Italy was ranked #1 for 7 months soon after their World Cup win (Jan 07, March to July 2007, Aug 2007). Yes, it's not a human poll, so it wasn't instant.
SIMPLE. 2006: Bunch of ass clown players boozing and whoring it up not really caring about winning. 2010: Lack of maybe 1 or 2 more big name stars on squad to carry team when Kaka couldnt.
The logic is that rankings are based over several years of play, not just the world cup finals. They are flawed, but not as flawed as using a knock out competition held once every four years to rank teams.
ASF, I couldn't disagree more. This team had a soul, and should not be lumped with the 2006 edition. What it didn't have were tactical variations at its disposal. The bench lacked depth as a result of a stubborn manager wanting to prove a point. This was a completely self-inflicted wound. Further, they did not have a plan or the wherewithal for when shit hit the fan. They imploded.
Honestly, I think that you all are too quick to jump on Brazil. Look, they were beaten by a better team. Any given (friday?) one team in this world cup can beat another because the gaps really aren't as large as they once were. Brazil is always a favorite to win, and for good reason, due to their culture, but that doesn't mean they will win every time they play. I don't think that Dunga was too defensive and I don't think that it was at all his fault that Brazil lost - he wasn't Domenech or Lippi. Holland won that game and Brazil conceded it. That's all.
Actually Brazil's defense allowing someone who is 5ft 7in to head a ball into the goal from inside the 6 yard box had more to do with it than Melo. He played the pass in for the Robinho goal and his red came after the go ahead goal. If it wasn't for the soft defending on the corner than they wouldn't have had to come back down a man; OGs happen and Cesar needs to command his box better and communicate with his defenders. Speaking of attack they weren't able to string together any passes in the attacking third, hell the goal came from a long ball up the middle after a pitiful lapse by the Dutch defense. I'm pretty sure everyone in Brazil will not be blaming Melo for this loss at all; this was a classic team loss.
no bench. argentina brought Palermo, they put him in for a few minutes and scores. uruguay brought in el Loco and he scored the fian penalty for the team. if brazil brings in Dihno with 20 minutes before the end of the match the game would have changed from a psycological point of view.
You could say this about 2006 but not 2010. This team worked hard and fought as much as possible. I am not sure where you saw a team that didn't care in the last 4 years. Today we lost to ourselves and fate. Holland wasn't even the better team today.
Brazil in 2006 was never going to win the world cup. This Brazil was different. IMO Brazil were unlucky to lose today (I think they overall played better than the Dutch). Sometimes luck goes against you.
Brazil looked the best team in the tournament and showed the least amount of weaknesses, they were simply knocked out in a knockout game. This team was built to limit errors,prevent goals, punish opponents for their mistakes and sustain control of the game, but they didn't do the latter which resulted in loss of composure because things weren't going their way. Dunga's tactics were thrown out at 2-1, Brazil defeated the USA despite being two goals down because they had half time break to regroup. This was different because they had to chase the game against a class side and they didn't have that break to reorganize themselves mentally and physically, the Dutch also continued to apply the pressure even when they were up. I sensed Brazil were breaking down by looking at the body language of their players, this Brazil side are strong enough to win the tournament, but most of the players are trained to follow a gameplan and that gameplan faltered today, and they were lost with no one accepting the challenge and the Dutch capitalized.
Brazil was already down 2-1 and I thin Brazil was actually playing better soccer after they lost a man.
In this case it was because Dunga had the arrogance to think that Brazil could win the World Cup without a single acutal left back on the roster. Both Bastos and Gilberto are actually right-sided midfielders, which is why Robben was able to shred them without much difficulty yesterday. How a country with as many good players as Brazil can fail to have a single decent left back ready for a World Cup is beyond me, because if there is one thing that is certain in soccer, it's that defensive weaknesses get ruthlessly exposed, especially at a World Cup. Just ask Italy, England, or the USA....
I think it was more like Cesar not seeing him and running into him. Lack of communication in the penalty area, and a poor charge by the goalkeeper. Even the best goalie in the world can make a mistake at the worst possible time.
This is a good analysis, which Zonal Marking echoes this morning. Everything Holland had in their favor yesterday--the goal from the free-kick, the goal from the corner, Melo's red card--all came about from attacking the right side, where Bastos and Melo were unable to clean up the Dutch pressure. It wasn't a great win for Holland, nor a sign of some fundamental, systemic weakness in Brazilian football. But the Dutch found Brazil's one weakness and just kept nudging at it.
A lot of very good points being made! First off, Holland are a very good team, out of all the countries who have never won a WC, the Dutch are definitely first in line to do so. Second, it seems to me that Brazil very often win matches on account of their reputation alone, meaning the other side is so intimidated by the thought of having to face BRAZIL!!! that they just kind of fold. Which leads to laziness on the part of the Brazilians. Third, Brazil haven't truly played 'The Beautiful Game' since the 1970's. At least not internationally. They've looked almost 'Italian' lately (defense, counterattacks,. etc.). I'm reading a very good book, Futebol - Soccer the Brazilian Way by Alex Bellos, offers some unique insights into the internal workings of Brazil a sa country and their soccer in particular. Not a bad travel guide, either, for those who intend to go there in 4 years.
Maybe because the goal was due to a mistake from the most solid part of the team. Completely agree. This laziness is common in Brazil since some years... Except in 1982, you might conceede...
One thing that varries from past Brazil WC winning teams: No alltimer Forward(s) 94 Romario 02 Ronaldo/Rivaldo 10 none
Well some of you should watch 2006 game again. Brazil didn't lost the game, France won it. Brazil simply lost to one of the best side ever (France from 1998 to 2006), with a number 10 in godmode. Thuram, Vieira, Makelele, Henry, Zidane are all-timers (I would personaly add Sagnol). If you add young and in-form Ribery and Malouda, it is not suprising at all that Brazil lost. Lost in a brutal way. I really though Brazil 2010 was going to win it all. Probably the best defense of the tournament, a defensive coach (which is 9 times out 10 a good thing for a major tournament), a great goal keeper. In 2010, they had an off-game. In 2006, they were outclassed.