Brazil's performance at the Copa America, which they won on Sunday by beating Argentina 4-2 on penalties in the final, was an awesome illustration of their strength-in-depth and has left coach Carlos Alberto Parreira more confident then ever.
Striker Adriano, who was not even in the squad for World Cup qualifiers against Argentina and Chile, finished as the competition's top scorer with seven goals.
Players such as midfielder Renato, striker Luis Fabiano and captain Alex would be guaranteed regulars in almost any other national team. Yet for Brazil, they are lucky to even make the squad.
"We have shown the magnitude of Brazilian football," Parreira said. "There's no other country which could do this.
"I've no doubt about it."
Parreira was initially sceptical about the competition, claiming before arriving it Peru that it was badly timed and had become a problem.
MEXICAN LIMIT
By the end, he was enthusing over the chance it had given to experiment in a competitive environment.
"It's always important in Brazilian football to get results but even if we hadn't got results,
"The Mexican team, for example, have reached their limit," Parreira said of the team which Brazil beat 4-0 in their quarter-final.
"They brought their full-strength team here and they have six or seven players in their early thirties.
"We have players here who will still be young enough to play at the 2010 World Cup," he said. "We have opened up new possibilities for Brazilian football in the future."
However, Parreira made it clear that the top players -- known locally as Big Medals (Medalhoes) -- would be back for Brazil's next competitive match, a World Cup qualifier at home to Bolivia in early September.
"We are not duty-bound to keep everyone who's been here in the team," he said. "But a lot of things can happen between now and 2006 and a player who has been here is much closer to a place than somebody who has not.
"These players will all be very useful Brazilian national team, nobody has any doubt about that.
"All these players are regulars in important teams and are internationally recognised. The only thing they hadn't done was play in the Brazilian national team.
"They all made the most of their chance. We have a very good generation and we have a marvellous future ahead of us," he added.
