It almost goes without saying that Brazil, the five-times world champions, go into every FIFA World Cup™ heavily favoured to add yet another star to the legendary Amarelinha shirt. Having played for A Seleção at three editions of the global showpiece, coach Dunga will be fully aware that any outcome other than a sixth world crown will likely be considered a failure.

The road to South Africa
The fans' at times vitriolic reaction to Brazil's results and performances particularly early on in the qualifying phase illustrates just how demanding they can be. Despite ending the preliminary event on top of the standings, after recording nine wins, seven draws and two defeats, and having clinched a South Africa 2010 berth with three matchdays to spare, the Auriverde camp had been subjected to a torrent of abuse after successive goalless home draws against Argentina, Bolivia and Colombia. Dunga's charges really hit their stride from April 2009, however, racking up five wins in a row including two landmark away results: a 4-0 humbling of Uruguay in Montevideo and a 3-1 defeat of arch-rivals Argentina in Rosario. It was the latter which confirmed their passage to South Africa.

Designers of the Flag
Benjamin Constant, a member of the Provisional Government who prepared the decree, credited Professor Raimundo Teixeira Mendes, president of the Positivist Apostolate of Brazil, with the idea of the new flag. Texeira Mendes collaborated with Dr. Miguel Lemos and Professor Manuel Pereira Reis, chairman of astronomy at the Polytechnic School, and the design was executed by the painter Décio Vilares.
Joseph McMillan, 12 April 2001

Brazilian flag historians attribute the original lozenge design, adopted for the Kingdom of Brazil in 1822, to a French painter and designer named Jean-Baptiste Debret, who was active in Brazil between 1816 and 1831. It is thought that the design was inspired by the lozenges on pre-1812 Napoleonic military colors.
Joseph McMillan, 3 March 2005

Symbolism of the Flag

The Colors
The colors green and yellow refer to the Royal Houses of Bragança (Emperor Pedro I) and Habsburg (Empress Leopoldina). The celestial sphere on the republican standard is a portrait of the sky of Rio de Janeiro on the night of 15 November 1889.
Felipe Flores Pinto, 23 February 1998

According to the Piraquê Club website (www.piraque.org.br), no longer on line, on 7 September 1822, after demanding "Independence or Death," Prince Regent Pedro (later Emperor Dom Pedro I) removed the Portuguese blue-and-white cockade from his hat and exclaimed, "From now on we will have another ribbon-knot (laço), green and yellow. These will be the national colors." On 18 September, Pedro signed three decrees that were the first acts of independent Brazil. The second decree created a new national cockade: "The Brazilian national bow-knot (laço), or cockade (tope) will be composed of the emblematic colors: green for spring and yellow for gold...."
Joseph McMillan, 15 April 2001

Celestial Sphere
I think it interesting that the Brazilian flag has a celestial globe while the Portuguese one has a flag with an instrument on it used to represent the celestial sphere. Could the Portuguese flag have influenced Brazil's choice of flag design?
James Dignan, 6 October 2003

According to Christian Fogd Pedersen, The International Flag Book, (1979), pp 217-8, "The symbol of the scroll and the celestial globe were inspired by the armillary sphere in the Arms of Portugal". I am not sure about this reference to the "arms" since I'm not familiar with the pre-1910 arms of Portugal (other than those used on the 1830 flag). The armillary sphere has, however and of course, been a symbol used on Portuguese flags since at least the 17th Century.
Christopher Southworth, 6 October 2003

Yes. They both trace their common ancestry to the flag of the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarve, which featured an armilliary sphere as supporter for the Portuguese coat of arms of the time, and which in turn was apparently used earlier as a symbol of the caravelles that sailed for Brazil. So yes, our [Portuguese and Brazilian] common history is reflected in our flags.
Jorge Candeias, 7 October 2003

The influence is not direct but via the pre-republican Brazilian flag. Like the modern Portuguese flag, the imperial Brazilian flag also had an armillary sphere on it as the central charge in the imperial coat of arms. One White Band

According to www.piraque.org.br (page no longer available), the white band across the celestial sphere has been the object of much speculation, with some saying it represents the ecliptic, others the celestial equator, and others the belt of the zodiac. In fact, the white band has nothing to do with the celestial sphere, but merely provides a place to inscribe the motto, Order and Progress, which is attributed to the French positivist philosopher Auguste Comte, who had many followers in Brazil, including Professor Teixeira Mendes, who conceived the basic design of the flag.
Joseph McMillan, 12 April 2001

The Stars
Unlike the stars on the American flag, each particular star on the Brazilian flag represents one particular state.
Herman De Wael, 20 January 1998