During the negotiations for Fabio Capello to take charge of England the Italian demanded a series of friendly matches against the best teams in the world. The boss wanted to see his new side pitched in battle with the cream of the international scene to ensure there would be no surprises come business time in South Africa.
Football Supporters at a Match in Doha, Qatar
The English FA have so far managed to hold games against France, Germany, Spain and Holland. Now England's calendar has been freed up by their rapid qualification for the World Cup, the FA have been able to hand Capello a game against the most successful footballing nation on the planet.
England's match against Brazil has been confirmed to take place in the city of Doha in Qatar on November 14th. The date was made available by Brazil keeping their end of bargain and also booking their place in South Africa with time to spare.
Elite Managers
Both nations have managers who are currently riding the crest of a wave in terms of results and public support. Dunga may not have the years of experience Capello has behind him but he has already started adding to Brazil's impressive haul of honours. He led Brazil to victory in the 2007 Copa América in Venezuela and more recently the 2009 Confederations Cup. He did however taste defeat when his team was beaten by their old enemy Argentina in the semi-finals of the 2008 Olympic Football tournament.
Dunga was able to avenge the defeat in China when he took his side to Argentina for their recent World Cup qualification game. A 3-1 victory was recorded and Brazil's hosts looked on in embarrassment as Dunga and his troops celebrated their nation's proud record of featuring at every World Cup.
Like Capello Brazil's coach has demanded friendly games against top sides to keep his players on their toes. During his time in charge Dunga's side have record victories in friendlies over Argentina, Italy and a impressive 6-2 trouncing of Portugal. Brazil also managed a 1-1 draw against England when Dunga took his team to Wembley in June 2007.
Both Capello and Dunga have used their dictatorial personas to instill a strong
sense of discipline in their squads. Dunga inherited a side dominated
by the Magic Quartet of Ronaldinho, Kaká, Adriano and Ronaldo. Dunga
soon showed that nobody had a guaranteed place in the side and three
years later it is only Kaká who is certain to feature if fit when the
Brazil play England in Doha.
Perhaps a factor in Ronaldo and Adriano returning home to ply their trade is the amount of players from the Brazilian league currently featuring in Dunga's plans. No less than eight domestic based players made it into Dunga's squad for the last round of World Cup qualifiers alongside the household names who turn out every year in the Champions League.
For his part Capello has also shown throughout his management career than he cares little for reputation. Just as Dunga continues to snub Ronaldo so the Italian refuses to open the door to Michael Owen.
The Teams
As for the teams that will line up in Doha it seems likely that both managers will want to pick the strongest side available to them for this prestigious friendly. After all any psychological wound caused by a defeat would still be fresh if the two teams were to meet again in the World Cup finals.
Júlio César is established as Dunga's automatic first pick between the sticks
and Inter Milan's 'keeper is yet to let his country down. Capello does
not have the luxury of knowing exactly who will start in goal for England
in South Africa but Robert Green is emerging as the front runner to
wear the gloves. If Green can keep up his good form for West Ham and
get the nod to play against Brazil it will look increasingly certain
that he is the man Capello trusts above all.
Defence
At the moment the defences are picking themselves and both managers use their backline not only to keep the opposition at bay but to launch attacks. Glen Johnson has come in for some stick over a supposed lack of defensive awareness but in light of the criticism Capello heralded Liverpool's summer signing as the best in the world in his position. Although Johnson and England as a whole were exemplary in their last outing against Croatia there is one name who is clearly above Johnson when it comes to the mantle Capello bestowed upon his right back.
Maicon is the complete footballer and the full backs surging runs have been central to much of what Dunga has achieved in his short time as national coach. When this lad gets going he is like the proverbial train, very difficult to stop.
Such is Maicon's influence in the final third that Dunga is happy to select Elano on the right wing and ask him to cover whenever the full back is off gallivanting in the opposition half. There is a convincing argument that Barcelona's Brazilian right back Dani Alves is in fact a best right back around but Dunga continues to value Maicon above the Champions League winner.
