10 Players Brazil Should Bring in from the Cold Immediately

Brazil ended its World Cup campaign with two devastating losses. As a result, Luiz Felipe Scolari decided to step down after a meeting with the Brazilian Football Confederation, as reported by Kieran Gill of The Daily Mail.

It is time for the Selecao to heal, renew themselves and think about both the near future and Russia 2018.

Here are 10 players the new Brazil coach should consider bringing in from the cold immediately.

10. Philippe Coutinho

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Brazil desperately needs players who actually have some Brazilian magic in their feet, playmakers who can change a match at any given point. Coutinho can certainly be that type of player.

The young Liverpool playmaker is coming off his best European season. Coutinho is starting to take off, and being a part of the new Selecao cycle will help his development at the highest level and also benefit Brazil.

Coutinho is no stranger to the Brazilian national team, as he was part of the under-17 and under-20 squads; this is the time to try him out at the senior level.

9. Filipe Luis

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Filipe Luis did not make it onto Felipao’s final roster for the World Cup despite being included a year earlier for the Confederations Cup.

He has been fundamental in Atletico Madrid’s recent success, not only last season but over the last four years.

Marcelo’s underperformance during the World Cup had no consequences, as he remained the starter at left-back. Some internal competition can bring out the best in both Marcelo and Luis for the benefit of the Selecao.

The Atleti defender might not be a young star but could certainly be at the peak of his career right now; Brazil could use some players who are at the top of their game.

8. Miranda

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In a similar situation to that of his Atletico Madrid teammate Filipe Luis, Miranda is not a youngster but still in his prime.

Has been a part of Diego Simeone’s praised defensive scheme for the Colchoneros since the Argentinian coach arrived at the club in late 2011.

The Brazilian center-back can also add some pressure and raise the bar in the internal competition for a spot in the starting XI. David Luiz and Thiago Silva need to know that their spots are not guaranteed every time after they have an awful performance or get themselves suspended for a non-relevant play.

7. Marquinhos

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The Paris Saint-Germain central defender is still very young but has enough experience at top European clubs such as AS Roma and PSG itself.

Marquinhos already played for Brazil, as he was called up by Scolari late last year. At the French club he is already sharing the locker room with Brazil captain Thiago Silva and will be joined by David Luiz as well.

It is up to Marquinhos to learn the positive aspects of the two starting central defenders at Brazil 2014 to potentially take over their spots in the Selecao in the near future.

6. Lucas Moura

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He is yet to exploit all his potential in Europe with PSG, but the fact that Brazil lacked talented and creative players who can play in the wings makes Moura a player who should be given a chance.

Lucas had been in the scope of the Selecao as he participated in the under-20 squad, the Olympic squad and even the senior team, but he has rarely had any consistency as far as playing time goes.

Moura is a multifaceted player who can play on both wings or even in the middle if needed. His potential contributions are worth a try, and even in the worst-case scenario it's hard to picture him doing worse than Hulk.

5. Lucas Leiva

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Neither Paulinho nor Fernandinho were consistent solutions as defensive midfielders at Brazil 2014. Luiz Gustavo was the one who had a better performance in the role, but it is hard to praise his World Cup campaign when he was on the pitch for the two humiliating defeats on Brazil’s last two games.

It’s the perfect chance for Lucas Leiva to demonstrate with the Selecao what he has shown in Liverpool.

Lucas might not be in the spotlight regularly, but he has been getting decent playing time at a top club for several years and achieves on a regular basis what is expected from him on the field.

4. Lima

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It took time for him to finally find consistency and establish himself as a starting and trustworthy striker, but Lima has earned the right to wear the Canarinha jersey.

He's been playing in Portugal for the last four years and has made an impact at Sporting Braga and more recently at Benfica.

Lima’s goals helped the popular Portuguese squad to reach the final of the Europa League for a second year in a row and to win the Portuguese league championship.

The only problem with Lima is his age, but thinking about the near future—Copa America 2015 and the start of the World Cup qualifiers—he could be the perfect alternative to take over the vacant spots left by Fred and Jo.

3. Rafinha

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Dani Alves was simply a disaster as Brazil’s right-back during the World Cup. Veteran Maicon took over his starting spot from the quarter-final match on.

Rafinha is a right-back who plays in one of the best teams in the world alongside many German players who just won the World Cup. At Bayern Munich he has not only played as a right-back but as a midfielder, something that can greatly benefit a Brazil side which lacked players who exploited the wings in an effective manner.

Not a minor detail, Rafinha has been at Bayern for several years with Philipp Lahm, learning from one of the finest right-backs on the planet.

2. Alan Kardec

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Alan Kardec is a striker who seems to be on the rise, as he's found the net often and has played regularly with Palmeiras in the last year. He finally seems to be the mature striker who looked promising in Santos a couple of years ago and with Brazil's under-20 squad in the 2009 U-20 World Cup.

His performance caught the attention of the powerful Palmeiras city rivals Sao Paulo, who signed Kardec for the next season. At Sao Paulo he will be playing alongside other attackers who have been in Brazil’s senior team such as Luis Fabiano, Alexandre Pato and even playmaker Kaka.

Sao Paulo will give Kardec a chance to grow as a player, break into the Selecao and be Brazil’s main striker during the whole Russia 2018 cycle, as he could develop and reach his full potential by the time the next World Cup comes.     

Kardec was placed by Scolari on the standby list of seven players for the World Cup.

1. Kaka

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The Brazilian playmaker is not in his prime and will likely never be at the same level as he was around 2007 when he won the FIFA Ballon d’Or.

However, in his return to Milan last season he showed he still had football class running through his feet.

Kaka will now be playing back in Sao Paulo this upcoming semester and will move to Orlando City SC next year. As part of a short-term solution but thinking of what is to come, Kaka could be of great help for the new process that is about to begin under a new coach.

As a veteran, his experience will be valuable for a generation of players who probably grew up admiring him. From now until Copa America 2015, young Selecao players who will be in the cycle for Russia 2018 can learn from a player who personally lived through glorious days with the Canarinha and was the last Brazilian player to date to be named the best in the world.

There is no better option than Kaka when thinking about next year’s Copa America and the valuable contributions that a talented, veteran player like him can bring to the generation that will be travelling to Russia in four years.