Phil Scolari sticks to bulk of Brazil squad for World Cup

In midfield, Scolari has retained anchor Luiz Gustavo despite his mystifying summer switch from Munich to Wolfsburg. There is also a box-to-box presence typified by Tottenham’s Paulinho and Ramires – another of the Chelsea contingent.

Manchester City star Fernandinho has made the cut, after proving to Big Phil he can cut in a top European league. Liverpool pair Lucas Leiva and Philippe Coutinho have not been so fortunate, however.

Oscar and Willian complete the Chelsea quartet in the Samba Boys’ squad, and they represent versatile options for Scolari to fit into his advanced midfield three. Hernanes, who switched Serie A clubs from Lazio to Inter Milan in January, is also included at the expense of experienced names like Kaka and Ronaldinho.

Bernard (Shakhtar Donetsk) is competing with Zenit St Petersburg top scorer Hulk (a 33/1 shot to do this for his country at the finals) and Neymar, the poster boy of the Brazil finals for a wide berth. This means Robinho and Lucas Moura have missed out on selection.

Workmanlike target man Fred, who won the Golden Boot at the Confederations Cup (33/1 to be top scorer again), will lead the Samba Boys attack, with former Everton and Manchester City flop Jo as his backup. The latter has done well when called upon by Scolari, so is in on international merit more than anything else.

Leandro Damiao, who was injured on the eve of the Confederations Cup last summer, has not shown the same promise since returning, so has been omitted alongside ex-AC Milan frontman Alexandre Pato.

Punters should expect Brazil’s starting XI against Croatia in the tournament opener on June 12th to bear a great resemblance to the side Scolari regularly used 12 months ago. That means Cesar behind a back four of Alves, Silva, Luiz and Marcelo; Paulinho and Gustavo in the engine room; and Hulk, Oscar and Neymar supporting Fred in attack.

It would be a great shock if Big Phil’s Brazilian blend differed from this. That team won the Confederations Cup, so knows the course and distance albeit facing far stronger competition and more rounds.

Scolari and the Samba Boys are deserved favourites, as they have suffered just two friendly defeats in his second spell, and are odds-on at 2/7 to kick the competition off with victory.

Star forward Neymar took just three minutes to net the opener at the Confederations Cup. Back him to be tournament top scorer on home soil at 14/1.