Brazil's central defensive partnership of long serving captain Lucio and Benfica's Luisăo are both old school no nonsense defenders who are not afraid of getting their hands dirty. In the recent game against Argentina Brazil's defence were barely troubled by Carlos Tevez, Lionel Messi or Sergio Agüero as the towering centre backs gathered them up and stuck them in their back pockets. Wayne Rooney is a similar type of player to the Argentine forwards and will have to be on his mettle to avoid the same fate.
One plus point for England is that in Emile Heskey they have a player who will refuse to be bullied by the Brazilian defence and instead can play them at their own game. It therefore looks like a game for Heskey to cement his place as Rooney's strike partner for South Africa rather than for Jermain Defoe to increase his claim on a starting spot for England.
André Santos is Dunga's first choice left back but he is not charged with the
same attacking responsibilities as Maicon. Often he will shift into
the middle to provide extra protection. With the form that Aaron Lennon
is currently producing or even a returning Theo Walcott there is a chance
that England's right winger in Doha will be afforded space to exploit.
Midfield
Dunga can be perceived as a little negative for persisting with the tired legs of Gilberto Silva and the less than inspiring Felipe Melo in the middle of the park. Neither will give you many examples of the Jogo Bonito for which Brazilian football is famed but instead are players very much in the mould of their manager. They will break up play, do a lot of unspectacular work very well and all with little fuss. These two have proved a reliable pairing for the national team and although with qualification now certain Dunga may look at a few other options in the run up to the World Cup, these two are without doubt his first pick. Players such as Manchester United's Anderson remain down the pecking order however well they perform for their clubs.
England can try to knock the ball around Brazil's less than mobile midfield pair and with players like Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard they have the personnel to win the battle. A factor that will protect Brazil central midfield pairing is their opposition's responsibilities elsewhere on the pitch.
For example if Gerrard is again selected on the left as seems Fabio's favoured position for him, he will be asked to offer protection for Ashley Cole against the might of Maicon. Brazil may even show Gerrard inside and invite him to leave his post on the left in an attempt to open the door for their right back to forage.
Similarly in the middle of the park whoever is selected as England's holding midfield, probably Gareth Barry, will be tied in dealing with Kaka and his ability to create a goal out of the slightest of opportunities.
Therefore it becomes Lampard against two in the middle of the park. Speed becomes less of an issue and instead positional sense and tactical nous come to the fore, assets both Melo and Silva have in abundance. The Brazilian's tranquillity in the middle of the park could be broken by a rampaging Rooney dropping deeper to look for the ball.
Glen Johnson may find his excursions in to the opposition's half tempered by
having to deal with Robinho's nuisance factor on Brazil's right flank.
The mercurial Manchester City man uses his position on the field merely
as a starting point and has the freedom to drift across and between
the opponent's ranks. Although Andre Santos is asked to sit this will
offer England chances to get at Brazil should Robinho go missing, as
he does so often for his club.
Strikers
Up top Luis Fabiano is choosing the right time to blossom into a powerful and clinical finisher of the highest order. He has always had the pace to cause problems but is now adding finesse and understanding to his game. His ability to read Kaká's throughball for Brazil's third against Argentina was testament to how much his game has come on in recent years. The subtle chipped finish was his second of the night after he showed a real poacher's instinct to tuck away his first.
John Terry in particular will be wary of Fabiano's lightening acceleration and it could turn out to be a long night for England's skipper if his does not get to grips with Brazil's targetman early.
Brazil are a big physical side who will also threaten from set pieces. Kaká's pin point delivery combined with Brazil's six foot plus bridge of Maicon, Lucio, Luisăo and Fabiano will certainly give England something to think about.
These are the tests that Capello has asked for however, and after the procession that was qualification Doha is set to host a game that could well provide a sneak preview for the World Cup final eight months down the line in Johannesburg.
