World Cup 2018 Review: Brazil - 3 Best Performers

Brazil are expected to win every game they dance their way into, that's just the way it is - so it's quite natural for the fans of A Selecao to look back at the 2018 World Cup with a tinge of disappointment. This is amplified by the way they'd come to Russia - unbeaten under that part-philosopher, part-father-figure Tite, and playing with a swagger the proud footballing nation hasn't seen for many a year... but it didn't quite click as they'd have expected and a fighting quarterfinal loss to Belgium was the best they could do.

Which is not to mean there were no bright spots in the campaign, here's our selection of the top 3 performers for Brazil in the 2018 World Cup

Note - This is part of a series that evaluates the three best performers of all the sides to have progressed to the knockout stages of the World Cup; an achievement that is not often given the credit it deserves. While the intent is to have an objective selection and ranking process, it's quite natural that at times subjectivity creeps in. If you disagree - vehemently, or otherwise - with the names on this list, please feel free to jot down a top 3 of your own in the comments section below

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#3 Casemiro

Casemiro 'bosses' the midfield against Mexico

At times, it's absence that underlines just how important a member of the unit is. An oft-invisible, omnipresent, and all important figure during the World Cup run till then, it was arguably Casemiro's absence against Belgium that decided the tie.

Fernandinho had an abysmal night - one of his worst in either Brazil yellow or City sky blue - and it's entirely possible that if Casemiro had been around to patrol the Brazilian midfield as Paulinho made his forays forward, as Coutinho and Neymar danced around on the wing, then Belgium might not have made quite as much merry as they did on the night

He was excellent in the group stages - and absolutely superb against a rampant, counter-attacking Mexico before this, so there's nothing to suggest otherwise

#2 Paulinho

Paulinho skips past Vincent Kompany

A couple of years back, if you'd have suggested that Paulinho would star in a Barcelona team that went nigh-undefeated in the league, and then go on to play a pivotal role in Brazil's run to the quarters, you'd have been laughed out of the room. And they'd have been right to.

Languishing in China - (not according to him, though: "So I was going to play in China for Felipe Scolari? Does that sound so bad? I was happy about it, for real.") - he'd been signed up by Barcelona last summer after some impressive showings for Tite in the Qualifiers and during the World Cup he showed just why - his box-to-box presence a reminder that that particular art is not dead just yet.

His late-runs into the box caused all sorts of problems for opposition throughout the tournament - even for the Belgians, against whom he was unlucky that many of the balls fell agonisingly short, or behind, him.

#1 Philippe Coutinho

Coutinho celebrates after scoring a screamer against the Swiss

For Brazil, all the talk pre, during, and post the tournament has centered around Neymar Jr., his propensity to go to the ground, his theatrics whilst there, the thuggery that placed him there (no one's been at the receiving end of more fouls in a single game this World Cup than the 10 he suffered against Switzerland), the fact that he was not fully fit... but he really wasn't the hero of this Brazilian campaign. That honour goes to his unassuming best mate, Philippe Coutinho.

The Barcelona man was scintillating throughout, whether curling in delightful shots from outside the box, or dinking in sumptuous balls for willing runners to latch onto, or arriving late inside the box to seal the deal himself, he won Brazil points (if not whole matches) by his lonesome and was easily the most influential footballer in yellow during the tournament