Pep Guardiola wanted Brazil World Cup job, insists Barcelona star Dani Alves

Barcalona defender Dani Alves has revealed that Pep Guardiola wanted to be Brazil coach ahead of last summer's World Cup.

Guardiola was linked with the role in the wake of Mano Menezes' dismissal in November 2012, but the Brazilian federation instead opted to bring 2002 World Cup winning coach Luiz Felipe Scolari back for a second spell in charge.

The hosts’ tournament ended in the humiliation of a 7-1 semi-final defeat to Germany and a 3-0 beating by Holland in the third-place play-off.

And Alves, who enjoyed supreme success under Guardiola at Barcelona, has hit out at the CBF for failing to appoint the current Bayern Munich boss when they had the chance.

Alves told ESPN Brasil: "Pep said he wanted to make Brazil a World Cup champion and had an entire strategy to make us a world champion.

"But they didn't want it, because they said that they didn't know if Brazil would accept a foreign coach.

"Pep is the best coach in the world, the greatest sports manager I've ever seen. He revolutionised football, revolutionised a team, and we had the chance to have him with us.

"If you let an opportunity like this go by, then you are not really thinking about the national team."

Scolari made way for Dunga after the World Cup debacle, but the former midfielder failed to inspire success at this summer's Copa America, as Brazil exited at the quarter-final stage to Paraguay.