MLB Best Bets – Free (Wednesday 5/15)
Josh Gross
Brazil World Cup Team Preview
Brazil
FIFA Ranking: 1
Manager: Tite
Federation: CONMEBOL
Group: Brazil, Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
Odds to win World Cup: +450, FanDuel
Odds to win Group G: -220, FanDuel
Odds to advance in Group G: -1050, FanDuel
How did Brazil qualify for the World Cup?
Brazil cruised to World Cup qualification winning the group by six points with no losses in 17 games. They had more time under Tite to learn to play together. They also had some important additions both in the attack and on the defense.
Who is Brazil’s most important player?
Neymar
Neymar is in fantastic form right now with PSG. We all know what he is capable of when in form and healthy, and that is exactly the kind of Neymar that Brazil will need to be successful. His ability to create opportunities for his world class attacking teammates is second to none in the tournament. He also has his own goal scoring upside with 75 total goals for Brazil throughout his career. He is just two away from tying Pele as Brazil’s leading all-time scorer.
What are Brazil’s strengths, weaknesses, style of play and form?
Brazil’s style of play is very well-known. They are going to try and control as much of the ball as they can and will pressure their opposition when they lose the ball and stop at nothing to get it back. They have several different formations they can play due to their squad depth and versatility.
It is easy to list strength for this Brazil team because they aren’t favorites to win the thing for nothing. They arguably have the most talented and deep roster among the 32 teams. They have a plethora of attackers to choose from, a strong and versatile midfield, an experienced defense, and one of the best goalkeepers in the game. They are well-coached and have had time to flourish under Tite over the last six years.
A weakness is hard to find with this team. They do have a lot of star players who have traditionally carried their egos everywhere with them. This could pose an issue if the team starts to struggle or fall behind. Team conduct is sometimes also a problem with a handful of players who have had both on-field and off field issues.
What is Brazil’s World Cup Outlook?
Brazil has the best odds to win the whole tournament. They should qualify through to the knockout round with relative ease. For Brazil, a successful tournament will be dependent solely on whether they bring the trophy back to South America with them. If they remain healthy and on the same page, this team is rightly one of the favorites to win the cup.
Best Serbia World Cup Bet
Call it a chalky pick, but even months ago, Brazil was my pick to win the 2022 Qatar World Cup. My best bet is taking them to win it all at +450 on FanDuel.
Brazil World Cup Roster
Goalkeepers: Alisson, Ederson, Weverton
Defenders: Dani Alves, Danilo, Alex Sandro, Alex Telles, Bremer, Eder Militao, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva
Midfielders: Bruno Guimaraes, Casemiro, Everton Ribeiro, Fabinho, Fred, Lucas Paqueta
Forwards: Antony, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli, Neymar, Pedro, Raphinha, Richarlison, Rodrygo, Vinicius Jr.
Group A | Ecuador Senegal Netherlands Qatar
Group B | Iran Wales USA England
Group C | Mexico Saudi Arabia Poland Argentina
Group D | Tunisia Denmark Australia France
Group E | Japan Germany Costa Rica Spain
Group F | Croatia Morocco Canada Belgium
