How Tite changed Brazil’s style

Russia was the target of almost 25 million cyber-attacks during the World Cup, President Vladimir Putin said, though he did not indicate who may have been behind the attacks.

"During the period of the World Cup, almost 25 million cyber-attacks and other criminal acts on the information structures in Russia, linked in one way or another to the World Cup, were neutralised," Putin said during a meeting on Sunday with security services. The comments were reported by the Kremlin on Monday.

Brazil manager Tite says he is considering changes for Tuesday's game against Australia after blasting his side's poor finishing in the loss to Argentina in Melbourne.

The world's number one ranked team wasted several scoring opportunities as Argentina hung on for a 1-0 win in their Superclasico at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on Friday.

A goal from Sevilla defender Gabriel Mercado just before half-time proved the eventual winner as Argentina gained a morale-boosting victory under new manager Jorge Sampaoli.

The two-time world champions and second ranked team are struggling outside the automatic qualifying positions in fifth spot in the South American group with four games left while Brazil have already qualified for the World Cup finals in Russia next year.

Tite looked on as Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus hit the woodwork with the goal at his mercy before Chelsea's Willian fired into the opposite post with the rebound midway through the second half.

"They (Argentina) were not that superior, but we needed more precision in our finishing and to take our opportunities," Tite told reporters after the match through an interpreter.

"We have a lot of things to assess and I might need to make some changes so that we play with better coherence and in a more organized way.

"Even in the match against Uruguay (4-1 win in Montevideo in March) we had to make some adjustments, but in the end what we really have to find is some goals."

The Brazilians are staying on in Australia to play a second match in Melbourne on Tuesday against the Socceroos, who are tuning up for this month's Confederations Cup in Russia.

Tite said he was looking for his side to be more clinical against the Australians, who downed Saudi Arabia 3-2 in a crucial home qualifier for next year's World Cup in Russia.

'Jesus is fine'

"The team played well, but we had some trouble marking their (Argentina's) top players in the first half, and they were playing faster than us," he said.

"In the second half, we had more possession and played better.

"We had the effort and the formation we wanted but we need more of the players performing at a higher level.

"We didn't deserve the victory. We need to be more aggressive and we have to neutralise the other team so that we can get the game more on our terms."

Tite said Brazil had to make better use of their "technical power."

"We have to be better prepared. We have to look at the game as a whole: the way we want to play, the technical power that we have, and we have to look at the competition," he said.

"We want to get to the level that we can dominate the game. That way we can get the performance and the results we want."

Tite said he would assess the condition of Jesus, who was carried off after he collected an elbow in the face in an aerial challenge with Manchester City team-mate Nicolas Otamendi in the final minutes and taken to hospital for observation.

But Brazil's team coordinator Edu Gaspar said Jesus had been given the all clear.

"Jesus is fine," Edu told reporters. "I spoke to the doctor, he said he is OK. He did the exam to see if it (his jaw) is broken or not but nothing has happened."

Argentina will stop off and play in Singapore on Tuesday, but will be without Lionel Messi and defender Otamendi, who will skip the game to prepare for their weddings later this month.

Barcelona superstar Messi will marry his girlfriend Antonella Roccuzzo on June 30, with Otamendi's wedding scheduled for June 16.

Starting line-ups for the World Cup third place playoff between Belgium and England in Saint Petersburg on Saturday (1400 GMT kick-off):

Belgium (3-4-3)

Thibaut Courtois; Toby Alderweireld, Vincent Kompany, Jan Vertonghen; Thomas Meunier, Axel Witsel, Youri Tielemans, Nacer Chadli; Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Eden Hazard (capt)

Coach: Roberto Martinez (ESP)

England (3-5-2)

Jordan Pickford; Phil Jones, John Stones, Harry Maguire; Kieran Trippier, Eric Dier, Fabian Delph, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Danny Rose; Raheem Sterling, Harry Kane (capt)

Coach: Gareth Southgate (ENG)

Referee: Alireza Faghani (IRI)

Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic gave Russian President Vladimir Putin a Croatian soccer shirt with the name "Putin" printed on the back on Sunday, hours before Croatia play France in the World Cup final in Moscow.

Croatia has been caught up in soccer fever after the Balkan nation of 4.2 million people swept aside more fancied opponents to reach its first ever World Cup final, which Russia is hosting this year.

Grabar-Kitarovic has, herself, entered into the spirit of the occasion, travelling to Russia to watch matches and dressing in the colours of the national flag. Croatia knocked Russia's team out of the competition in the quarter-finals.

At a Kremlin meeting, Putin congratulated the Croatian president on the Croatian team's performance.

"I'm sure we will see a beautiful game today," he said. Grabar-Kitarovic thanked Putin for what she said was the successful organisation of the competition.

Putin presented her with a bouquet of flowers, while she gave the Russian leader the Croatian national shirt.

Brazil's legendary former striker Pele on Thursday hailed new national coach Tite as a "reliable" pair of hands for the demoralized national team.

Tite, 55, was named Wednesday after ex-coach Dunga was fired for Brazil's humiliating group-stage exit from the Copa America Centenario tournament.

Pele was succinct in his assessment of the new coach on Thursday.

"Tite is reliable," Pele, 75, told reporters.

He defended the outgoing coach.

"Dunga is not at all to blame because he did not have time to put together a team," he said.

"The team lost. That happens in football."

Tite -- real name Adenor Leonardo Bacchi -- is leaving Sao Paulo club Corinthians, with whom he won several titles.

He has coached a string of top clubs in Brazil, including Gremio, Atletico Mineiro and Palmeiras, as well as Al Ain and Al Wahda in the United Arab Emirates.

Brazil is battling to find its form in time for August when it hosts the Olympics, where it has never won football gold.

The Brazilian Football Confederation named under-20s coach Micale to take over the team temporarily for the Olympics.

Tite will then take the reins, tasked with saving Brazil's qualifying campaign for the 2018 World Cup.

Pele spoke to reporters after a ceremony at his Pele Museum in the southeastern city of Santos.

In the ceremony, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach handed him the organization's highest honour, the Olympic Order.

Brazil hosts this year's summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro from August 5 to 21.