The World Cup is around the corner and it is always interesting to see Brazil play, not only because of the quality of the players but because it is always a surprise. Will they pull a 2002 World Cup or a 2014? 

With that in mind here are three hopes and one fear. 

Hope #1 That Brazil show consistency as a team and put their egos on the side lines.

 Brazil has amazing players, it may be the food or the water but we have to agree that the Brazilian players are something. Or used to be. For a long time what a Brazilian soccer game was like art.  But something happened from 2006 until now that the players are just not performing the same as they did before when wearing the Brazilian Jersey.  During the Qualifiers last year, was possible to identify the main problem. Ego. 

When playing individually, that team was not good, betting everything on Neymar and not functioning as a team. but when they decided to play as a team and work together, the game changed and actually gave some hope that this team can be the one to get the sixth World Cup at home. 

Hope #2: That they can close the gap they have on defense. 

For a long time, Marcelo and Dani Alves were the names on the Brazilian defense. And here is the problem/ both of them play way more forward that in the defense line. Now Alves is confirmed to be out of the World Cup due to a knee injury. 

Tite has excellent options to work as a replacement for Alves, names such as Danilo and Fagner, both who were tested in recent friendlies and are high in the defensive areas. 

Hope # 3 That they can  overcomes the 7-1 loss  against Germany. 

If you ask most Brazilians about the 2014 World Cup and do they remember, the response probably will the echo of ”Germany Goal, ” 7 times in a roll. It was painful to see, and it is painful to remember. But with a well-played game and the title, Brazilians may overcome the shame and pain of that game in 2014. 

One fear. Germany.

For real? I had to ask all the Brazilians I know what the thing the feared the most in was this World Cup, the answer? Germany. Brazil doesn’t want to see Germany before the finals, why? We have the team to win, but it does not mean that we wish to a replay of the last World Cup.  

Group E, Brazil’s group, is not as easy as it looks, Serbia, Switzerland, and Costa Rica are not that easy to play. 

Brazil may pass to the next round, but the question will be in which position 1st or 2nd? And that is where things get complicated. If Brazil do good in the group phase, they may get the runner-up for the group F (Germany, Mexico, Sweden and South Korea), if not they may get the winner of group F, and any doubts that that team will be Germany?