Brazil: A Look Ahead for the 2014 World Cup

Despite some underwhelming performances on the world stage of late, Brazil are still favorites for the 2014 World Cup.

With the responsibility as being the host nation comes an immense amount of pressure—pressure that's exponentially greater when you're Brazil.

Not only will the Brazilians be expected to play beautifully, but they're given the responsibility of proudly representing their nation for the world to see. 

A Seleção, the pressure is on. How will you respond?

Brazil has massively underachieved throughout the last two World Cups. By underachieved, I mean getting knocked out in the quarterfinals by France and Holland, respectively.

A key thing to remember is it's all relative. The relativity stems from not only Brazil's illustrious history as a football nation, but also relative to their overall talent level.

The Samba Boys have sky-high expectations. Anything short of a semifinal berth in the tournament is considered unsatisfactory.

What's been the cause of their recent problems?

The style of play has transitioned in the last four to five years. A creative and imaginative feel had been replaced by staunch, defensive-minded principles.

After bowing out in the quarterfinals of the 2006 World Cup, newly appointed manager Dunga opted for a defensively scripted formation—a far cry from the free-flowing, exciting brand of football that the world has become accustomed to seeing from Brazil.

As a result, the lifeblood of Brazilian soccer was compromised a bit.

Dunga did have some success, as Brazil won the 2007 Copa America and 2009 Confederations Cup. However, the aesthetic style of play was missing.

With the public clamoring for a visibly expressive brand of football, the team under Dunga wasn't fully able to accomplish that notion.

After a quarterfinal exit in the 2010 World Cup and a shocking departure from the 2011 Copa America, things need to change.

An impetus in the form of free-flowing style of football needs to be welcomed and reemphasized.

One cannot fit a square peg into a round hole. An expressive style of football is what Brazil is. The organic nature of football-creativity truly comprises the fabric of the Brazilian mindset.

The act of Joga Bonito aka "The Beautiful Game" is an innate skill often found in Brazilian footballers.

This characteristic is intrinsically embedded at birth. These qualities should be promoted, not shunned in any way. With that said, the future prospects for 2014 look very bright.

The duo of Neymar and Ganso will enforce this marvelous style of play heading toward the next cycle.

At only 20, Neymar is easily the biggest domestic star in the Brazilian first division.

His combination of improvisational skills with the ball and pace is truly sublime. He has all the tools to become a world class player. In terms of potential, he's on bar with some of the best to ever play the game.

He has that kind of talent.

The 22-year-old Ganso won't wow anyone with his athletic ability, but he's supremely talented with the ball at his feet.

He relies upon precision, intelligence and vision. An ability to spray the ball around the pitch with a deft touch truly makes him a special player.

The pairing of Ganso and Neymar makes up the future for Brazilian football. Both figure to be big-time fixtures going forward.

Aside from the aforementioned two, the roster is still extremely talented. By the time the 2014 World Cup rolls around, stalwarts Dani Alves, David Luiz, Marcelo, Alexandre Pato, Thiago Silva, Hulk and Julio Cesar still should be core members of the squad.

In addition, manager Mano Menezes also has exciting prospects such as Lucas, Coutinho, Ramires, Kleber and Danilo at his disposal.

The pressure of hosting the spectacle cannot be understated. The entire football-crazed country of Brazil will be expecting los canarinhos to win the entire tournament—especially with the advantage of playing the event on home soil.

Amidst the pressure will be an unabated, mass level of support from the millions supporting the squad. A carnival-like atmosphere is surely going to provide a euphoric setting for the host nation.

In terms of talent, Brazil definitely has it. A good mix of veterans and rising starlets will result in a contending squad for a possible World Cup final berth.

With a move toward a more attack-based style, the team will not only provide excitement for the country, but it will also aid in the aspiration of winning the 2014 World Cup.

If all goes right, the men adjourning the yellow and blue kits will be dancing all over the field in the 2014 World Cup final.

Figuratively and literally.