Who will advance second place after Brazil?

Serbia have a great start eleven, you think Matic - Savic is better than Modric - Rakitic ?

 

For some reason, the thing that I immediately associate with the Switzerland-Brazil fixture is the two former FIFA presidents João Havelange & Sepp Blatter. Combinedly, the two men were in power for over 40 years. While the former passed away last year at the ripe old age of 100, Blatter is going to have to be an ordinary spectator for the first time in ages, with no influence whatsoever.

Back when Blatter was still a teenager, we find the only World Cup game to date between Switzerland-Brazil. The year was 1950 and it was played on Brazilian soil, as most of you know. What I think hasn't been brought up, however, is the fact that Group 1 of that tournament consisted of 3 of the teams in this group.

The only difference is Mexico instead of Costa Rica. Well, that and the fact that today's Serbia is only a part of Yugoslavia in the 50s. Looking at the results of that group, it wouldn't look unrealistic in any way if the final table was replicated in the 2018 tournament.

I can see Brazil tying Switzerland, win by several goals against Costa Rica (Mexico), while winning with fewer goals against Serbia. Costa Rica could end up with 0 points, while Switzerland & Serbia battle it out for the second place. The only thing that looks out of place is the rather large Yugoslavian victory against Switzerland (4-1).

Source: FIFA World Cup 1950 (Group 1)

By the way, I wonder if the Switzerland-Serbia game will be more "heated" than one might think at first glance? I mean, Switzerland has quite a few players with origins in Balkan. Shaqiri, Dzemaili, Mehmedi, Behrami, Seferovic, Xhaka, etc. Maybe it will have sort of a derby feel to it.

 

These players are all of Albanian descendant apart from Seferovic. The Serbia game will be without doubt special for them. Also for the Swiss coach as he is a Croat from Bosnia Herzegowina. But I think the Switzerland-Albania constellation in the last EUROs was more virous.

 

Interesting to read your posts!

 

Brazil will not win this world cup i can bet on it..Look closely in 2014 if not for the referee against they would crashed out in group stage against Croatia.In 2010 Brazil cheated Ivory coast Luis Fabiano handballed against Ivory coast and one of his goals was offiside. The game should have been a draw and Brazil should have crashed out in group stage with proper refereeing and VAR.In 2006 they should have lost to Ghana in the round of 16 if there was proper refereeing.In 2002 they got really lucky because the teams that would have beaten brazil either crashed out early or were cheated by south korea.Brazil cheated in round of 16 against Belgium. If that world cup was organised properly Italy Holland or France would have won.Brazil last true world cup victory was in 1994.If there is proper refereeing an VAR in this world cup brazil will not make it past the round of 16.

 

This Brazilian team are not the same level as Germany and spain i put them at them level as Belguim England and Croatia maybe even worse than Portugal thats their true level not what the media and fifa statistics tell you.This current Brazil yes they topped their qualifying group but in actual senior tournament in the past years they lost to Peru Paraguay twice and struggled with Ecuador.Chile in actual senior tournaments on average fare better than Brazil and it would be more clearer if there is no clear help from the referee. Qualifiers and friendlies are different from actual tournaments.

 

This group is alot tougher and open than people think it would not even suprise me if Brazil crash out in group stages but i dont think they will.I do think they will advance but not as easy people think.Switzerland beat a better spain in opening game of the world cup.Serbia have beaten Brazil in U20 world cup final do or die game.Costa rica beat italy uruguay and England to win their group and took Holland to penalties.

 

Not to mention France was also terrible at that World Cup. They finished last in their group!

 

As Brazilian , I think Germany is the great favorite to win this WC. It was champion in 2014, this WC is in Europe and the team is even better and younger than 2014. But football is nice because is very unpredictable. But the paper and internet accepts all you can write. Brazil in the same level than Croatia and Portugal??? I cannot agree. Even with Belgium . Maybe in the same level of France and Spain. Of course , Brazil can lose from Argentina, Belgium , England, Portugal and even worse teams as Croatia, Switzerland, Serbia, but it is just because is football. If it was volleyball, tennis or another more predictable sport, Brazil wouldn’t lose at all. So everyone can predict what he wants. Just about 2010, in the first half Brazil dominated Netherlands and the game was to be defined by Brazil in the first half. In the second half , in the beginning Brazil counterattacking was more dangerous than Netherlands pressure. But Brazil’s goalkeeper made a terrible mistake in a free kick and the game changed. Even the Netherlands second goal was in a corner kick in a head score by Snjeider. I think that Brazil could win that World Cup even with a not so strong team . In other world cups Brazil got what he deserved .

 

Relax, man. Don't be bitter. Brazil has what it has. Crying about the referees is for wimps.
Also, no one here worth their salt is claiming that Brazil is an overwhelming favorite or even one of THE FAVORITES. The current Brazil team is behind Germany, France, and Spain, obviously. Croatia and Belgium? Man i can't wait for world football to show us all once again that there are really only a few great teams and that Croatia and Belgium are not in that poo.
Brazil has World Class payers in all their lines. Ederson is world class. Marcelo, Marquinhos and Miranda are world class (how silly of Italy-Azurri-Fan to not know that the two starting central defenders of Brazil are Marquinhos and Miranda-just look at the SA qualification). Casemiro and Paulinho are world class. And, more importantly, the forward line of Neymar, G. Jesus, and Coutinho is not only world class but also probably the best in the world.

 

And what about Germany?
After what happened at the Rio Olympics (I know, the Rio Olympics, but still) and Euro 2016 I just don't think Germany is an "overwhelming" team. That is, if Germany is not a complete favorite for Russia 2018 then anyone can win it.
Remember, this generation of Germans has only won one tournament: Brazil 2014. That's it. If they do not win in Russia could they be considered underachievers?

 

I dunno. They still have most of the players that won in 2014 (and in their primes), just won the Confederations Cup with a B or C-team, easily swept through qualification with said B or C team, the U-21 Euro Championship without a full team and have arguably the tournament's best coach.

 

I don't either. I'm just saying that there is no monstrously powerful team, including Germany. And Brazil, or any other team, will not face Germany's A,B and C team at the same time. It's 11 vs 11, that's it.
Especially after the 7-1 in 2014, for Brazil its as much psychological as anything else. Any team will have to overcome the "psychology" of facing Germany. I hate to quote Charlie Sheen quoting Tsun Tzu in Wall Street, but here it is: Any battle is won (or lost) before it is ever fought. I hope Brazil is prepared for this if they ever advance far enough to face the Germans.

 

Well, the Brazil defense, as a unit, performed quite well in SA qualification. Also, Marcelo is quite possibly the best left back in the world.
Yes. Argentina's forward line is probably better, but only because of Messi. The good thing for Brazil is that if all things develop as they should, i.e. everyone wins their group, etc., then Spain and Germany will "deal" with Messi and Argentina in the quaterfinals and/or semifinals.

 

I don't think I would mention Marcelo and Germany in the same post. It was Marcelo who kept streaking down the flank like a winger, leaving acres of space behind him for Germany to exploit. Did he forget he was playing left back?

 

Yes, the whole defense, and the entire team for that matter, played horribly that day. So what? Don't they believe in second chances in Denmark? Or is there still something rotten in Denmark?
Marcelo is probably the best left back in the world. Who is better?

 

I would add Cesar Azpilicueta and Danny Rose to that list.

 

Mendy and Spinnazola (from Atalanta?). No.
Alaba and Alex Sandro, I'll accept that. So Brazil has 2 of the 4 best left backs in the world. And both will be at Russia 2018. I'm really OK with that.