Brazil National Football Team Formation

Starting Lineup

A. Sandro · Fabinho · G. Magalhães · Marquinhos · Cunha · Vinicius Jr · Raphinha · L. Paquetá · B. Guimarães · Casemiro · Alisson

Brazil relies on quick transitions and a high press using a 5-2-3. This lineup is built to win the ball back high up the pitch and strike quickly. The team wants to play a vertical game that looks to hit in behind on the transition to catch the opponent off guard.

Alisson stays in goal to organize the unit and cover the far post. The back line operates as a back five with Casemiro sitting as the central man to sweep behind the line and use his tackling and interception skills. Marquinhos and G. Magalhães play as the two wide centre backs to cover the space and win the header. A. Sandro and Fabinho act as attacking wing backs to provide width when the team has the ball. They work to hold the line and protect the central zone when defending.

The midfield uses a two-man pivot. B. Guimarães and L. Paquetá work to connect the defensive and attacking lines. B. Guimarães provides defensive cover and wins the second ball to keep play moving. L. Paquetá looks to carry the ball forward and play through the lines to find the attackers. They must squeeze the space in the middle to prevent the opposition from playing through them and ensure they can recycle possession when under pressure.

The attack features three players across the front. Vinicius Jr acts as an inverted winger who wants to cut inside and take on defenders with his dribbling and pace. Raphinha plays on the opposite flank to whip it in or cut it back to the runners. Cunha acts as the lone striker to hold up the ball and find the feet of the attackers. This front three works to press the opposition back line and make runs in behind to break the line.

Brazil gains an advantage through wide overloads because A. Sandro and Fabinho push up to overlap the wingers. They also benefit from the speed of transition when they win it high and immediately hit the space. The formation allows the team to drop into a low block and stay compact when they do not have the ball. This makes them very hard to break down in the final third.

This 5-2-3 formation is designed for a team that wants to be lethal on the break. It is best suited for games against teams that play a high line and leave space behind the defenders.