Can This Brazil Team Win the 2014 World Cup?

Brazil's fans always expect them to deliver at the World Cup.

In 2014, that expectation will rise to fever pitch. Brazil will be competing on home turf, and their supporters will demand nothing less than triumph.

However, the Brazil national team is currently in transition. Manager Luiz Felipe Scolari has been in the job for a matter of months, and it's unclear as yet just what his team for 2014 will look like.

Over the next few slides we look at the personnel available to the Brazil national team and their chances of raising the trophy aloft next summer.

Defence

Brazil have historically produced a surplus of attackers. Their defenders have often been less heralded.

However, in the current Brazil squad, the defenders are arguably the stars.

Paris Saint Germain's towering Thiago Silva is widely recognised as the best centre-back in the world. A defence built around this man has every chance of World Cup glory.

Alongside him, Brazil can call upon Chelsea's David Luiz. When Luiz pulls on the Selecao shirt, he is a man transformed and seems to immediately eliminate the regular positional errors that blight his game at club level.

Luiz Felipe Scolari's World Cup-winning side of 2002 played with three centre-backs, one of whom was charged with bringing the ball out of defence and starting off attacks from deep. David Luiz seems the obvious choice to inherit Edmilson's creative role, with Thiago Silva and Bayern Munich's Dante forming a stable base behind him.

As ever, Brazil have a variety of attacking full-backs to choose from. The La Liga pair of Dani Alves and Marcelo are likely to be first-choice come the World Cup in 2014.

Midfield

Luiz Felipe Scolari's midfields have always featured an intelligent combination of pragmatism and flair.

In 2002, Gilberto Silva's disciplined performances protecting the defence earned him the nickname "The Invisible Wall." In 2014, that role is likely to be filled by Chelsea's Ramires. Although more mobile than Gilberto, Ramires shares a willingness to sacrifice himself for the good of the team.

Lazio's Hernanes and Corinthians' Paulinho could be used to supplement Ramires at the base of Brazil's midfield. Both players combine power and positional intelligence with outstanding passing and will bring fluidity to Brazil's game.

Chelsea's Oscar is likely to be the man charged with unlocking the opposition's defence, although there is still a chance that Scolari could turn to the veteran Ronaldinho.

Whether or not Ronaldinho ends up starting for Brazil will probably depend on the acceleration of Oscar's development between now and summer 2014.

If Scolari is forced to turn to Ronaldinho once more, it will be symptomatic of a dearth of options elsewhere and be cause for concern for Brazilian fans.

Attack

There is no doubt that at Brazil 2014 all eyes will be on Santos' Neymar.

A good World Cup will elevate the charismatic forward to the level currently occupied by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.

Luiz Felipe Scolari seems likely to deploy Neymar on the left of his attack, meaning he will still need a pivotal central forward to combine with the crested youngster.

At the moment, veterans Luis Fabiano and Fred are both under consideration, although the race to be Brazil's starting striker is likely to be won by Internacional's Leandro Damiao.

Neymar and Damiao are as yet untested against European defenders, but on home soil they should be good enough to fire Brazil glory. 

The Manager

Luiz Felipe Scolari is the perfect man to lead Brazil in to this World Cup.

With a World Cup victory already under his belt, he is more resistant to the enormous pressure than many managers would be.

He is still tinkering with his side, struggling to recreate the beauty and efficiency of his 2002 team. The forthcoming Confederations Cup will be an opportunity for Scolari to test his side in a competitive environment.

History suggests Scolari knows how to assemble a Brazil team capable of going all the way to glory. It's clear he has a vast array of talent at his disposal, and the roar of the home crowd should provide the players with all the motivation and inspiration they require.

The greatest danger to Brazil is the threat of Spain. La Roja have been remarkably consistent in international tournaments of late, and they'll be desperate to retain the World Cup.

However, on home soil, Brazil have to be favourites to reclaim the prize they crave most of all. Football is heading home.

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What do you think? Can Brazil win in 2014? Let us know below.