Brazil have won each of their two previous encounters with Serbia, including their group stage fixture at the last Fifa World Cup (2-0, June 2018). The other was a 1-0 win in a friendly back in June 2014.
Brazil are the only team to have taken part in every single Fifa World Cup since its original edition in 1930; this will be their 22nd appearance.
Brazil are unbeaten in their last 15 World Cup group games, winning 12 (D3), their last defeat in the group phase dating back to 1998 against Norway. In fact, Brazil have topped their group in round one in every single World Cup since 1982, and last failed to progress past the first round in 1966.
In addition to winning a record five Fifa World Cups, Brazil have won more games (73) and have the best win rate (67 per cent - 73 wins in 109 games) of any nation in the tournament’s history.
Including 2022, Serbia have now qualified for four of the last five Fifa World Cup tournaments, failing only in 2014. However, since the start of this stretch in 2006, they have lost seven of nine World Cup matches (W2), the most defeats by any European nation, with only Australia (8) losing more among all nations.
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As an independent nation, Serbia have been knocked out of the group stage in each of their three World Cup final appearances (2006, 2010, 2018). They last reached the knockout rounds in 1998, as FR Yugoslavia.
Serbia lost none of their eight qualifying matches in the World Cup qualifying group (W6 D2), the first time they remained unbeaten in a qualifying group for a major tournament (World Cup/EUROs) since qualifying for the 2006 World Cup (P10 W6 D4).
Since his debut at the Fifa World Cup in 2014, Neymar has been directly involved in 42 per cent of Brazil’s 19 goals in the tournament (6 goals, 2 assists).
Handed the reins in June 2016, Tite will become the first manager to lead Brazil at back-to-back Fifa World Cups since Telê Santana in 1982 and 1986.
Only Memphis Depay and Harry Kane (12 goals) scored more goals than Serbia’s Aleksandar Mitrovic (8 in 8 games) in the main round of European qualifiers for the 2022 World Cup, play-offs excluded. Meanwhile, no player delivered more assists than compatriot Dusan Tadic (6 in 8 games).