It just is not football without Brazil. With a dazzling carnival of colour - yellow, blue and green - they outshine their rivals in fancy footwork. They weave and feintPretending to move in order to trick someone. , dodge and dance. "Football is not about fighting to the death," said their greatest player Pele. "You have to play beautifully."

Last night, they claimed their first victory in their 2022 World Cup campaign with a 2-0 win over Serbia. Brazil has won the tournament five times and is tipped to raise the trophy again. It would end a twenty-year drought and put them two titles ahead of Italy and Germany.

The pressure is on for star striker Neymar. As a child, he wanted to be the best in the world. Aged 30, this may be his last chance. "It is my biggest dream right now," he says. "I'm focused on winning." And with the strongest Brazilian side in years, he intends to seize the opportunity.

But Brazil is more than beautiful football. It is the world's fifth-largest country, home to over 217 million people. Before 1822, it was a colonyAn area or country under the control of another nation. of Portugal, and Portuguese is still the official language. But there are also 304 indigenous groups and the largest population of people with African ancestry outside of Africa.

And now: "Brazil is back", says president-elect Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva. For years, experts have called it "the country of the future", full of hope and promise. Now some think Brazil's time has come.

Lula was speaking at the COP27The 2022 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as the Conference of the Parties (COP). climate change summit in Egypt. Sixty per cent of the Amazonian rainforest is in Brazil, and scientists say it must be protected if we are to slow global warming. Lula wants to host a climate summit in the Amazon in 2025 and end deforestation by 2030. 

That may be difficult. The rainforest is a rich store of resources. Brazil exports enormous quantities of beef, soybeans, iron, petroleum and sugar. It is the world's largest producer of coffee and a member of BRICSThe five largest emerging economies - Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. - the five largest emerging economies. Protecting the Amazon may mean slower growth and a lower quality of life for Brazilians.

However, Brazil has a secret weapon: tourism. Along 7,491 km of coastline, there are over 2,000 beaches, including the world's longest at Praia do Cassino. In March, two million people gather each day for the Rio de Janeiro carnival. The head of the tourist board plans to target fans in Qatar. "With our beauties on display", he says, Brazil can boost tourism.

But Brazil faces serious challenges. It suffers from huge wealth inequality. The richest 1% earn the same as the poorest 50%, and millions live in slum neighbourhoods called favelas.¹ These shantytowns have high levels of crime and poor access to amenities and education.

When urban inequality grows elsewhere in the world, geographers sometimes call it "brazilianisation".

CorruptionWhen someone abuses their power for personal gain. It often involves bribery. is also a major problem. The outgoing president, Jair Bolsonaro, faced criminal allegations.

In Qatar, Brazil hopes to reclaim the football crown. But, back home, the samba nation may be about to conquer the world.

Yes: We already love their food, music and football. Now the fourth biggest democracy is uniquely positioned to take bold leadership on the environment, tackling poverty and fighting corruption.

No: Brazil has always been the country of the future. But this is fantasy. It is a politically divided country with complex social and economic problems that prevent it from achieving its dreams.

Or... Every country has its strengths and weaknesses. Its problems and potential. World-class footballers and samba musicians escape the favelas, but an unequal society still keeps millions in poverty.