(CNN) -- Luiz Felipe Scolari is "obliged" to win the 2014 World Cup following his appointment as coach of the Brazil national football team for a second time on Thursday.
Scolari led "La Selecao" to a record fifth World Cup triumph in Japan and South Korea 10 years ago and the former Portugal coach will be expected to win the trophy once again when Brazil hosts the tournament in two years time.
"We have the obligation to win the title; we are not favorites at the moment but we intend to become favorites during the competition," Scolari told a press conference after it was announced he would replace the sacked Mano Manezes.
"Third or fourth place is no good for a country that has won five World Cups."
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Euro 2012 sparked into life when striker Robert Lewandowski scored the first goal of the tournament against Greece. Despite a lively opening, the co-hosts had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
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Scolari, who had an eight-month spell in charge of English Premier League team Chelsea, is not the only World Cup winner returning to the fold.
Carlos Alberto Parreira, the coach of Brazil's victorious USA 1994 squad, has been named the team's technical director.
Scolari will be under pressure to deliver in 2014, with fans eager to avoid a repeat of the 1950 World Cup when Brazil lost out to Uruguay in the final match of the tournament.
But Scolari was bullish, declaring: "If you don't like pressure, it's better to go and work in the Bank of Brazil, or outside on the corner or sit in an office and do nothing.
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"It would not be right if there was no pressure and the players thought the target was just to play at the World Cup. This would be one of our most important titles -- the sixth title, at home at our second opportunity."
Scolari's first spell as Brazil coach began in 2001. The team was struggling to reach the 2002 World Cup with just five matches of the qualification competition remaining.
But Scolari turned it around and one year later, led by the attacking talents of Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho, Brazil lifted the trophy.
"It would have been the first time that Brazil would have missed a World Cup, that was when I felt under pressure," the 64-year-old said when asked about his last spell in charge.
Scolari has been out of football since being sacked by Palmeiras in September, with the club relegated to Brazil's second tier following his departure.
Prior to his two-year spell in Sao Paulo, Scolari spent a year coaching Bunyodkur in Uzbekistan following his dismissal from Chelsea in February 2009.
Scolari's last international role was with Portugal, who he led to the final of Euro 2004 and the semifinals of the 2006 World Cup.
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"Big Phil" also enjoyed a degree of success in charge of Portugal. When the Iberians hosted Euro 2004 all appeared to be going to plan as Portugal reached the final. But Scolari and his team were beaten 1-0 by underdogs Greece in the Lisbon final.
Chelsea's oligarch owner Roman Abramovich hired Scolari in 2008. Despite Scolari's Chelsea starting the season in fine attacking form, he was fired in February 2009 after a run of poor results.
Scolari joined Sao Paulo-based Palmeiras in 2010. With his team struggling, Scolari departed the club in September. Palmeiras were consequently relegated to Brazil's second tier.
Redemption came four years later. Alongside the attacking talents of Rivaldo and Ronaldinho, he found the net six times as Brazil romped through to a final match with Germany. In Yokohama's International Stadium, Ronaldo scored two second-half goals to give Brazil a 2-0 win and finally exorcise the ghosts of Paris four years earlier. It was Ronaldo's second World Cup triumph, having been part of Brazil's winning squad in 1994.
Ronaldo joined Real Madrid from Inter Milan in 2002. After waiting until October to make his debut for Madrid, he ended the season with 23 league goals as Los Blancos took the Spanish La Liga title.
After a year with AC Milan and two with Corinthians in his native Brazil, Ronaldo announced his retirement from football in February 2011. In addition to his injuries, Ronaldo was also suffering with a thyroid problem which made it difficult for him to control his weight.
Ukraine were the other team to welcome Europe's finest, but the co-hosts fell behind in their opening match with Sweden. Step forward Andriy Shevchenko, the legendary striker who scored a second-half brace to delight the nation and secure a 2-1 win.
Tensions were high ahead of Poland's clash with Russia. The hosts fell behind when Alan Dzagoev headed in his third goal of the tournament, but Poland's captain Jakub Blaszczykowski fired in a stunning second-half equalizer to level the match. Despite the draw, Poland failed to make it out of the group stages.
Russia were also condemned to an early exit after 2004 champions Greece stunned Dick Advocaat's team by winning 1-0 and reaching the last eight.
Ukraine needed to beat England to qualify from Group D, but went behind as Wayne Rooney scored on his return from suspension. Artem Milevskiy thought he had leveled when his shot appeared to cross the goal line, but John Terry cleared and England advanced alongside France.
Cristiano Ronaldo's personal mission to beat the Czech Republic succeeded in the closing stages as he superbly headed Portugal into the semifinals of Euro 2012.
Xabi Alonso scored both of Spain's goals in the quarterfinal against France, leading the champions into a showdown with neighbors Portugal on the occasion of his 100th cap.
Andrea Pirlo was the coolest man in Kyiv as he chipped in this effort in a shootout against England. Italy advanced as Ashley Cole missed and Alessandro Diamanti fired in the decisive spot kick.
Having got the order of the takers wrong, Bruno Alves compounded his own misery by smashing his penalty against the bar as Portugal lost in the semis to Spain.
Cesc Fabregas' scuffed penalty went in off the post as Spain beat Portugal in their semifinal shootout to earn a place in the final against Italy in Kiev on Sunday.
Controversial striker Mario Balotelli was Italy's hero in the semifinals, scoring twice as the Azzurri stunned Joachim Low's Germany with a 2-1 win.
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho (left) and Barcelona manager Tito Vilanova (right) shake hands at the derby between the two clubs. Real's revenue is $695 million, $42 million more than Barca and $526 million more than that of Valencia.
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Real Oviedo fans show their support for the club in the Estadio Carlos Tartiere with a banner reading "For the future of Real Oviedo". The third-tier club's financial problems are so great that they have turned to their fans for help, offering them the right to buy shares in Oviedo.
The Real Oviedo team huddle on the pitch before taking on Real Madrid's reserve team in Asturias. Oviedo need to raise $2.4 million to save the club.
Real Oviedo fans hold up banner as they march through the city on their way to the league match to protest against the possible closure of the club due to financial difficulties.
The Spanish financial crisis has led to a raft of anti-austerity measures. Protests against cuts have been seen on the streets of Madrid, where a minority of protesters have been involved in violent clashes with the police.
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