Analysis of Brazilian Women's National Football Team and How Nigeria's Super Falcons Can Take Them-On At 2024 Paris Olympic Games

 

With our scouting experience we feel we should snoop on the Brazilian women's national football team and let our Nigerian fans know what could happen in their match-up against Super Falcons at the forthcoming Paris Olympic Games this July. Here's what we found out and our tactical analysis of the Brazilian team. 

Brazilian Women's National Football Team, Tactical Analysis, Strength and Weakness - How they Will Play In 2024 Paris Olympic Games

Brazil open their group stage against Nigeria on July 25 before playing Japan three days later and concluding their group stage against world champions Spain on July 31.

12 teams will play in the women’s football tournament at the 2024 Games with three groups of four; as the top two from each group progress alongside the two best third-placed teams in the groups. 

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Brazil Listed A Star Studded Squad

The Copa America Femenina holders have named a strong squad with the nation’s all-time record goalscorer Marta (118 goals in 183 caps) included.

Marta’s Orlando Pride team-mates Rafaelle, Angelina and Adriana are also named in Arthur Elias’s squad, while Houston Dash’s Tarciane, Kerolina of North Carolina Courage and Kansas City Current’s Lauren also made the squad. 

Corinthians — who have won each of the last four Brazilian league titles — have six representatives in the squad, including 148-time capped defender Tamires.

Players to Watch

Mata (118 goals in 183 caps) creative attack and playmaker

 Adriana (14 goals in 59 caps) fast winger/attacking midfielder

Lauren, best goalkeeper at the recent Copa

Head Coach

What Elias Brings To The Pitch

Arthur Elias is someone who knows the ins and outs of Brazilian football, and specifically Brazilian women’s football.

Elias is the chosen one, a born winner and had achieve immense success in Brazilian club football, winning four of the last five Brazilian league titles and  two more Copas Libertadores.

Tactical Analysis

Formation: 3-2-3-2 or 3-5-2

Possessional Style with compact midfield. Elias tactical ideas also seem to align with what the Seleção should like. He is not one to subscribe to rigid positional ideas but rather allows players to have a good deal of freedom when they have the ball in a possession-based style, as well as emphasizing defensive solidity and high pressing without the ball,  with this theory of making sure to win the ball back after 10 seconds of loosing it. 

All in all, Elias seems the perfect person to lead Brazil in the Paris Olympics and beyond, both given his career background and preferred style of play. There can never be any guarantees of success especially in international football, but this seems as sure a bet as any team playing against Brazil should suffer for 90 minutes or so. 

Strength

Brazilian women under Elias play possessional style with compact midfield holding on to the ball and making in plays to breakthrough the middle with flexibility, interchanging of positions. The team scored an average of 3goals per match in their last 10 games, but lost to Canada on penalty shootout at the semi finals of Shebelieves cup as well as lost 0 - 1 to USWNT at the final of Concacaf gold Cup. 

The current team is a high scoring side and in their recent two games friendlies against Jamaica, they won both games 4 - 0 each. Mata being the central driver of the game, scored a brace in the first leg and another goal in second leg. 

The Brazilian defence is also solid with very experienced players and have one of the world's best goalkeeper, Lorena. 

Weakness

The Brazilian forward play and aggressive attacking style often leave their defense tiny with two or three central defenders. Moreover, their defenders are not the fastest players around. This means the Brazilian can be caught napping from an opponent's fast break on counter-attack. 

This doesn't often happen in their recent games with their compact midfield and high pressing style doesn't often allow their opponent to start a counter attacking move. 

How Nigeria's Super Falcons Can Take-On Brazil

Nigeria's Super Falcons currently growing in their strides on the international front after an impressive performance at the 2023 world Cup, have not conceded any goal in their last six games. 

The Nigerian side would have to play their traditional zonal defending with momentum counter attacking. Using the advantage of their attacking speed led by 2023/24 UEFA Women’s Champions League goal of the season winner Asisat Oshoala, Pachuca Femenil prolific striker Chiwendu Ihezuo and team captain, Althetic Madrid wonder kid Rasheedat Ajibade. 

The Nigerian team are capable of stunning the Brazilians if they are able to pull-off their transition from defence to attack in split seconds, can only be the way they could catch the Brazilian defence napping. 

The challenge is Super Falcons are not a high scoring side and their forwards are not as efficient goal scorers. They have only managed to score two goals in their last four games.