A NEPHEW OF Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari has been killed in a car accident just two days before the World Cup begins.

Tarcisio Joao Schneider, 48, died after his car collided with a truck on Tuesday morning.

The accident happened in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul near Scolari’s home town of Passo Fundo.

A “devastated” Scolari took training as planned on Tuesday, the Brazilian Football Federation said in a statement.

The Seleção, who are the pre-tournament favourites, open the World Cup against Croatia in São Paulo on Thursday evening.

“At this difficult time, on behalf of all my officers and the staff of the CBF, I express condolences to the Scolari family,” president José Maria Marin said.

Schneider, the son of Scolari’s sister Cleusa, is survived by three children, CBF’s statement said.

His brother Darlan was fitness coach with the national team when Brazil won their fifth World Cup in Korea/Japan in 2002, and also worked with Scolari during his time at Chelsea.