Brazil not too comfortable as favorite
(AP)
Updated: 2006-05-24 08:40 "When a national team is too superior than another technically, things can
get out of control," Pele said recently. "The other team will enter the field
knowing they have to play their best. They will play harder to try to overcome
their disadvantage."
Everyone will be aiming for the five-time champions. If Brazil wins a sixth
title, it will be at least another 12 years before another country could match
it — and Germany or Italy would have to win all the World Cups through '18.
"All teams that made it to the World Cup finals play at a very high level,
and all of them will be extra motivated to try to beat Brazil," Ronaldinho said.
The Europeans will have a slight edge with the tournament being played on the
continent. European nations have won eight of the nine World Cups played there.
But the one outsider to win in Europe was Brazil in 1958 in Sweden.
In its 19 matches since 2005, Brazil has lost only three times, but all of
the losses came against potential World Cup opponents. It fell 3-1 to Argentina
and 1-0 to Ecuador in South American World Cup qualifying, and 1-0 to Mexico in
the Confederations Cup.
This year, Brazil is in Group F with Croatia, Australia and Japan, hardly the
most challenging division.
Brazil and Croatia tied the only two times they played, including 1-1 in an
exhibition game last August.
The Brazilians have a winning record against Australia, but the Aussies beat
Brazil 1-0 the last time the teams met, in the 2001 Confederations Cup in South
Korea. That Brazil squad wasn't close in quality to this one.
The defending champions have five wins in seven matches against Japan. The
teams tied the other two times, including 2-2 in the Confederations Cup last
year in Germany.
So Brazil's players are cautious.
"This could be one of the most even World Cups ever," Ronaldo said.
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