What the Confederations Cup Will Tell Us About Brazil for 2014

Brazil are set to raise the curtain at the Confederations Cup ahead of two years of non-stop football on the road to the 2014 World Cup. But what will this traditional curtain raiser tell us about 2014?

The 2013 Confederations Cup officially gets underway with the Selecao's opening game against Asian Cup champions Japan at the Estadio Nacional in Brasilia on June 15.

The tournament will be attracting some of the very best footballing talent from around the globe, signalling an exciting three years for the country ending with the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

Featuring the likes of Spain, Italy, Uruguay, Mexico, Japan, Nigeria, Tahiti and of course Brazil, the tournament is sure to display some excellent football.

But with stadium issues a constant ever since Brazil was announced as host nation, FIFA will be keeping a keen eye on any problems that may arise during the event.

Make no mistake, Brazil is under the microscope this summer and they cannot afford to fail. So what can we learn from this upcoming event that will apply to the 2014 World Cup?

Is Brazil Prepared for 2014?

The construction of stadiums has been a thorn in the side for Brazil's authorities throughout their preparations for the Confederations Cup.

Six stadiums were slated to be completed in time for FIFA's December 2012 deadline to be used in the June event but the majority failed to make the closing date.

The Maracana, Arena Pernambuco, Arena Fonte Nova and Estadio Nacional were all hit with delays and had to meet a revised April 2013 deadline.

Even then, the Arena Pernambuco and Estadio Nacional were only just completed this month, raising concerns amongst FIFA officials in the process about Brazil's ability to complete all 12 stadiums in time for 2014.

And while the Castelao and Mineirao met the original December 2012 deadline, they ran into problems with facilities during test events.

A FIFA report found "serious faults" with facilities at the Mineirao during a test event in April 2013, leading to a R$1 million fine for the construction company responsible after officials found problems with access points, car parks, bars and water supply.

But Brazil president Dilma Rousseff was bullish in her defence of the process, declaring Brazil ready for the upcoming Confederations Cup.

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"The pessimists said the stadiums would not be ready in time, but we are showing them today that we can deliver high-quality stadiums."

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FIFA general secretary Jerome Valcke also expressed his satisfaction and declared all six stadiums ready for action, with the Confederations Cup set to be the ultimate litmus test for Brazil.

Are the Selecao on Form?

The stadiums are ready to go, but are Luiz Felipe Scolari and his Selecao ready to take on the best the world has to offer?

Selecao supporters aren't sure. A run of poor form has seen the popular coach come under pressure from fans as they stumble from game to game.

A 2-1 defeat to England at Wembley back in February 2013 for what was Scolari's first game in charge set the tone for things to come.

Draws against Italy and Russia followed and it wasn't until they face Bolivia in April that the Selecao secured their first win under the former Chelsea coach. Another draw against Chile later that month rounded off a miserable start for Scolari.

One win from five games isn't good enough for a storied nation like Brazil, and Scolari is under pressure to get it right in friendlies against England and France before they return home for the Confederations Cup.

Scolari needs to perfect his tactics in the tournament with the threat of the axe looming ahead of the 2014 World Cup. If that happens, the Selecao will be in turmoil.

Expectations in Brazil are extraordinarily high ahead of a World Cup on home soil and fans demand nothing less than complete victory.

Unfortunately, it seems that their moment in the sun could be blighted by one of the weakest Selecao sides in a long time.

Can Spain Still Dominate?

While Brazil are set to continue their struggles, Spain are flying after dominating international football for four extraordinary trophy-laden years.

As reigning European and World champions, La Roja will be looking to add another trophy to their glistening cabinet.

They'll also be out to set the record straight after they crashed out in the semi-finals of the 2009 Confederations Cup in South Africa to a plucky USA outfit.

Vicente Del Bosque will be adamant that such an upset will not happen again as they go into the tournament as favourites once again.

But the real question is, can Spain keep up their dominance of international football? Is their era about to end?

After all, cycles don't last in football. Barcelona's era has already come to a brutal end after being demolished 7-0 on aggregate by a vibrant Bayern Munich side on their way to glory in this year's Champions League.

The world's eyes will be on Spain again and the Confederations Cup will show if La Roja have it in them to conquer the world once more in Brazil 2014.

Will There Be a Dark Horse?

While Spain are favourites for the Confederations Cup, they will face opposition from plenty of dark-horse candidates.

Italy matched the Spaniards all the way to the Euro 2012 final until an inspired Spain performance took the Italians apart.

But a new generation of players, led by the likes of AC Milan duo Mario Balotelli and Stephan El Shaarawy, could see Italy's star rise in the next few years.

Uruguay also have designs on international success, having won the 2011 Copa America and reaching the semi-finals in the 2010 World Cup.

Led by the mercurial Luis Suarez, who has been in fine form for Premier League side Liverpool this season, Uruguay have a talented team hungry for success.

Mexico are also in the mix, boasting several top-class players and could be an outside bet for the Confederations Cup after their success in the U23s at London 2012 Olympics, beating Brazil in the final.

At this Confederations Cup, we could yet see the beginnings of a dark horse ready to match the more established nations in 2014.

And the Rest?

While the remaining teams in the Confederations Cup are unlikely to set the world alight, they have plenty to prove to the world.

Japan have made huge strides in world football in recent years with graduates now plying their trade in the best leagues, most notably the Bundesliga.

Attacking midfielder Shinji Kagawa is set to take centre stage in Manchester United's attack next season while Shinji Okazaki, Hiroshi Kiyotake and Takashi Inui are starring in Germany.

This could be a defining two years for the Samurai Blue as they look to mount a challenge at Brazil 2014 and demonstrate how far Asian football has come.

We also have Nigeria as Africa's representatives in the tournament, having won the 2013 African Cup of Nations.

The Super Eagles will be hoping to make an impact at the Confederations Cup in the hopes of boosting their chances of qualifying for the World Cup.

As for underdogs Tahiti. The less said, the better.