Winning Title The Only Option For Brazil, Says Scolari

 As host of the 2014 World Cup, Brazil's only option is to win the ultimate championship, according to the coach of the national team.

"In Brazil, we only have one option: winning," the Tuesday edition of Brazilian daily O Globo cited Luiz Felipe Scolari as saying.

The coach added, however, "There's no pressure. The players are relaxed. If someone is better than we are, we will accept it. But to be better than Brazil, they will have to show it."

The veteran coach, who led Brazil to its fifth World Cup win in 2002, when the games were co-hosted by Japan and Korea, said he was more relaxed going into the championship this time around.

"I feel very confident, because that was my first Cup. Our team didn't have everything as well planned as it does now. We didn't have a team with a defined playing style. That's why, I'm more relaxed," said Scolari.

Asked what his biggest challenge was right now, with less than a month to go before the start of the World Cup on June 12, Scolari said "putting a stop to everyone's anxiety in Brazil."

Brazilians are especially anxious as the opening game pits Brazil against Croatia, at Sao Paulo's Corinthians Arena.

"If we only had to play against anxiety, and not against the Croats, there would be no problem at all," said Scolari, praising the rivals.

Croatia's "team has quality, works the ball very well (and) is well positioned," he said.

Croatia is ranked 20th globally, while Brazil ranks 4th, according to the latest ranking by world soccer body FIFA.

The tournament will feature 32 teams, including Germany, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Belgium, Bosnia Herzegovina, Brazil, Cameroon, Chile, Colombia, Cote d'Ivoire, Costa Rica, Croatia, Ecuador, Spain, France, Ghana, Greece, Honduras, England, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Nigeria, Holland, Portugal, South Korea, Russia, Switzerland, the United States and Uruguay.

Cities and stadiums hosting the games include Rio de Janeiro's Maracana, Sao Paulo's Arena (Corinthians), Curitiba's Da Baixada, Porto Alegre's Beira-Rio, Belo Horizonte's Mineirao, Brasilia's Nacional, Cuiaba's Pantanal, Salvador de Bahia's Fonte Nova, Recife's Pernambuco, Natal's Das Dunas, Fortaleza's Castelao and Manaos' Amazonia.