Brazil are the favorites to go on and win the World Cup in Qatar and extend their success in the competition to six titles. Tite’s side stormed through qualifying in CONEMBOL, finishing in top spot ahead of arch rivals Argentina, with 45 points from 17 games. Brazil survived the entire qualification campaign without losing and their last defeat came in the 2021 Copa America final against Argentina over 14 months ago.
That form justifiably puts them as a strong option to start the tournament with a win, up against a Serbia side that qualified directly ahead of Portugal but face a real battle to reach the last 16 in Qatar. Within their run to the finals, Brazil’s goal scoring exploits have continued to impress, with 26 goals scored in their seven games in 2022 – and they have not failed to score in over a year. In their 2022 outings, Brazil have netted over 1.5 goals inside 90 minutes of action in five of the seven games played, with those five matches also ending with over 2.5 total goals scored by both sides.
After crashing out in the group stage at their previous three World Cup finals since gaining independence in 1990, there is a sense of optimism that Serbia can finally reach the knockout rounds for the first time in Qatar.
Serbia, ranked 25th in the world by FIFA, impressed in UEFA qualifying and topped their group after winning six and drawing two of their eight matches, including a last-gasp 2-1 triumph over Portugal in their final fixture.
Dragan Stojkovic's side then secured promotion to League A of the UEFA Nations League earlier this year, courtesy of four wins and a draw from six matches. Indeed, the slender 1-0 defeat against Norway in June is one of only two losses suffered in their last 16 internationals across all competitions. Form on European soil has been impressive, but transferring that onto the global stage is the task that Stojkovic and co are now faced with, and they could not begin their World Cup campaign against a more daunting prospect than five-time world champions Brazil. Serbia have lost seven of their nine World Cup matches in total, the most defeats by any European nation and just one less than Australia's unwanted record of eight, and a resilient performance is required if they wish to claim at least a draw on Thursday.