Betting odds Brazil

Manager: Dunga Captain: Lucio FIFA World Ranking: 1 World Cup Appearances: 18 World Cup Winner – 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002

Brazil Article

Brazil Team Profile

No World Cup would be the same without a bit of samba and it’s a pleasure to say that Brazil will play an integral part in South Africa’s 2010 World Cup thanks to them steam rolling their way through qualification, becoming the first of the five South American countries participating in South Africa to make the cut. Now that the Samba specialists are in town, Brazilians back home in South America will fancy their chances of winning what would be their SIXTH World Cup – Stretching their record of World Cup wins further. Moreover, the Brazilians maintained their trend of qualifying for the finals, with Brazil about to participate in their 19th World Cup, while Brazil have never failed to qualify for a World Cup – A feat no other country can boast. Former Brazil great and 1994 World Cup winner as a player, Dunga is the man the hopes of the nation rest upon as he takes a Brazil squad blessed with extraordinary talent to South Africa aiming to make is six World Cup’s. Dunga has already guided Brazil to the FIFA Confederations Cup last year and he’ll aim to complete a quick fire double by claiming the World Cup on South African, becoming the first country to win the prestigious tournament on African soil in the process, adding that to their many other records and personal achievements. The Brazilians have an impeccable record in World Cup’s and will undoubtedly rate their chances of success very high once more as they boast one of the stronger teams in the competition. In the 18 World Cup’s they’ve participated in, Brazil have bowed out before the knock-out stage on just three occasions, while they’ve played in 7 finals (Winning 5 and losing 2) and have made the semi-final or better ten times. Led by a former Brazil player, Brazil will of course be sporting the colours of their famous bright yellow jerseys.

Manager

With success comes great responsibility and the pressure of the nation will land upon the shoulders of Dunga, who has come under his fair share of criticism in his time as national manager. Dunga has tried to transform the Brazilians into a complete package rather then being solely an all-out attacking force. For years Brazil have been a force to be reckoned with in the final third but their defence has generally been their achilles heel. Despite Dunga’s best efforts though, the Brazil defence is still shaky and vulnerable, but it’s in a better shape than never before some believe. Dunga was of course a former Brazilian international and was capped no less than 91 times for his country, scoring 9 goals along the way. He has got his hands on the trophy he wants to lift as the Brazil coach as a  Brazil player when he guided Brazil to the World Cup back in 1994 as captain, and although he has added the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup to his managerial CV as Brazil manager, he will be desperate to get his hands on another World Cup only this time as the Brazil coach; and with a wide array of attacking flair and technically gifted players at his disposal, he should go close to achieving his managerial dream. Dunga only needs the World Cup to complete an historic treble as manager of Brazil. In 2007 he led Brazil to the Copa America, 2009 seen him win the FIFA Confederations Cup so victory in South Africa would see his name enter into the history books with an unprecedented treble of international honours.

Brazil Key Players

Kaka The second most expensive player in the history of the game second only to his Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka is undoubtedly the puppet master in the Brazil team, often seen picking the ball up from deep and charging into the heart of the opposing defence. An array of neat swivels and tricks, a blistering turn of foot and a deadly precise finish make Kaka one of the dangerous men alive purely from a football perspective. Kaka has the ability to single handily drive Brazil towards the victory line, while dashing the opponents hopes and dreams in the same instance. He’s a player which can break a nations hearts but could be the man to spearhead Brazil to their record sixth World Cup. Luis Fabiano The Seville forward is the man put solely in charge of obtaining the vast majority of Brazil’s goals in South Africa, while his 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Boot bodes well for his chances of completing a quick-fire Golden Boot double in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Fabiano, however, is a late bloomer at 29 years-old and has only made 36 appearances for his country but has one of the leanest goalscoring records around at international level, averaging more than a goal every other game after scoring 25 times for Brazil. He’s also scored twice against Argentina in qualifying, as well as scoring 9 goals in qualifying overall, thus proving that Fabiano doesn’t just score on a regular basis, he also scores in the big games and against the big teams.

Strengths

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Brazil’s most effective inventory is their attacking prowess. They have so many quality forwards that it puts other country’s to shame. Robinho & Kaka will be a handful for any defence while Luis Fabiano has been prolific in front of goal for Brazil. Dunga’s side will look to open up opposing defences with their lightening fast breakaways and you’ll often see Brazil scoring on the counter as their pace of attack is frightening.

