Brazil is seeking to end a 24-year wait for World Cup glory, with the pressure on the team greater than ever. The Seleção has lifted the World Cup five times, but its last triumph in 2002 is beginning to feel like a distant memory as over two decades of frustration have followed.

Brazil’s World Cup History

Brazil’s journey to the World Cup was characterized by scandals off the pitch and underperformance on it. The team finished a lowly fifth in CONMEBOL standings with just 28 points from 18 games, 10 points behind arch-rival Argentina.

Despite the obvious clamor among Brazilians for world supremacy yet again, expectations appear to be at an all-time low. An April survey carried out by Brazilian polling institute Datafolha found that only 29% of the population believes the Seleção can win the World Cup, the lowest figure since it began polling in 1994.

Vinícius Jr. Expected to Lead

Vinícius Jr. is expected to be the lead author of Brazil’s World Cup campaign. Every Brazilian World Cup triumph has had a defining figure: Pelé in 1958 and 1970, Garrincha in 1962, Romário in 1994, and Ronaldo in 2002. If the Seleção is to win this tournament, Vinícius Jr. will likely need to join that list.

Original reporting: El Paso News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.