FIFA gave Brazil a total of 1,588 points for this year's play, beating the 1,560 scored by Italy's national soccer team, even though the team won the World Cup, held in June and July in Germany.

"Brazil's four victories and its consistent performance in friendly games proved better than other teams," FIFA said. Brazil has played 12 international games, winning 10, drawing one and losing one.

The one game the team lost however was against France in the World Cup, eliminating the team from the quarter-finals.

Brazil's selectors reacted to the loss with a radical change of strategy: sacking Carlos Alberto Parreira, their experienced manager, and bringing in a newcomer Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri, better known as Dunga.

He began his term saying that every player had to earn his place on the team, even the international superstars like Ronaldo de Lima, better known as Ronaldinho, twice FIFA player of the year.