Ramires: 'Brazil are preparing for World Cup knockout stages'

Ramires has insisted that Brazil are already looking ahead to the latter stages of the World Cup.

The Chelsea midfielder is refusing to take their Group A opponents lightly, but claims that the hosts have to be preparing for a longer campaign in the tournament.

"We don't want to just prepare for the group, we have to prepare for further than that," Ramires told reporters.

"If we pass the group stages and end up winning the last game, we can analyse how it was as a whole.

"With the nation behind us, our support, and our team coming from a great Confederations Cup, where we exceeded expectations and won the tournament, we can be very confident."

Brazil will take on Croatia, Cameroon and Mexico in the group stages.