Brazil did not do well in a World Cup when they last hosted it. It was in 1950 when the country last hosted the tournament, but they lost in the final to Uruguay in front of 200,000 supporters. That team has never been forgotten by the supporters, but manager Luiz Felipe Scolari says that it is time that the country learns to celebrate that 1950 team rather than degraded it. He also wants to use them as an inspiration to win this upcoming World Cup. Brazil are the current record holders after having won five World Cup titles in their history.

Scolari says that the 1950 team were the pioneers to what the successes achieved in the five decades that followed. Brazil will be going into the 2014 World Cup looking to lift the title for the first time since 2002. Rather than wilt under the pressure of the home supporters, Scolari is planning to do well with the 12th man behind them. Brazil is one of the most football crazy nations in the world. Their supporters always expect the best from the home team, which could work against them, but Scolari is aware of this challenge and he wants to provide them with the best.

“Before 1950 Brazil had never gotten to the final, they were the pioneers of the five titles we have won since then. Those players got there and made Brazilian history. We built our success on top of them. We are going to try and get back to the Maracana for the final and properly remember the team of the 50s because they were wonderful and fantastic and that’s how I’d like Brazilians to think about them. We will be playing with 12 players on the pitch,” said Scolari.

Brazil will be up against Mexico, Croatia, and Cameroon in the group stages.