Brazil – the world’s biggest and best international football team, right?

Well, you’d be mistaken for thinking that was far from the case in recent years with World Cup heartache and Copa America disappointments galore. However, it finally seems like the five-time world champions could be back to their best.

As far as the FIFA World Rankings are concerned, anyway.

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The Brazilians are still a far, far cry from the incredible sides of 1970 and 2002, but they are officially the world’s best international team at the moment. The news emerged after Brazil usurped South American rivals Argentina in this month’s latest round of ranking.

It comes on the back of a 3-0 win over Paraguay that saw them become the first side to qualify for the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. The victory brought their points tally up to 1661 and, consequently, their placing up to first.

The rankings are notoriously so-so in their actual accuracy, yet it seems to have ended a difficult period for Brazil.

After all, this is the first time they’ve topped the rankings in no less than seven years. Spain took the crown from them back in 2010 after their World Cup victory and only now have they recovered the title.

The last time they took to the field as number ones proved a 2-1 defeat to the Netherlands in the quarterfinals in South Africa. A brace from Wesley Sneijder sealed the victory after Robinho had given the favourites the lead.

Here is their XI from that infamous game on July 2 and the world-beating predecessors to the current crop of stars:

GK – Julio Cesar

The Brazilian was in the form of his life going into the tournament and had just won the Champions League title with Inter Milan. However, he was famously at fault for Sneijder’s opening goal in this clash and the Brazilian people made sure he knew it.

His career has waned since, included a random spell at Queens’ Park Rangers and he now plies his trade in Portugal with Benfica. He hasn’t featured for Brazil since 2014.

RB – Maicon

Yet another integral player in Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan side of 2010, Maicon was also at his peak in South Africa. Moreover, he hit headlines during the tournament when he found the net against North Korea from a seemingly impossible angle.

Since elimination, the 35-year-old has experienced mixed spells at both Manchester City and AS Roma. He hasn’t starred for his country since 2014 and his contract in the Italian capital expired in 2016.

CB – Juan

Remember this guy? Most people won’t but the ex-Roma stalwart was a constant fixture during Brazil’s World Cup campaign that year. Furthermore, he scored a bullet head in the round of 16 win over Chile.

Defeat to the Netherlands proved his final cap, though, and after two more years in Serie A, he return to Brazil for spells with Internacional and Flamengo.

CB – Lucio

Mourinho really was a fan of Brazilian defenders back in 2010, clearly. Lucio was the third Champions League winner in the side and captain of his country to boot.

The 38-year-old labored on for a further year with the national team but bowed out after elimination from the 2011 Copa America. He moved to Juventus out of the blue in 2012 and now plays in India with FC Goa.

RB – Michel Bastos

Wait, not Dani Alves? We’ll explain that one in a second but the 2010 World Cup just happened to coincide with the short-lived pinnacle of Bastos’ career. The quarterfinal exit proved just his tenth and final cap for his country.

Often deployed as a winger, Bastos has since played for Lyon, Schalke, Roma and now sports the jersey of Palmerias. He is yet to feature for his new side.

CM – Gilberto Silva

A name that any Premier League fan will be familiar with and Arsenal supporters in particular. The former-Invincible also bowed out after defeat to the Dutch but still proved a solid and reliable force in midfield.

Having won the World Cup with his country in 2002, Silva was seen as an experienced head in the team. The 40-year-old went onto to play for Gremio and Atletico Mineiro before retiring in 2013.

CM – Dani Alves

If you’re wondering why Brazil didn’t make it past the quarterfinals in 2010, maybe this will help you work it out. That’s’ right, Dunga felt it appropriate to play a full-back in the centre of midfield on football’s biggest stage.

In fairness, Alves did do a decent job in the role but featured as a right-back for the remainder for his career. After winning two more Champions League titles at the Nou Camp, he ended an eight-year spell with a move to Juventus in 2016.

CM – Felipe Melo

The steady midfielder had quite the eventful game against the Netherlands. Having provided the assist for Robinho’s opening goal, Melo’s match turned sour when he deflected home Sneijder’s equaliser and was sent off for stamping Arjen Robben in the nether regions.

It should come as no surprise that Brazil never called upon him afterwards then. The 33-year-old is currently on loan at Palmerias from parent club Inter Milan.

CAM – Kaka

The last player other than Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d’Or and that was back in 2007, wow. Kaka was a world star at the time yet flopped in South Africa, providing no goals or assists.

From then on his career waned with his Real Madrid spell petering out and a return to AC Milan proving underwhelming. He currently plies his trade at Orlando City and, bizarrely, made a cameo for Brazil just last year.

ST – Robinho

While he’ll always be remembered for his flop at Manchester City, Robinho was arguably Brazil’s best performer in 2010. His brilliant one-on-one finish against the Netherlands was his second of the tournament and a moment of inspiration.

Like the game though, Robinho’s career declined afterwards. The Brazilian flirted with a renaissance at AC Milan, flopped in China and is now found ticking over at Atletico Miniero.

ST – Luis Fabiano

What a striker on his day and a man with a special place in the heart of any Sevilla fan. Fabiano was Brazil’s top scorer at the tournament with three and scored a brilliant, skillful goal against the Ivory Coast.

The 36-year-old last pulled on the Brazilian shirt in 2013 and hasn’t played in European football for six years now.

By comparison, here is a quick list of the XI that propelled the five-time World Cup winners to the top of the pile again: Alisson, Fagner, Marquinhos, Miranda, Marcelo, Casemiro, Paulinho, Augusto, Coutinho, Neymar and Firmino.

Neither side appears life-changingly good but, the bottom is, they’re the team to be beat again. Period.

Which team do you think is better - 2010 or 2017? Have YOUR say in the comment box below