Weaknesses

By far and away Brazil’s biggest and arguably very obvious flaw is their defence. Despite having some highly trained and experienced stalwarts at the back, Brazil still haven’t mastered the art of defending. Lucio and Juan will form a centre-back partnership which doesn’t fill us with any great deal of confidence, as for all Lucio’s battling qualities, we don’t rate him as much of a defender as he’s clumsy and dirty. However, their main problem is with their full-backs. Every Brazil team has had world-class full-backs who bomb forward and aid the wingers with support and deliverieis into the boxes. This has proven very useful from an attacking point-of-view down the years but it leaves the Brazilians handicapped at the back , vulnerable against teams who specialise in counter-attacking football. Both Maicon and Dani Alves get forward very well, while their distribution is generally very good, but they’re rubbish at defending and even worse at tackling. It’s certainly an area in the team which other teams will look to exploit.

Brazil Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: South America Current Position: 1st Win-Draw-Lose: 9-7-2 Goals Scored: 33 Goals Conceded: 11

World Cup potential: 5/5

We would look stupid were we to claim the Brazilians, the most prolific and consistent nation in world football, had no chance of winning the prize in South Africa, so we haven’t. Spain maybe the bookies favourites to win outright but Brazil get our vote ahead of the Spanish. Arguably the best attacking force out of all the 32 teams competing in South Africa, it would be a massive shock were Brazil not to at least make the Semi-Finals. They are, however, one part of this years ‘Group of Death’ alongside the African Elephants, Ivory Coast and the Portuguese. You would fancy Brazil’s chances against both of those, and two authoritative displays against the pair of them would see Brazil’s price to win the competition outright plummet. We aren’t necessarily saying Brazil are stunning value, as at odds of around 5/1 they aren’t. However, Brazil are extremely reliable and consistent and for your money they’ll take you a long way, deep into the tournament. They are far from unbeatable though, as the USA so nearly proved at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup when taking a 2-0 lead into HT. Even so, it will take a colossal performance from one of the elite nations competing at the tournament to see off the classy Brazilians.

Brazil World Cup Betting Odds

Brazil to win the World Cup:         5/2 – Bet365 Before the World Cup the odds on Brazil were 5/1

Official Brazil World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers Julio Cesar (Inter Milan) Doni (AS Roma) Gomes (Tottenham Hotspur) Defenders Maicon (Inter Milan) Dani Alves (FC Barcelona) Michel Bastos (Olympique Lyon) Gilberto (Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte) Lucio (Inter Mailand) Juan (AS Roma) Luisao (Benfica Lisbon) Thiago Silva (AC Milan) Midfielders Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos Athens) Felipe Melo (Juventus) Ramires (Benfica Lissabon) Elano (Galatasaray Istanbul) Kaka (Real Madrid) Julio Baptista (AS Roma) Kleberson (Flamengo Rio de Janeiro) Josué (VfL Wolfsburg) Strikers Robinho (FC Santos) Luis Fabiano (FC Sevilla) Nilmar (FC Villarreal) Grafite (VfL Wolfsburg) last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Brazil Fixtures – Group G

28/06 – 19.30 – Round of the last 16: Brazil – Chile: 3-0 02/07 – 15.00 – Quarter Finals: Brazil – Holland

World Cup Group G - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results World Cup Group of Brazil

Betting Guide to Brazil

Coach Dunga will finally silence all of his critics if he lifts the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Since taking over, Dunga has been accused of taking the flair out of Brazil, but he has added so much more. Winning is such an important role in Brazilian football culture, that Dunga has highlighted where Brazil fell down at the 2006 World Cup and he has addressed those issues. Brazil were known for losing games by being too adventurous in their approach to matches. The more negative European style was able to counter that of the Brazilian way, simply by sitting back and hitting the South Americans on the break. That is not the case any more, as Dunga’s Brazil is a side which knows how to defend. Not only are the Brazilians technically gifted, as they always have been, but they are physically strong at the back, so much so that they have a new offensive weapon in sending players like Lucio up for free kicks and corners. This extra dimension from indirect set plays makes Brazil even more dangerous than ever. So does their more calculated attacking nature, which is all built now on the foundation of a solid defence behind the attack, starting with the defensive midfielder. Brazil are naturally comfortable on the ball, and can pass the ball around all afternoon without breaking a sweat. They have enjoyed a relatively comfortable ride through the 2010 FIFA World Cup, as they have simply brushed aside the majority of challenges that came they way. They only failed to get something out of Portugal, who were content with being defensive from the off.

