FIFA World Cup 2014: Brazil vs. Croatia Preview

When the Samba Kings take to the field against the Croatians tonight in front of a jam-packed Corinthian Stadium, the eyes of the world will be focused on Brazil. After months of hype and anticipation, the biggest event of the footballing calendar is finally here and the hosts will feel the pressure most of all. They start the tournament as hot favorites to win the Cup for a record sixth time, and it certainly looks like they will require quite some stopping.

The hosts have one of the most star studded lineups in World football, and looking at their team, one cannot find any true weakness. The Brazilian starting XI is one of the most stable, and manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has the luxury of being able to field the same team that demolished World Champions Spain 3-0 in the Confederations Cup. Each Brazilian player seems to be at his best, and with an expectant and trophy-hungry home crowd cheering them on, they are sure to shine on the field.

The only blemish on the team is the indifferent form of Chelsea playmaker Oscar. He has failed to impress in recent outings, and considering his importance as the creative hub of Scolari’s preferred 4-2-3-1, there is a chance he may be dropped in favor of Chelsea teammate Willian. This is however up to the manager to decide.

The rest of the team meanwhile are all experienced veterans, and the star man for Brazil is undoubtedly the golden boy Neymar. He had already won the hearts of Brazil fans even before he made his transfer to Barcelona, and after a demanding season in the La Liga, it appears as if he has emerged a stronger player. He is widely tipped to be the main attacking threat for the hosts, and the player the opposition will be looking to shut down. If he produces something special this tournament, as his fans seem sure he will, this might well be Brazil’s year.

However, their opponents for the opening match, Croatia, are no pushover. They too have a strong lineup with stars of their own, and the coach and players have been very assertive that they will give Brazil a tough game. Though the loss of Bayern Munich forward Mario Mandzukic through suspension is a blow to the team, they have enough quality to still mount a strong challenge, led of course by talisman Luka Modric, who is fresh from a Champions League triumph.

Croatia also prefer a 4-2-3-1 possession oriented style of play, and as such we could well see this game turn into a pitched midfield battle. Whoever manages to gain the advantage there may well swing the match in their favor. With such heavily loaded midfields, time and space on the ball are not going to be easy to find, and it may well be a single moment of brilliance that separates these two teams come full time. This is where a player like Luka Modric comes into action, and the Real Madrid midfielder will undoubtedly be a crucial part of any attack by the Croatians.
Brazil are the masters of attacking football, and in front of a partisan home crowd, they are sure to be heavy favorites. It is also worth mentioning that in 20 previous appearances at the World Cup, Brazil have never lost their opening game (W-14, D-6). Whether Croatia can pull off a shock upset remains to be seen, but with players like Modric, Rakitic and Olic, it would be unwise to rule them out.

Brazil Probable Starting XI: Julio Cesar, Dani Alves, Thiago Silva, David Luiz, Marcelo, Luis Gustavo, Paulinho, Hulk, Oscar, Neymar, Fred.
Croatia Probable Starting XI: Pletikosa, Srna, Dejan Lovren, Vedran Corluka, Pranjic, Vukojevic, Luka Modric, Ivan Perisic, Ivan Rakitic, Mateo Kovacic, Olic.