Dunga must deliver in second spell as Brazil boss

Highly-rated Guilherme Siqueira, who has replaced Luis at the Vicente Calderon, also fits into this category at 28. Full backs for the long haul could be Inter Milan loanee Dodo, plus Porto pair Danilo and Alex Sandro. Nerazzurri centre half Juan Jesus may also be brought into the setup, if they mount a challenge Juventus’ domestic dominance in Italy.

Serie A could also be the place when Dunga digs up a new number one, following Julio Cesar announcing his intention to retire from internationals. Fiorentina stopper Neto, AC Milan goalie Gabriel and Napoli’s Rafael Cabral are all 25 and under, and look set for regular involvement at club level this term.

The development of defensive midfielder Casemiro at Porto, on loan from Real Madrid, will be watched with interest both from the Bernabeu and by Dunga. Lucas Moura can surely expect a recall, meanwhile, as the PSG player can offer more than the ineffectual Hulk wide right. Namesake Lucas Leiva would be another in contention to return to the fold, if he can hold down a regular place at Liverpool.

Chelsea’s Samba Boys contingent should be retained. Oscar supplemented Neymar as best he could, while Ramires and Willian helped restore some pride off the bench when Brazil were battered 7-1 by World Cup winners Germany in the semi-final. Promoting this latter pair to starters, at least in the short-term, could plug the gap between defence and attack for Dunga.

Premier League pair Paulinho (Spurs) and Fernandinho (Manchester City) will be less fortunate. Both can expect to be dropped after dismal displays on home soil. Anchorman Luiz Gustavo similarly cannot come out of this unscathed. Fernandinho’s new Etihad teammate Fernando Reges could compete with Casemiro for the holding role going forward.

To stop the burden further forward falling so heavily on Oscar and Neymar, running the rule over Hoffenheim number 10 Roberto Firmino, after a Bundesliga campaign of double figures for both goals and assists, is well worth considering. A striker will also have to be found from somewhere following hapless target man Fred’s international retirement.

Dunga could do with Leandro Damiao rediscovering his form prior to an injury on the eve of the successful Confederations Cup tournament last year. Scolari’s reserve Jo, meanwhile, never looked up to the task. Former AC Milan frontman Alexandre Pato is notoriously injury-prone.

Such a dearth of striking options prompts whether Neymar should be deployed as a false number nine, but that could then increase the risk of him being badly hurt again. Say what you like about Scolari’s physical tactics, but the presence of a big man up front pinned opposition defenders back creating space for Brazil’s main man to exploit.

We’ll know infinitely more about Dunga’s intentions when he announces the first Samba Boys squad of his second stint next month for a friendly with Colombia come September.