Brazil are favourites to win the 2022 World Cup according to bookmakers after the five times champions were drawn with Serbia, Switzerland and Cameroon in the group stage of the showpiece event in Qatar. However, their lack of friendlies against European opposition over the last four years perturbs coach Tite, who fears it could cost them in Qatar.
William Hill installed Brazil, who rose to the top of the world rankings this week, as 5-1 favourites to win the tournament ahead of France (11-2), England (6-1), Spain (15-2) and Argentina (11-1).
BetMGM also had Brazil as (5-1) favourites followed by France and England (both 11-2). They are unquestionably the best side in South America along with Argentina, having recorded a record 45 points in the qualifiers and going unbeaten in all 17 matches.
But without game time against teams such as France, Spain, England and Germany, Tite admitted there was a question mark over just how good the five-times world champions really are.
"We dont have these encounters so theres a doubt," he said. In the four years between the last two World Cups, Brazil faced eight European teams including holders Germany, hosts Russia and eventual winners France.
COVID-19
However, in the four years since Belgium knocked them out at the quarter-final stage in Russia, they have only once met a team from Europe, beating the Czech Republic 3-1 in a March 2019 friendly.
That is down partly to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has squeezed the football calendar since 2020, but it is also because of the Nations League.
The launch of the Nations League in 2018 was designed, according to UEFA, to reduce the number of meaningless friendlies .
Brazil, though, see such friendlies not as meaningless but as a chance to test themselves against the best in the world and Tite has repeatedly asked the Brazilian Football Confederation to arrange games against European sides.
Holders France were pooled with Denmark, Tunisia and either the United Arab Emirates, Australia or Peru, who are in a playoff series. England face Iran, the United States and the winners of the European playoff - Wales, Scotland or Ukraine.
The tournament will run from Nov. 21 to Dec 18. It will be the first World Cup in the Middle East.
