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May 20, 2006
EVERYONE’S FAVORITE
But can Brazil overcome World Cup jinx?
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Ronaldinho is one of the key players for Brazil.
Linda Cuttone/Sports Vue Images |
It seems that just about everyone and his or her mother has already anointed Brazil as World Cup champions. There's just one slight problem. The Brazilians haven't played a game yet.
Yes, they are an imposing side with the likes of Ronaldinho, Robinho, Adriano and Ronaldo having the ability to make some magic with the ball (usually a disappearing act behind goalkeepers) and make opposing defenders quake in their boots.
And yes, they were a feared and entertaining side during the 2005 FIFA Confederations Cup, romping past archrival Argentina in the final, 4-1. The Argentines had rolled over Brazil in a South American qualifier three weeks prior.
But as we all know, with all apologies to those modern computer games, all World Cups and athletic events are decided on the field, not off of it.
Besides, the Brazilians have a history of disappointing itself and its followers when they are the favorites.
Cases in point:
* As hosts of the 1950 tournament, Brazil was considered to take its first world championship. The Brazilians remained that way throughout the competition -- until the bizarre final round robin. Needing only a draw against Uruguay to clinch the title, the Brazilians didn't protect the lead or a tie and wound up losing to their South American rivals, 2-1. That sent the entire country into collective state of shock and a mourning period that some observers lasted years – or until Brazil won its first cup in 1958.
* They were favorites entering the 1982 World Cup in Spain, but the Brazilians could never really get their act together. They were ousted by Italy and a red-hot Paolo Rossi (who had a hat-trick) in the second-round group stage in a fantastic back-and-forth encounter, 3-2.
* And in 1998, just about everyone assumed Brazil was thinking what sort of victory samba it would dance while taking the victory lap at Le Stade de France. That was before Ronaldo reportedly suffered from convulsions from painkillers and the French pulled off one of the biggest final surprises of the ages with a 3-0 stunner.
In contrast, under severe criticism by its own media and supporters, Brazil wasn't considered the favorite at USA '94. But thanks to coach Carlos Alberto Parreira's pragmatic approach, the South American side prevailed, overcoming Italy in a penalty-kick shootout at the Rose Bowl.
"In 1970, 1994 and 2002, we started the tournament discredited and with people questioning us," Parreira told World Soccer. "Now, it's time for us to start as favorites and win the title as favorites."
As good as that 1994 team was, boasting the likes of Dunga the Destroyer, the ageless Romario and the elusive Bebeto, the 2006 version of the team might even be better.
"The current generation is spectacular, perhaps the best ever," TV Globo's Flavio Orro told www.BBC.com. "If Ronaldo hasn't worn himself out during the season, he can really put on a show. He can become their top scorer in World Cups and equal Pele by winning his third. I'm backing him and Brazil to pull it off."
Nothing but another championship will suffice for the fans of a country that dominates international soccer. And even playing out of their hemisphere can't be considered a weakness. After all, most of the team plays in Europe.
"For Brazil, you have to be champion," Parreira said. "It's a wrong culture. I agree, most of the countries would be happy in the final. I think this pressure helped France a lot in 1998. They were happy to be in the final. If they lose to Brazil, it would not be a disaster for them. They came to the game relaxed, no pressure."
During qualifying, Parreira tried to down play how good Brazil really was, barring the word magic to be used when talking about his quartet of players who can bedevil the opposition. After vanquishing Venezuela on Oct. 12, Parreira said he would keep his dangerous lineup, selecting four players from Robinho, Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka and Adriano.
The Brazilian media liked to call them the "Magic Quartet." But not Parreira. "The word magic is not part of our vocabulary," he told Reuters. "We're not getting involved in this sort of talk. I want to hear words like efficiency, productivity, winning well, sweat, perspiration and talent."
But don't sweat a bit. Parreira isn't having an inferiority complex. He realizes how good his team is. After all, this team is the reigning world champions, Copa America champs and FIFA Confederations Cup titlists.
