Before the world champions go into their opening fixture in Group F against Croatia tonight in the FIFA World Cup Stadium Berlin, Cafu has already totalled 13 winning games, covering the 1994, 1998 and 2002 FIFA World Cups.
He is two behind Germany’s Lothar Matthaus and Wolfgang Overath, who both enjoyed 15 wins with Germany (Overath's 15 came in only 19 games) while Paolo Maldini and Franz Beckenbauer are next best on 14. So if Brazil win all three group games, and assuming their captain plays in them all, he will be celebrating his own place in history after the Japan fixture in FIFA World Cup Stadium Dortmund on 22 June.
For the record, Pele and Maradona are among five players with 12 wins.
With 16 appearances - and a total of 1,291 minutes played - Cafu lies in 31st position in the all-time list. If Brazil make it to the Final - assuming he plays in every game - he can move to 23, just two behind record holder Matthaus who appeared in every FIFA World Cup between 1982 and 1998.
(Source: FIFA)
