Biography Of Brazil's Soccer Team

The Brazilian national soccer team is the most successful team in World Cup history. With five World Cup victories, the national team is a proven soccer powerhouse. The team will be looking to lift soccer's greatest prize for the sixth time when Brazil hosts the World Cup in 2014.

Birth of the National Team

In 1914, Exeter City, a club from the English Southern League, went on a tour of South America. After playing against teams in Argentina, Exeter moved on to Brazil. The team first defeated a side of English expats before a victory against a Rio de Janeiro club selection. Then, on July 21, 1914, Exeter faced a previously unheard of team make up of the best Brazilian soccer players from Rio and Sao Paulo. According to Alex Bellos, writing for The Guardian newspaper, the match marked the birth of the Brazilian national team. The Brazilians battled to a historic 2--0 victory.

Early World Cup Campaigns

In 1930, the Brazilian national team competed in the first ever World Cup in Uruguay. The team was knocked out in the first round. Brazil also suffered a first round exit in the Italy 1934 World Cup. The team began to show its potential in 1938 with a third-place finish in France. World War II brought major international soccer competition to a standstill. After the war, FIFA gave Brazil the honor of hosting the first postwar World Cup. Brazil's 1950 campaign took the team all the way to the final, but Uruguay beat the Brazilians 2--1. Brazil reached the quarterfinals in the 1954 World Cup in Switzerland.

The Golden Era

The 1958 World Cup in Sweden marked the beginning of Brazil's golden age. Brazil's manager, Vicente Feola, had instilled a new sense of discipline and organization into the team. It was also time for Brazil to unleash two of the greatest attacking soccer players of all time, Garrincha and Pele. Brazil lifted the World Cup in 1958, and claimed its second title in 1962. Because of political issues and poor preparation, Brazil failed to get through the group stages in the 1966 World Cup. However, the team reclaimed the title in 1970. It was Pele's last World Cup, but he lifted the Jules Rimet Trophy for the third time.

The Slump

By Brazilian standards, the 1974 to 1990 period saw a significant slump in the team's performances. Brazil managed a third place finish in the 1978 World Cup, but it proved to be their best World Cup campaign during the period.

The Modern Era

Having gone a total of 24 years without appearing in a World Cup final, Brazil came back strong in 1994. The side lacked the flair of previous Brazilian teams, but players such as Romario, Dunga, Jorginho and Taffarel were more than a match for rival nations. Brazil won its fourth World Cup in 1994 and finished as runner-up in 1998. The 2002 World Cup saw a return of typical Brazilian flamboyance. The three-pronged attack of Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho took the team to the final, where a victory against Germany claimed the nation's fifth World Cup title. Brazil failed to get past the quarterfinals in both the 2006 and 2010 World Cup competitions.