France 1998, England 1966, Uruguay 1950. Laugh all you want, takes them out of the winners group very little. You say it's more likely than not that a new winner emerges? Who exactly? Portugal, USA, Netherlands? Bigger chance than all the past champions combined? (Not saying a new champ won't emerge, but now that Spain won it, the likelihood of that surely isn't over 50%)
I'd rank Mexico over Colombia just because of their style of play, but I think Mexico will only really be a legitimate threat in 2018 (assuming their U17 and U20 talent progresses, which I think it will).
True. Still I'd say the combined chance of the already champions is more than 50%, but I'm 100% fine with agreeing to disagree as this debate is going nowhere fast.
1- The five stars on my avatar show that it is no arrogance to think Brazil can win a world cup. Particularly one played at home 2- No European nation has ever won the cup in South America and I doubt this is going to change now. Expect Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay or Colombia or even Mexico as winners. Argentina has Messi and a player like him can win the cup single handed. 3- Brazil has a great goalkeeper in Diego Cavalieri and a great striker in Fred. Both have done an incredible Brasileirão. I actually think the reason Mano was fired is because he didn't want to put them on the team. The game in Argentina last Wednesday showed how wrong he was (good riddance!).
Brazil can of course win the World Cup, no doubt about this They have strong players, possible the strongest in the world. But I think they will not win it, because they are a young team and the mental Pressure will be very high at home. Furthermore throught their youth they will lack tactical Qualities, so against Ball Dominating Teams (Spain) it will be very hard to get the ball at all. So i will give them a 20% Chance max to win it all. Spain and Germany will also have a equal chance, followed up by Italy, Argentina and Portugal.
I actually agree completely with those groups. Brasil, Germany, & Spain then Italy, Argentina, & Portugal then Holland, Columbia, Uruguay, and the major underdog that has a shot Mexico
Uruguay and Holland are over-hyped. I am now starting to believe Brazil may go out in the group of the confederations cup since you seem to really fear Uruguay. If you get Mexico in your group at the Confed cup the ultimate humiliation could happen with the host exiting in the group stages!
What is overhyped? Are there 8-10 teams better than Holland and Uruguay? Both have a shot at winning it.
If you are basing your analysis on the last world cup then fine but, I am looking at the teams current form. Uruguay is getting hammered all over the place and there is a chance they may not even qualify for the world cup. Based on the last world cup though YES, these 2 teams finished 2nd and 4th while Brazil was between 5th and 8th.
Everybody has their own opinions, nothing wrong with that. I do base my opinions on this on recent major tourneys. Of which Uruguay made the semis of the WC and WON the Copa-America. A few recent games in qualifying shouldnt take precidence over that.
If recent major tourneys are the basis for who are the favourites in 2014, Brazil shouldn't be in the first group together with Spain with Germany. 2011: CA -> 5-8. 2010: WC -> 5-8. 2007: CA -> winners. 2006: WC -> 5-8. Given that they haven't exactly lit the world on fire in friendlies/minor matches lately further suggests this. That said, I think they are a strong favourite nonetheless, but really need to get everything perfect if they want to win it - not that that isn't true for any other team as well.
strikers damiao, pato, luz adriano, wellington nem, ademilson, hulk, neymar goalkeepers rafael cabral, gabriel, cassio, neto, victor, jefferson, diego alves, renan ribeiro plenty of players to choose from.. heck too many compared to other teams brasil has enough talent to win it all... on talent alone they should be the favorites []__[]
I agree! It will take a miracle but, miracles happen. A clinical 20 goal a season(in Europe) center forward could emerge! One of Brazil's keepers may be considered world class!!
Some of those guys are wingers and not strikers. None of those strikers would get in the squad of the biggest teams in the world. The same applies to the keepers. none of these players are considered world class!
if you are referring to a strictly center forward damiao, pato and luiz adriano as a group are as good as any other three from any country in the world... besides brasil might not even use a number 9, the keepers are all good enough and being world class is only relative and subjective ..... your opinion is they are not because you go by what the media tells you to believe and you probably never seen them play anyways []__[]
I've seen them play Either way back on topic, Brazil is under a bit of pressure! Just like we call Mexico a Round of 16 team in my area of the forum, Brazil may soon become a quarter final team! Of course many teams dream of even making it to the quarter final but, it seems Brazil is stuck there!!
LOLOL stuck there are you crazy? they won it in 2002 only two teams italy and spain can claim they won it more recently... and before last one spain had been pass the quarters only once in their history and now everybody is sucking their d.ic.ks as if they invented the game.... when was the last time germany, argentina, france, holland, england, and uruguay won it one team that can always be considered a favorite of any tournament they enter is brasil.... they have won more trophies in every category than any other country in the world... brasil makes the quarters of any tournament they enter just by showing up with a little luck they can win it..... []__[]
That is why I suggested Brazil should not hire a Spaniard as a coach. It would have been a new low. One quick correction Brazil has not dominated Copa America. Go read up on who has!
never said they dominated copa america i said they have won more trophies than any other country in the world with 5 world cups, 4 copa america, 3 confederation cup, 5 U-20, 3 U-17 cups, 13 beach soccer cups, and 5 futsal world cups..... []__[]
Argentina has better (of course, their level all around doesn't match their attackers). Agreed with SweetLife that Brazil definitely is under pressure and WC is a huge challenge. Gonna be an interesting club season leading to the WC next season, as people really have to be "hot" to earn their place.
italy will win trust me. this is not old italy and when they perfect 3-5-2 formation they will be force. with new young players like veratti. insigne and others italy will be force. only reason why they lost euro final was injuries
Italy is too old. By the time the tournament comes around many of the players will be 32-33... Too old for international football. Having one old guy is not a problem. having a team full of them is.
imo: 1. The only reason Italy lost the final definitely wasn't Italy's injuries. 2. Italy isn't "too old". They're always a potential candidate in WCs, just like Brazil.