10 Most disappointing football teams of 2018

#4 Brazil

Brazil flopped at the World Cup

Unarguably the most popular and successful footballing nation in history, Brazil has blessed us with some of the greatest players in history to ever grace a football field.

The Samba Boys (as they are affectionately called) are expected to not only win every tournament they participate in but to win convincingly and in style.

However, for all the swagger and poise of past years, Brazilian football has hit a rough patch in recent years, as they struggled to impose their joga bonito style on opponents. The result was that the country failed to stamp its authority in this decade unlike times gone by which culminated in 2014's Maracanzo.

Brazil has won five World Cups, and is widely regarded as the home of football (never mind that the English invented it), so when the country won the rights to host the 2014 World Cup, many saw it as the chance to redeem themselves on the global scene.

It ended in anguish, as Brazil capitulated in front of their fans, losing by the rather embarrassing scoreline of 7-1 to Germany right there at the Maracana in the semi-final of the World Cup.

Lots of coaches came and went in that time, but it was not until the appointment of Tite in 2016 that a semblance of calm began to return to the home of the Amazon.

Under Tite's guidance, Brazil became a force once again, embarking on a winning streak which saw them top the CONMEBOL qualifiers at a canter and become the first team other than the hosts to book their spot at Russia.

With superstars like Neymar, Coutinho and Gabriel Jesus coupled with their impressive form, Brazil went into Russia as genuine favourites to win their sixth crown, but it turned woefully sour.

Brazil could only manage a quarter-final appearance, losing to Belgium with their players facing criticism for not stepping to the plate, with Neymar in chief bearing the brunt for his theatrics and shenanigans.

2018 started with so much optimism that Brazil would lift her sixth world crown, but by the middle of the year, that hope was dashed which was a rather disappointing end to a story which began with so much promise.