Watch the Brazil and Costa Rica match in the Copa America Championship

Dorival Júnior, the head coach of the Brazilian national team, places special importance on the opening match against Costa Rica in the 2024 Copa America, as he aims for a strong start to instill confidence in his players throughout the tournament.

In a press conference today, Júnior stated that his team is still seeking the necessary balance, but he hopes to find the "right combination" ahead of their opening match in Copa America.

He added, "We need to find the balance and consistency for this team, which was assembled three months ago and is now rediscovering itself. We are striving to achieve harmony among the players, especially since they possess great individual abilities, but it is essential that they integrate as a single unit."

These remarks come as the Brazilian national team faces high expectations from fans and analysts, who have high hopes for this edition of the tournament after a disappointing performance in the previous one. Júnior is aware of the challenges ahead but appears confident in his team's ability to deliver an impressive performance, especially with many star players in the squad.

The match against Costa Rica is a crucial test for Brazil, not only to secure a win but also to demonstrate the team's capability to compete for the title. While the Costa Rican team is not an easy opponent, the Brazilians are looking forward to a strong start that will provide a significant morale boost for the rest of their journey in the tournament.

Dorival Júnior continued, "We are still a team in the foundation phase, with some players who probably didn't even imagine being here at this moment. But we have enough quality in our lineup, and I am not afraid of the lack of experience of some players."

The "Seleção" coach emphasized that he is not afraid of the lack of experience among some players, noting that the team includes players from top Brazilian and international clubs, which gives the team the strength and confidence needed to achieve positive results.

Júnior added, "We have outstanding players from major Brazilian and international clubs, which is why I hope we will have a good tournament. We have shown that we can compete against the best teams in the world."

Under Júnior's leadership, Brazil has not faced defeat in their last four friendly matches. They have won against England 1-0, defeated Mexico 3-2, drawn with Spain 3-3, and tied with the United States 1-1. These results reflect the team's good preparation and high competitive spirit.

Brazilian fans eagerly anticipate their team's performance in the tournament, placing high hopes on the new coach and his players to deliver results worthy of Brazil's rich history in the Copa America. The opening match against Costa Rica is a golden opportunity for Brazil to prove their quality and readiness to compete for the title.

Dorival Júnior announced his squad for the match against Costa Rica in the opening of their Copa America 2024 campaign. Notable changes in the lineup include the inclusion of defender Éder Militão and full-back Guilherme Arana.

In a pre-match press conference held early Tuesday morning, Dorival stated, "This is the lineup that will start the match, featuring Éder Militão and Arana. These are the only changes."

The expected lineup for the Brazilian national team:

- Goalkeeper: Alisson Becker

- Defense: Danilo, Éder Militão, Marquinhos, Guilherme Arana

- Midfield: Casemiro, Fabinho, Lucas Paquetá

- Attack: Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, Richarlison

The expected lineup for the Costa Rican national team:

- Goalkeeper: Keylor Navas

- Defense: Kendall Waston, Francisco Calvo, Óscar Duarte

- Midfield: Bryan Oviedo, Celso Borges, Yeltsin Tejeda, Bryan Ruiz

- Attack: Joel Campbell, Manuel Aguilar, Jimmy Marín

Brazil aims for a strong start to build the necessary confidence to advance in the tournament, especially given the high expectations from Brazilian fans. Meanwhile, Costa Rica hopes to deliver a strong performance and provide tough competition against Brazil.