1997 Confederations Cup -- Winners: Brazil

After FIFA gathered what had hitherto been known as the King Fahd Cup into their own fold, representatives from all confederations participated. Euro 96 winners Germany declined to take part -- Czech Republic took their place -- but World Cup and Copa America holders Brazil were in Saudi Arabia, where they duly added another title to their list.

A 0-0 draw against Australia in the group stage blemished their otherwise perfect record, but Brazil made up for that with some gusto in the final, sweeping away the same opponents with a 6-0 win. Romario scored seven goals overall and his burgeoning partnership with Ronaldo might have made defences sit down and weep with the following summer's World Cup in mind. But the player of the tournament was Denilson, whose performances helped persuade Real Betis to briefly make him the most expensive player of all time.

What happened next year?

For much of the 1998 World Cup, Brazil looked likely to continue their dominance with Ronaldo spearheading a broadly carefree sashay through the rounds, although that Confederations Cup goal burst didn't help Romario, who was omitted either due to a calf injury or a personality clash with manager Mario Zagallo. But despite the early promise, things didn't work out in the end: Ronaldo's infamous performance in the final was the dominant storyline as hosts France won 3-0.

2001 Confederations Cup -- Winners: France

With good reason, France didn't want for confidence around the turn of the century, having added the 2000 European Championship to that World Cup triumph. The group stage was a rollercoaster of French emotions, though, with a surprise 1-0 defeat to Australia sandwiched by a 5-0 hammering of co-hosts South Korea and a 4-0 dismissal of Mexico.

France eased past a significantly under-strength Brazil, for whom there was no Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos or Cafu, in the semifinal, then came up against the other co-hosts, Japan, in the final. That game was tougher, against a dogged opposition coached by Frenchman Philippe Troussier, but Patrick Vieira's header was enough to claim the win.

What happened next year?

There could barely have been a bigger contrast between the preceding few years and how France played at the 2002 World Cup. Not only did they become the first defending champions to depart at the first-round stage, but they did so without scoring a goal and gaining only one point. With Zinedine Zidane half-fit, as well as Thierry Henry's red card and a collection of players approaching the end of their time, France were a mess. By contrast Brazil, swept aside the previous year, went on to win the tournament.

2005 Confederations Cup -- Winners: Brazil

Managers are usually advised not to fit the best 11 players in a team, but to fit 11 players into the best team. For a while, however, it looked like this advice would be wide of the mark, as Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira devised the "magic square," which was less a tactic and more a better-sounding name for attempts to fit Kaka, Adriano, Ronaldinho and Robinho into the same side.

Ronaldo declined the invitation to play at the Confederations Cup -- "I'm only willing to compete at a World Cup," he said -- but Brazil did fine without him. The group was carefully negotiated and followed by a narrow 3-2 win in the semifinal against their 2002 World Cup final opponents Germany. The decider against Argentina promised to be one for the ages but, in the end, Brazil won with ease as player of the tournament Adriano helped himself to a brace in a 4-1 win.

What happened next year?

With Ronaldo added to the "Magic Square" in place of Robinho, hopes were high for the World Cup in Germany but, despite three wins in the group stage and the great striker becoming the tournament's all-time top-scorer, Brazil fell to France in the quarterfinal. Zidane had one last hurrah, running the game like an ageing master painter struck by inspiration one last time, before France were beaten on penalties by Italy in the final.

2009 Confederations Cup -- Winners: Brazil

You'll have noticed a pattern here: Brazil really enjoy the Confederations Cup. They chalked up another victory in 2009, despite their team being in transition; these were the years after Ronaldo and Ronaldinho were at their peak, but before Neymar burst onto the scene.

Nevertheless, this tournament provided a rare moment of excitement under Dunga's management as the Kaka-led side strode through their group with a 100 percent winning record. A late Dani Alves goal beat hosts South Africa in the semifinal, before Brazil came back from 2-0 down in the final to beat the USA. Elsewhere, Spain, reaching the apex of their brilliance under Vicente del Bosque, were surprisingly beaten in the last four by the Americans.

What happened next year?

Fortunes were reversed a year later in the tournament that really mattered. Brazil stuttered through the group stage and were eventually beaten by Netherlands in a quarterfinal that recalled none of the thrilling, attacking football for which both countries are known. It was Brazil's first loss in a World Cup match outside Europe, excluding penalty shootouts, since a traumatic defeat to Uruguay in 1950. Meanwhile Spain, while not always displaying their dazzling excellence, beat the Dutch in the final.

2013 Confederations Cup -- Winners: Brazil

The 2014 World Cup wasn't supposed to be merely a football tournament, more a national exorcism of that final game vs. Uruguay, 64 years earlier. Thus, everything leading up to it pulsed with anticipation, including the Confederations Cup, in which a Brazil side broadly similar to the one that would play on home soil a year later, perhaps gave their fans false hope.

After making serene passage through the group, Paulinho's late winner saw off Uruguay in the semifinals to set up a showdown against Spain, who had beaten Italy on penalties to reach the final. It was a one-sided contest from the second minute, when Fred opened the scoring. He later added another, while Neymar gave what they thought was a taste of things to come with a brilliant goal. For Spain, Sergio Ramos missed a penalty and Gerard Pique was sent off.

What happened next year?

Great international teams often don't fade away but collapse in flamboyant, tragic fashion and that's what happened to Spain at the World Cup. Thrashed 5-1 by Netherlands in their opener, they then lost 2-0 to Chile and were eliminated with a game to spare. Brazil, meanwhile, had hope for longer as they made it through some tough games to face Germany in the semifinal. However, the 7-1 thrashing they endured meant the tournament that was supposed to expel those 1950 demons merely served to add more.