How Tite has transformed Brazil using the same players humiliated by Germany at 2014 World Cup

Rupert Fryer14 November 2017

Brazil arrive at Wembley on Tuesday on a wave of optimism after being transformed by manager Tite. The former Corinthians boss, who in 2012 led the Sao Paulo side to a Club World Cup Final victory over Chelsea, appears to have the Midas touch.

Since his June 2016 appointment, Brazil have risen from the 7-1 mauling by Germany into World Cup favourites, winning 13 of 16 internationals, hitting 38 goals and conceding just five.

They were languishing in sixth in South American World Cup qualifying upon his arrival but have since raced to Russia on the back of 10 wins in 12 qualifiers, topping the group.

Most intriguingly, Tite has led his revolution with the same personnel. His team are made up almost entirely of the same players that previous manager Dunga saw humbled at consecutive Copas America in 2015 and 2016.

On Tuesday, a full-strength Brazil face England. With no injuries or suspensions, Tite’s preferred XI —which has been restricted to just two appearances and a combined 36 minutes of action — will all be present on the pitch for the just third time since the boss’s arrival

And that team does not include Chelsea midfielder Willian. Nobody has appeared for Brazil more than the 29-year-old since the 2014 World Cup and only one (Renato Augusto) has earned more caps under Tite (15 to Willian’s 14, though half were as a substitute).

Willian, however, boasts a less desirable statistic: he is the only player to lose his place in Brazil’s starting XI since Tite’s appointment. Starting on the right of midfield in Tite’s 4-1-4-1 for the first two matches of the new era, Willian found himself isolated out wide and was replaced by Philippe Coutinho. The Liverpool player, who had waited more than two years for a regular run in the team, seized the opportunity, frequently venturing inside to link with Neymar and Gabriel Jesus, leaving the flank open for Dani Alves.

Coutinho replaced Chelsea star Willian in Tite's Brazil side
Getty Images

Willian remains in a battle with Coutinho for the role and Tite’s recent tendency to trial Coutinho in central midfield could yet see the Chelsea man return — though only against perceived weaker opposition. That was the plan last Friday against Japan — before injury forced Coutinho out — when Willian became Tite’s 14th captain, the boss having sidestepped the fallout from Neymar’s resignation from the role by rotating the responsibility around. Tite’s human touch has been vital to Brazil’s turnaround in fortunes. That was evident in Lille last week when Tite leapt to Neymar’s defence amid accusations of his misconduct at PSG, reducing the world’s most expensive footballer to tears. “Throughout my competition with Coutinho, Tite was always honest with us,” says Willian. “He insists we are great players and he will play whoever is in the best form.”

Previously ostracised star players such as Thiago Silva and Marcelo were welcomed back in an instant. “Tite has a very personal way of leading the group,” says Renato Augusto. “He doesn’t just tell us what to do, he explains why.”

This approach has also made a huge impact on a local media that had been alienated by Dunga.

In football terms, he moved the side further up the field, made them more compact and last year ended Brazil’s long search for a striker when he took what was then a big a gamble on an untried teenager named Gabriel Jesus.

Expansive and settled, his team press high, seek to dominate and have provided a collective in which Neymar can shine. The work is far from done, however. Brazil are still searching for solid alternatives in style and personnel and look susceptible to the counter-attack and in the spaces left by their attacking full-backs, Marcelo and Alves.

By Tuesday evening, Brazil would have played more games at Wembley than any other stadium in the world this century. In England, they face a European test for the first time under Tite. “The big teams know how to play against different styles, they can press high or sit deep,” he said on Monday.

England have been buoyed by an encouraging showing from a new generation against Germany but Brazil have found theirs — albeit via much of the old guard. Tite has made quite an impact.

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