Tite plans Brazil’s attack at World Cup
SAO PAULO: Wingers, false nines, target men and center forwards in the Brazil squad for the World Cup are giving coach Tite a nice selection headache up front.
As the five-time champion aims to win the title for the first time in 20 years, Tite also knows his attack has limited experience on the sport’s biggest stage. That’s something which he hopes will be offset by an abundance of skill, speed and aggressiveness to worry — or terrify — opposing defenses.
Tite will have almost a week of training in Turin, Italy, to tune up.
The nine forwards in the 26man squad are Neymar, Vinicius Jr., Rodrygo, Richarlison, Raphinha, Antony, Gabriel Jesus, Gabriel Martinelli and Pedro.
Only Neymar, from the 2014 and 2018 World Cups, and Jesus, Brazil’s starting striker four years ago in Russia, have experience in the tournament. The other seven will make their World Cup debuts in Qatar.
Tite has said he plans to use all nine. The main decision is where to play Neymar, a regular starter for 10 years. The coach has leaned toward a formation with Neymar adopting a midfield role in support of the attack, like “a bow behind three arrows,” according to Tite.
With Neymar as a midfielderstriker, Brazil’s most promising starting lineup has Vinicius on the left, Richarlison as a target man, and Raphinha on the right. Many expect that to be the chosen option in the opening match against Serbia on November 24. Switzerland and Cameroon are also in Group G.
The alternative would be to place Lucas Paquetá on the left in a position where he could move into the midfield. That was often the case in World Cup qualifying but Brazil would be choosing a player who is recovering from a shoulder injury over Vinicius, who scored the winner for Real Madrid in the Champions League final this year.