Despite the uncertainties of football, the insecurity in associating performance with results, the World Cup is the only competition with so many knockout games spread across the world in which there has never been a big surprise, a small or even medium-sized team winning the World Cup. One day this could happen.
The team debuts against the strong Morocco team, fourth in the 2022 World Cup, even considering that it is not among the favorites. Then they face the very weak Haiti. And the third game is against weak Scotland, although the Scots have a habit of forming big fights. There are two places and eight more for the best third places. There will be no difficulties in qualifying.
The Brazilian team has deficiencies, but all the other candidates for the world title also have problems. Spain, of the competitors, is the one that plays the football I like to watch the most, as it has great players, like Pedri and Lamine Yamal, for controlling the ball, exchanging passes and playing beautifully, efficiently. But I don’t see her as the only favorite, as the difference is very small to the other candidates for the title, such as Argentina, France, Portugal, Brazil, England and Germany.
A team with Raphinha, Vinicius Junior and other great attackers has everything to be very strong. Raphinha, after an injury, returned to action from the start of the game, with intense brilliance, in Barcelona’s 3-1 victory over Atlético de Madrid.
Unlike other great attackers, like Vinicius Junior, who need many great moves to make a decisive move, Raphinha, in two or three actions, becomes a great protagonist with his passes and precise finishes.
Neymar is still a hope for the World Cup, but there is nothing more old-fashioned than saying that, with 50% physical condition, he should already be a starter in the World Cup. With Ancelotti, Neymar will only play if he is physically very well.
One of my concerns is that the team remains hostage to the quick transition of the ball, sometimes in a hurry, from defense to attack, to take advantage of the characteristics of the attackers, who are quick and dribblers. They depend on many spaces to shine brightly. The ideal is to alternate this posture with the ability to control the ball, exchange passes and wait for the right moment to try the decisive play, even more so when facing tighter defenses, as will occur in the World Cup.
Brazilian clubs remain hostage to tactical formation with two midfielders in line with an advanced, centralized midfielder. Even in the national team, there is a lack of an ace midfielder who plays from one midfield to the other and who has a lot of talent, like Vitinha, from the Portuguese team, Pedri, from the Spanish team, and others.
When Arthur started his career at Grêmio, it looked like he would become an ace midfielder. He went to Europe and didn’t stand out, as happened with countless other brilliant young Brazilians. Has this occurred because the technical level in Brazil is lower or due to other factors? Would it be a manifestation of our mongrel complex, as Nelson Rodrigues said, of thinking that everything in Europe is better?
The only solution to resolve the problems and doubts is for the Brazilian team to perform exceptionally well and win the World Cup.
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