To play devil's advocate though, that's like saying Beckham/Lampard/Gerrard would have won the ballon d'or if it wasn't for Rivaldo/Ronaldinho/Ronaldo etc (who all won it) though. The reason they didn't win it is they weren't quite good enough, and England weren't quite good enough.Aye. His play acting is ridiculous and I don't particularly like him.
But as a player he's up there with some of Brazil's best. He'd have won at least one Ballon d'Or if not for Messi and Ronaldo dominating the last decade.
Well true, but I think Beckham and co. probably had a chance because (Ronaldo aside, but he didn't have the fitness and therefore consistency) there were a clutch of players who were all very similar in level at that time.To play devil's advocate though, that's like saying Beckham/Lampard/Gerrard would have won the ballon d'or if it wasn't for Rivaldo/Ronaldinho/Ronaldo etc (who all won it) though. The reason they didn't win it is they weren't quite good enough, and England weren't quite good enough.
Not that you need a ballon d'or winner to win the world cup necessarily, but I just don't feel like Neymar is going to deliver on his hype. Happy to be wrong though.
Definitely does!Good stuff. It's worth a big version of the Juninho picture as well I reckon.
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Would agree with this.Personally I enjoy seeing Brazil knocked out of the World Cup as I very quickly get sick of commentators fawning over their players as if they are some superior breed to the rest of the world. And it's never not fun to see Neymar crying.
Historically they have had some sublime players, but since 1970 the two times they won the World Cup they were generally more pragmatic and relied on the talents of Romario or Ronaldo to see them over the line.
Admittedly they are potential winners of Qatar22, but personally I don't see them having significantly betters chance than England, France and Spain, despite being far shorter odds with the bookies.
No it will be 3 up top as I’ve explained.They'll rightly be one of the favourites to win the tournament but I think their squad is a shadow of the great Brazil squads of 98 and 02. Could you really imagine a player of Fred's quality for example making those squads?
Their midfield options aren't that impressive and although they have some brilliant attacking options, they have several players who naturally play wide left, so it will be interesting to see what they go with for their frontline.
Are they likely to go with Richarlison on the right, Vin Jr wide left and Neymar playing as a second striker behind Jesus?
Again he will start as Brazil have based their sides around the hard pragmatic European style. Fred and casemiro will no doubt start as well.a player of Fred's quality for example
You don’t mention that 1982 side that for many me included was arguably the best not to win the World Cup.Would agree with this.
I also cannot remember a World Cup Brazil didn't have short odds for. If not favourites, they're always second favourites.
In the 12 world cups since Pele et al, they've won 2, which is the same as Italy/France/Argentina and 1 less than Germany.
You do have to wonder if they didn't have that wonderful spell from 1958-1970 would they be revered this way? It was a long time ago, but how relevant is it now?
On paper it doesn't look like a Braziliain team to set the pulses racing but I appreciate they have a more pragmatic style nowadays.Few know Brazil better than Tim vickery ( he lives there) and this is his proposed starting 11
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I think he still could as in the last few build games tete has swapped between vince jnr and raphinha.On paper it doesn't look like a Braziliain team to set the pulses racing but I appreciate they have a more pragmatic style nowadays.
Seems a shame though as Vin Jr is an exciting player to watch. I'd like to see him start.
Well yeah cos they didn’t win it. For all they are lauded, they didn’t actually deliver (like Neymar and co didn’t in 2014). Didn’t even make the semis! I know they were a good side but playing good stuff and not winning is no use to Brazil now, 20 years after their last win. If they don’t win this WC it’s the same gap they had 1970 to 1994.You don’t mention that 1982 side that for many me included was arguably the best not to win the World Cup.
Same with Argentina. Touted as one of the pre-tournament favourites but when you look at the side struggling to see why. They've had far stronger sides in the past.On paper it doesn't look like a Braziliain team to set the pulses racing but I appreciate they have a more pragmatic style nowadays.
Seems a shame though as Vin Jr is an exciting player to watch. I'd like to see him start.
Again, always short odds, despite being mostly crap since the 80s.Same with Argentina. Touted as one of the pre-tournament favourites but when you look at the side struggling to see why. They've had far stronger sides in the past.
Think one pundit was saying they missed Lo Celso in midfield. Well if you can't break down Saudi Arabia because you're missing a player deemed surplus to requirements by Spurs, you're hardly one of the favourites I'd suggest.
When you look back at the 'golden eras' there are usually some surprisingly bad players in the squads, wasn't kleberson in brazils 2002 squad? He was probably about the same as Fred wasn't he?They'll rightly be one of the favourites to win the tournament but I think their squad is a shadow of the great Brazil squads of 98 and 02. Could you really imagine a player of Fred's quality for example making those squads?
Is that the '98 squad which included Doriva?They'll rightly be one of the favourites to win the tournament but I think their squad is a shadow of the great Brazil squads of 98 and 02. Could you really imagine a player of Fred's quality for example making those squads?
FTFYI think Neymar is grosslyunder valued as a playeroverrated in his own head.