December 5 to reach the final eight. The record five-time champions dominated in Doha to cruise through to the quarter-finals as a favourite to win the title. They could easily have won by a much larger margin, as well.
Vinicius Jr took just seven minutes to break the deadlock when the Real Madrid winger hit home a cool finish. Four minutes later and Richarlison won his nation a penalty after Woo-Young Jung clipped the Tottenham Hotspur forward. Neymar would dispatch the attempt.
Brazil breeze past South Korea as Neymar closes in on Pele’s Selecao goal record
Neymar now has 76 goals for Brazil across all competitions after moving one behind their all-time top-scorer, Pele, against South Korea. While Richarlison continued to cause issues and struck in the 29th after great play between centre-backs Marquinhos and Thiago Silva.
Vinicius Jr then turned creator and chipped for Lucas Paqueta to fire home in the 36th. Yet despite continuing to litter the South Korea net, Brazil would not find another path around goalkeeper Kim Seung-Gyu. Paik Seung-Ho would also deny the Selecao their clean sheet.
Paik came off the bench and unleashed a rocket from 30 yards out to beat Alisson Becker. The Liverpool goalkeeper had produced some superb saves earlier in the Round of 16 tie in Doha. But he was helpless to prevent Paik offering South Korea a 76th-minute consolation.
Alisson especially had to do well to deny Hwang Hee-Chan and Son on 17’ and 68 minutes. The Wolves star attempted a delightful shot from 25 yards out that the 30-year-old had to tip over. While the offside flag would have denied the Tottenham star his first goal in Qatar.
Brazil will now meet Croatia on Friday, December 9 in the quarter-finals at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Vatreni secured a spot in the final eight after beating Japan 3-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw through extra time. The defeated 2018 finalists initially trailed Japan 1-0.
So, ahead of Brazil and Croatia meeting for a semi-final spot at Qatar 2022, HITC Football looks back at the Selecao’s biggest wins at the World Cup after beating South Korea 4-1…
Brazil took their biggest World Cup win to date against Sweden in 1950
Brazil took their biggest win on the World Cup stage to date back in 1950 against Sweden. The Selecao hosted the fourth edition of FIFA’s quadrennial tournament and the first after World War II. They would also go on to finish in second place to 1930 champions Uruguay.
FIFA agreed to hold the 1950 tournament over two stages with the 13 teams split into four groups for the first round. The group winners then advanced to a finals round where each nation met the others once. It was in the second stage that Brazil would beat Sweden 7-1.
Sweden posed Brazil’s first challenge in the finals round at the Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro. Yet Ademir de Menezes made light work of the European side to give his South American nation the lead on 17 minutes en route to the striker bagging himself four goals.
Chico added to Brazil’s lead in the 39th minute following Ademir’s second (36’). He would also hit home again in the 88th following top-scorer Ademir finishing his haul with efforts on 52’ and 58 minutes. Maneca would later ripple the back of the Blagult’s goal after 85’.
Brazil also thrashed Spain 6-1 in 1950 for their second-biggest World Cup win yet
Brazil also thrashed Spain 6-1 in 1950 to record what is still their second-biggest win at the World Cup yet. Roja defender Jose Parra broke the deadlock for the Selecao with an own goal on 15 minutes. Jair swiftly doubled his South American country’s lead six minutes later.
Spain met Brazil at the Estadio do Maracana just four days after they had thrashed Sweden at the Rio venue. And Chico would see that La Roja were on the end of another rout with a 31’ and 55th-minute brace. Ademir then fired home on 57’ before Zizinho (67’) hit the net.
Silvestre Igoa would offer Spain a consolation effort in the 71st minute but it came too late and was far too little. Yet for all of Brazil’s dominance against Sweden and Spain, they then suffered a 2-1 defeat to Uruguay for the title without nine-goal top-scorer Ademir netting.
Brazil took their biggest win at the 1954 World Cup in their first match
Brazil beat Mexico 5-0 in their opening match at the 1954 World Cup for what remains one of their biggest wins at the tournament. Yet after topping Group 1 over Yugoslavia, France and Mexico, the Selecao then crashed out in the quarter-finals after losing 4-2 to Hungary.
Baltazar broke the deadlock for Brazil against Mexico after 23 minutes to give their time in Switzerland the ideal start. Didi soon doubled the margin on 29’ before Pinga fired home in the 34’ and 42nd minutes. While Julinho would later complete the rout in the 69th minute.
Paik stopped South Korea being the sixth side to lose 4-0 to the Selecao
Paik’s 76th-minute rocket denied Alisson a clean sheet and also stopped South Korea from becoming the sixth side to lose a World Cup fixture 4-0 to Brazil. The Selecao have hit four past Bolivia, Mexico, New Zealand, Poland and China on the FIFA stage without conceding.
Brazil comfortably beat their South American rivals, Bolivia, in just their second meeting at the inaugural World Cup in 1930. Yugoslavia had beaten the Selecao 2-1 in their opening match. But Brazil replied through Moderato Wisintainer (37’, 73’) and Preguinho (57’, 83’).
The 1950 tournament in Brazil also saw the Selecao thrash Mexico before humbling Spain and Sweden. This time, the Selecao won 4-0 in their opening fixture with Ademir (30’, 79’), Jair (65’) and Baltazar (71’) all lashing home at the Estadio do Maracana in Rio de Janeiro.
It was not until 1982 and the 12th edition of the FIFA tournament that Brazil took a 4-0 win again. New Zealand failed to prevent the South Americans running riot in Spain in their last Group 6 match. Brazil were the only country to win all three of their meetings in the group.
Zico pulled the Selecao’s strings at Spain 1982 and had his say at Mexico 1986
Zico was the architect of Brazil’s biggest win at the 1982 World Cup after scoring two (29’, 31’) and assisting two (55’, 70’) goals. The iconic midfielder would also have a say in their 4-0 win over Poland at Mexico 1986 after coming off the bench and winning a late penalty.
Socrates (30’) had broken the deadlock from the spot before goals from Josimar (55’) and Edinho (78’). While a direct free-kick by legendary left-back Roberto Carlos (15’) would set Brazil on course for their biggest win at the 2002 World Cup against China during Group C.
Rivaldo (32’), Ronaldinho (45’) and Ronaldo Nazario (55’) – assisted by Cafu – also hit home in their 4-0 win against China. The tie was the Selecao’s second first-round fixture before a 5-2 win over Costa Rica. While Luiz Felipe Scolari’s squad would win the title that summer.
Brazil have not won the World Cup since the 2002 edition in Japan and South Korea which returned their last 4-0 win on the FIFA stage. Tite will hope Paik’s goal denying them a 4-0 win on Monday does not now feature in another trophyless run for the record champions.
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