Brazil will be bidding to reach the quarter-finals of the 2022 World Cup on Monday evening, with South Korea their opponents in the last-16 stage of the competition.

Tite's side picked up six points from their three matches in Group G to finish at the top of the section, beating Serbia and Switzerland before losing to Cameroon.

Brazil are five-time world champions, with their last success in the competition coming back in 2002.

Indeed, they have been knocked out in the quarter-finals in three of their last four participations, including four years ago in Russia.

Here, Sports Mole looks at some reasons for the South American nation to be confident of advancing to the final eight of the competition once again.

The expected return of Neymar

Neymar missed Brazil's last two group games against Switzerland and Cameroon due to the ankle problem that he picked up against Serbia on November 24.

At the time, considering the nature of the injury, it appeared that his World Cup would be over.

However, the 30-year-old has been working overtime in a bid to be available for his side's last-16 affair, and he trained on Sunday ahead of the contest with South Korea.

Barring another setback, Neymar will therefore be in the squad against South Korea, with the attacker also being tipped to be in the starting XI.

Brazil have a lot of outstanding players, and head coach Tite has so many quality options in the final third of the field, but Neymar is the country's most important player, and he will be determined to add to the six goals and three assists that he has managed in the finals of the World Cup.

Excellent record at last-16 stage of World Cup

Brazil's last-16 record at the World Cup is incredibly impressive, progressing from their last seven matches at this round of the competition, and six of those victories have come in normal time.

A Selecao have not been eliminated in the last-16 stage of a World Cup since 1990 against Argentina and that record should stand them in good stead ahead of this match.

Brazil's last World Cup crown came in 2002, making the quarter-finals in 2006 and 2010 before finishing fourth at the 2014 World Cup on home soil.

The South American nation disappointed four years ago in Russia, only reaching the final eight, but they have been eliminated in the last-16 stage of a World Cup on just two occasions throughout history.

What's more, South Korea have never beaten a South American side at the World Cup, suffering defeats in four of their six matches, while they have lost six of their seven games against Brazil.

Recent form

Brazil's 1-0 loss to Cameroon last time out actually proved to be their first defeat in any competition since a 1-0 defeat to Argentina in the final of the Copa America in July 2021.

Tite made a number of changes for the game against Cameroon, though, with the national side already progressing to the last-16 stage of the competition.

Brazil have played 11 times in 2022, recording nine wins in the process, while they have lost just two matches since the end of 2019, which is an indication of the size of task facing South Korea here.

As expected, Tite's side comfortably qualified for the finals of this competition, collecting 45 points from 17 matches courtesy of a record of 14 wins and three defeats, which left them six points ahead of Argentina.

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