Is Fred Worth His Place in the Brazil Team for the World Cup?

Whilst Brazil's World Cup squad arguably still has a couple of vacancies, coach Luiz Felipe Scolari's starting XI is as good as set in stone.

Barring any last-minute injuries, the man to take the hallowed No. 9 shirt is Fluminense striker Fred. Come kick-off against Croatia on June 12 at the Arena Corinthians in Sao Paulo, the 30-year-old former Lyon forward will be the only home-based player taking to the field for the Selecao.

The Brazilian fans—likely to be more vociferous than ever as they host a World Cup tournament for the first time in 64 years—are famously supportive of players plying their trade on home soil.

It is a reminder that, whilst the best stars have for decades now crossed the Atlantic to more lucrative seas in Europe, their own domestic championship in Brazil is still capable of testing prospective world champions.

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A little under four years ago, I was at Rio de Janeiro's Galeao airport as the Brazil squad made their way back from South Africa. They had been knocked out at the quarter-final stage by Holland and tensions were running high.

Much of the anger was directed at goalkeeper Julio Cesar, whose error had gifted the Dutch their equaliser. Catcalls and jeers greeted most of the players as they tried to sneak through the arrival gate in the wee hours.

Yet Kleberson and Gilberto, the only Brazil-based players in Dunga's 2010 squad, walked through unscathed. And neither played a minute during the tournament.

Such an anecdote may lead you to believe that the fact the current national No. 9 is playing his club football at home would be an enormous source of pride for Brazil. But, for the public at least, the jury remains out on Fred.

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He is not in the same mould as some of the classic Brazilians to lead the line down the years. When he signed for Fluminense in 2009, he stated his mission was to make himself the centre forward for the national side.

At the time, Dunga had settled on a front pairing of Luis Fabiano and Robinho. Fred could not even get a place in the squad.

Briefly in under Mano Menezes—he played in the 2011 Copa America—he was discarded in favour of a more flexible front to the team.

But after scoring within minutes of coming on in Scolari's first match against England last year, he has never looked back. He is arguably the player who has flourished the most under Felipao's change of approach, with nine goals in 12 games under the 2002 world champion.

He endeared himself to the nation during the Confederations Cup, where his five goals helped Brazil to their third successive title. Since then, the garden has not been quite so rosy and the target man is battling to play himself into form ahead of the World Cup with his club.

At Fluminense he has turned himself into an idol. His goals saved the side from relegation in 2009 and fired them towards the Brazilian title in 2012 (links in Portuguese).

Yet that nagging doubt (in Portuguese) seems to constantly loom in the background. Is he really the best Brazil has to offer in that position?

The nation that bred the likes of Vava, Pele, Romario and Ronaldo now boasts a striker with the physique and assets of a journeyman.

In actual fact, Fred brings bucket loads to the table. His strength in the air is a major asset and has shown his killer instinct in front of goal, forming a promising partnership with Neymar at international level.

His bulk and power distracts defenders, leaving vast gaps for the likes of Neymar and Oscar to exploit. He may not be as glamorous as some of his predecessors, but he is pivotal to Scolari's World Cup plans.

There is almost a snobbishness about Fred's selection, as if he is there as the best of a bad bunch, a more useful target man than Jo or Leandro Damiao.

But he has proven, both at Fluminense and under Felipao, that he can make an enormous difference to a side's fortunes. At the World Cup, he will not only be out to win the tournament but to silence his doubters.

And in this country, there is one sure-fire method for him to earn everlasting legendary status: Score the goals that land Brazil their first global triumph on home soil and all comments about his style of play will be swiftly forgotten.