Star player:
Kaka

Previous appearances:
1930 (first round), 1934 (first round), 1938 (semi-finals), 1950 (runners-up), 1954 (quarter-finals), 1958 (winners), 1962 (winners), 1966 (first round), 1970 (winners), 1974 (fourth place), 1978 (third place), 1982 (second round),. 1986 (quarter-finals), 1990 (second round), 1994 (winners), 1998 (runners-up), 2002 (winners), 2006 (quarter-finals).

How they qualified
CONMEBOL
Colombia (a)      0-0
Ecuador (h)       5-0
Peru (a)            1-1
Uruguay (h)       2-1
Paraguay (a)      0-2
Argentina (h)     0-0
Chile (a)            3-0
Bolivia (h)          0-0
Venezuela (a)    4-0
Colombia (h)      0-0
Ecuador (a)       1-1
Peru (h)            3-0
Uruguay (a)       4-0
Paraguay (h)       2-1
Argentina (a)      3-1
Chile (h)             4-2
Bolivia (a)           1-2
Venezuela (h)     0-0

Chances:
Dunga endured criticism early in his reign but Brazil have now augmented their finesse with power and strength. Explosive on the counter-attack and a threat from every set-piece - attacking or defending - their greater World Cup pedigree in comparison to Spain means the Selecao arguably head to South Africa as favourites despite being drawn in a tough group.

Strange but true
Brazil haven’t always played in their famous yellow shirts and blue shorts. They started out in white kit with blue collars but after losing the 1950 final on home soil the colours were criticised for lacking patriotism. A newspaper held a competition design a playing strip using the colours of the Brazilian flag and the winning entry, used ever since, was introduced in 1954.