1 December 2005
by FIFAworldcup.com
It was the announcement that Brazil supporters had been waiting for: Carlos Alberto Parreira declaring that Brazil would triumph at next summer's FIFA World Cup™ finals. "I have in my hands a winning team, one that won the last World Cup and will also win the next one," said the coach. "Our players are the best on the planet and I am certain that we will return from Germany with another title."
If Brazil were already favourites to lift the trophy for a sixth time going into 2005, then they will emerge from the year having strengthened their credentials as the team to beat. Despite a 3-1 loss to Argentina in June, the Seleção recovered to finish top of the South American qualifying group and were able to avenge that result by inflicting a demoralising 4-1 defeat on their great rivals in the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup.
"There have been some important triumphs this year and I'm optimistic that in 2006, we'll be able to live up to the high expectations that the group's hard work has created. If we're favourites for the cup it's for a reason," said Parreira, whose charges ended the year on a high with an 8-0 rout of the United Arab Emirates in their final outing in November.
The 62-year-old tactician, who masterminded his country's 1994 FIFA World Cup win, was not alone in his reckoning. French legend Michel Platini joined the growing chorus of voices backing a Brazilian success, while Ricardo Teixeira - president of the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) – was downright bullish about his country's prospects. "There's no denying it - Brazil are favorites to win the cup," he said. "Playing in the qualifiers forced the team to train hard, and we have players of great technical ability."
Coach voices his concerns
However, no sooner had Parreira predicted a sixth world crown for the Seleção than he was warning against the complacency that could come with being such overwhelming favourites. "From now until June 2006, you'll get tired of seeing interviews from all over the world in which people are considering Brazil the big favourites to win the World Cup. This will not bring us anything," he advised, pointing to Brazil's ill-fated campaigns of 1982 and 1998.
Parreira's concerns hinge on three key factors: a worry that his players will believe the hype that hails the holders as champions-in-waiting; Brazil's perennial struggle to achieve FIFA World Cup success in Europe, a continent in which they have won just one of their five titles; and finally, the quality of the opposition.
Despite the tutorial Brazil gave Argentina in the FIFA Confederations Cup final earlier this year and the Albiceleste's recent loss to England in Geneva, Parreira still believes the biggest threat to their hopes will come from their South American neighbours. "If we look at value, I think our number one rivals are Argentina for next year's World Cup."
Switching his thoughts to the event's European location, he added: "I believe that the environmental factor will play a big role in next year's tournament. I think it will favour the host nation Germany but also Italy. I believe we will face these two top European teams further on in the tournament."
Pele advises cautious approach
Brazil's one and only FIFA World Cup success on the Old Continent, on Swedish soil in 1958, owed much to the performances of a teenage jewel by the name of Pele. 'The King', as he later became known, after winning three FIFA World Cups and achieving subsequent superstardom, is also advising the current occupants of the prestigious Canarinha jersey to approach the competition with care.
"It's nine months until the World Cup. We are the best team but have to remember what happened in 1982. Brazil had the best team, nobody disputes that, but we didn't win," said the legendary number ten. "And look at Holland with (Johan) Cruyff, twice they should have won (in 1974 and 1978) but they didn’t. Brazil has a very good team with great individual players. There is no doubt about that. But it is not always the favourites with the best players that win."
