Factbox on Brazil

Colours: Gold shirts, blue shorts and white socks.

Nickname: A Selecao (the national team) is the most common, O Canarinho (Little Canary) also crops up as does Verde-Amarelho (Green-Yellow).

Previous World Cup appearances: 18: 1930, 1934, 1938, 1950, 1954, 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, 1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002, 2006. The only team to have played at every tournament.

Best World Cup performance: Winners: 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002. 2nd place: 1950, 1998

Coach: Dunga

Most capped player: Cafu 148 caps

Top goalscorer: Pele 77

Talking points:

Dunga appears to have lost patience with former World Player of the Year Ronaldinho who has not been picked since March last year despite improved performances for AC Milan this season. Dunga has also left striker Adriano out of the squad. Brazil are desperately short of creative midfielders and many people feel Dunga should have given a chance to 20-year-old Santos prodigy Paulo Henrique Ganso. Many are surprised to see Robinho in the team but he tends to put his club problems behind him when he plays for his country.

Players to watch:

Forwards Nilmar and Luis Fabiano have averaged more than a goal every two games for Brazil. Kaka, on his day, is still one of the world's most exciting players and could benefit from Real Madrid's Champions League failure as he is less likely to be burned out. The Inter Milan trio of Julio Cesar, one of the world's best goalkeepers, powerhouse fullback Maicon and bruising central defender Lucio form the backbone of one of international soccer's most imposing defences.

(Compiled by Brian Homewood; Editing by Robert Woodward)