"We have the potential to win the World Cup again," he said. "We know have (it). But it is going to be very difficult in Germany. I don't know how to say this. How much difficulty are they going to impose on the Brazilian team? Imagine for the European teams if Brazil could win the World Cup for the sixth time. It would be a disaster for them. So, they would anything to stop Brazil. But we are ready to face this. We have a good team."
How confident are the Brazilians of advancing out of the opening round? Months ago they booked a castle as their base for the second round. They will play their second-round match in Dortmund if they win Group F. So, they decided to stay at the Schlosshotel Lerbach located in Bergisch Gladbach between Cologne and Leverkusen. It is in the middle of an immense park with its own lake, according to the Brazilian Football Confederation website. The confederation said that it had set up an alternative near Kaiserslautern, where Brazil would play if the team finished second in a group that includes Croatia, Japan and Australia.
Brazil has so much talent that it could field a B team that could go far in the tournament and probably competitive C team as well. That meant Parreira will have to sit out talented performers.
In fact, seven months prior to the Cup, Parreira apparently settled on his lineup Dida in goal, Cafu, Juan, Lucio, Roberto Carlos on defense, Emerson, Ze Roberto, Kaka, Ronaldinho in the midfield and Adriano and Ronaldo up front in a 4-4-2 formation that has a pair of holding midfielders.
"Other teams have problems deciding who will be picked, we have problems deciding who will be left out," Parreira told Reuters. "Some very good players will miss out because we can only take 23."
If there is a weakness, it is the defense. As talented as the outside fullbacks are -- captain Cafu (36) and Roberto Carlos (33) -- are, they are getting a bit long in the tooth. In fact, the backline has difficulty with long balls sent into the penalty area and the top two goalkeepers, Dida and Julio Cesar, are prone to lapses.
But if Brazil's top players perform up to their capability with that short ball possession game -- the best way to play defense because the opposition doesn't have the ball for long periods of time -- the world champions could be virtually unstoppable.
Under new FIFA rules, Brazil became the first defending champion forced to qualify for the next World Cup. Perhaps FIFA did it knowing that the Brazilians were good enough to qualify on their own merit. Parreira certainly didn't like it one bit.
"There should be a bonus for the winning team to be there again," he said. "It may happen one day that the winning team may not be in the World Cup, which is going to be so, so bad for the fans of the championship team."
Moreover, Brazil, like the nine other South American countries, was forced to play a marathon, 18-game schedule over 2 1/2 years to determine four definite spots and as the fifth-place finisher, Uruguay, had to take on the Oceania winner, Australia, in a playoff.
Parreira couldn't believe his own continental confederation would force countries to torture themselves through the 27-month process, especially when a country's best players had to take a roundtrip from Europe to participate in qualifiers.
"This kind of competition doesn't help us at all," he said in January, 2005 before Brazil played Ecuador in a qualifier. "They're going to stay four months away from me. They just come two days before to put them in the right motivation and focus. That's the big challenge.
"It's not a question of quality. To be focused on a competition for 2 1/2 years, to play one qualifier doesn't make sense at all. The solution is to go back to the old way -- two groups of five. But now the small countries, they like playing because they play 18 games. But it is not good for the big teams like Brazil, Argentina and Paraguay."
We are witnessing Brazil's second great run. If the South Americans win the final in Berlin on July 9, that would mean victories in three of four World Cups (1994, 2002 and 2006), with an appearance in the fourth final (1998). No team has accomplished that, not even the fabulous Pele teams fronm 1958 to 1970.
An interesting bit of information for World Cup history buffs
Brazil is the only South American country to win a World Cup title in Europe (Sweden in 1958). But in the other seven tournaments in Europe, the Brazilians are 21-11-4 and have reached the Final Four four times (third place in 1938, fourth place in 1974, fourth place in 1982 and runners-up in 1998).
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