Everybody knows Brazil are the out-and-out "kings" of football ;-) They've won it 5 times, been runners-up twice, come 3rd twice as well and have have come in 4th once too and the strange thing is, even when nobody seems to know most of the players, they still go on and come at least close to winning it! It's often been a question asked by many: How on earth are they always so good and how do they keep on producing such magical players?
This year it's more of the same... only maybe a little different. They're coached by a man called Dunga. A man famous for his no-nonsense game in his playing days. He was often the unsung hero of a team that gleamed with stars like Romário and Bebeto and who famously won the world cup in America in '94 (remembering captain Dunga was the man who took Brazil's last penalty before poor Roberto Baggio skied his to end Italy's hopes that year).
That time around, the team was solid and we can probably expect something similar this year too. Leaving Robinho, Kaka and striker Nilmar to provide much of the flair up front, Dunga will be relying on Felipe Melo and Gilberto Silva to do what he helped do so effectively back in the 90's. Brazil have always been know for their wonderfully creative and beautiful football but this year they'll also have enough power, stability and experience to take the nations fooball team far, if not all the way.
By incredible contrast, Spain... have won nothing! And apart from coming 4th once, way back in 1950, their World Cup cabinet back in Madrid has simply been gathering dust and homing some rather happy, peaceful spiders, all tucked away in their peaceful little cobwebs ;) So why the sudden tag of favorites? The truth is, I'm not sure! (LOL). Ok, Ok. So, maybe its because they only have the best team in the world right now. Hmmm...They have arguably the best goalkeeper in world right now. The flamboyant and ever present captain Iker Casillas has been a rock for Real Madrid and Spain for the last 10 years or so and probably will continue to be so for another 10. They've probably got the two most feared strikers in the world in Fernando Torres and David Villa. Villa should be on a high from the confirmation of his dream, summer move to Barcelona and Torres may very well be out to prove a point and show off his skills in an attempt to lure some kind of interest in taking him away from Champions League-less Liverpool.
In midfield they can boast the likes of Fabregas, Xavi, Xavi Alonso, Iniesta, Capdevila, the very promising Sergio Busquets and David Silva, to name but a few to pick from and then they have new Spanish sensation Pedro who is probably the perfect man to fill in any blanks between the two positions. Finally in defense they've got Sergio Ramos, Albiol, Puyol and Pique. All of which are good enough to stop anyone in the world right now.
So... favorites? Actually... I think not. It's strange to say it but, I think the draw just isn't favourable enough for them. If all the favourites make it through, then, from the last 16 onwards, they'll have to face Portugal first (easy, right?!), Italy next, Argentina in the semi's and then probably Brazil. If they do win it, then I'll be the first to hold my hands up and rightly say they deserve it. They're gonna need some mammoth performances to do that though.
I also really think their heads are too sky-high after winning the European Championship 2 years ago. They should be keeping their feet on the ground but all of them seem to believe that this time, they'll be taking that trophy back home with them. Personally, this will ultimately be their un-doing. But heck... maybe the fact I'm Portuguese has something to do with the way I'm thinking here, eh?
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