Brazil have the attacking prowess that is second to none, and even the might of Spain can still learn something about the passing and movement game from Brazil. After beating the Ivory Coast and North Korea in their group stage, Brazil topped the group to move onto a last sixteen match against tough South American side Chile. Brazil, as they had done in the South American qualification zone, simply brushed the Chile threat aside, winning 3-0. It appears as if there is no challenge to big, no challenge to tough for Brazil at the moment, and the changes have been made to simply win the World Cup again. There is much more a defensive feel about international football than there has been in the past, and Brazil have found the ideal balance between being a little more cautious themselves, while still maintaining their attacking quality. Brazil, in one word, are ruthless. They are unforgiving when they are given a chance and perhaps the one stand out quality about them, is the fact that they are cool and collected. You can see the players enjoying themselves, which is a long way from the tenseness that the English players were emitting. So, they have the quality, they have the individual talent, they have the team spirit and balance, and they have a coach who is unwilling to bend to pressure of the Brazilian media who want to see the old Brazilian style. That all adds up to a pretty impressive picture.

Tactics: Brazil’s strength comes from their three tight central midfielders, which allows their fourth midfielder, Kaka to join in the attack as much as possible. Kaka is the classic South American number 10, who always looks for the ball, and is always available. Pretty much all attacks are originated by him, and like Argentina’s Lionel Messi, he is the transition point between defence and attack. Because he pulls players around, it opens space around him. With the three other midfielders holding their lines, it allows the full back to really get forward, and you will see Michel Bastos and Maicon playing as wingers, knowing that there is enough cover behind them not to leave the team exposed. So their 4-3-3 formation (or 4-3-1-2 however you want to look at it), is a familiar one with the South American teams, and it is having that creative number 10 which makes all of the difference. Robinho is also one of the key players, as he is happy to drop behind fellow striker Luis Fabiano as well, so he can be difficult to pick up. The whole set up of the Brazilian side is perfect, and it has the quality of players to carry out all of the intricate roles to their specifics. You won’t see Brazil being caught out very often at the back, largely thanks to Dunga’s playing days as a defensive midfielder, and similarly, they can simply be relentless in attack.
 
Coach: Dunga – simply impressive with what he has done with the team. He has shook up things in Brazil, and but his authority and beliefs all over the team. He is of course a national hero from his playing days, and he desperately wants that sixth World Cup title for Brazil. But he is going to do things his way, and his way alone. Has an impressive record as coach, and his work ethics means that more flair players have missed out, but he knows that modern day footballs needs a team which can both defend and attack well.

Brazil World Cup 2010 Stats

Results
Brazil 3, Chile 0
Brazil 0, Portugal 0
Brazil 3, ivory Coast 1
Brazil 2, North Korea 1

Goals: 8 For, 2 Against
Cards: Y6, SY1, R0
Top Passer: Maicon (298 passes, 81% completion rate)
Most Fouls: Luis Fabiano, 9

Last 10 Match Brazil Form:  LDWWWWWWDW

Probable Route to Winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup: Holland (Q/F), Uruguay (S/F), Spain (F)

Brazil Betting Tips

Stage of Elimination
Quarter Finals: 7/4 at Bet365
Semi Finals: 4/1 at Ladbrokes
Winners: 5/2 at SkyBet
Runners Up: 7/2 at Bet365

To Reach Final
No – 18/19 at Bwin
Yes – 3/4 at Bwin

Brazil’s Top Goal scorer at SkyBet
Luis Fabiano 1/10 (3 goals)
Robinho 7/1 (1 goal)
Elano 8/1 (2 goals)

Brazil Betting Tip: Brazil to win to nil in the final: 4/1 at Blue Square

Brazil v Holland Betting Odds

Brazil to win: Evens at SkyBet
Draw: 12/5 at BetFred
Holland to win: 7/2 at Bet365

Brazil

The Brazilians look to be on cruise control. They blitzed their way past the Ivory Coast, and then made tough fellow South Americans Chile look less than average in their last sixteen match. They look to be in ominous form, and with coach Dunga saying that they are only getting more confidence from each match, there is a lot to be feared from the Selecao. Brazil are running at around a 70% win rate in their World Cup matches, which is pretty phenomenal. Their victory over Chile gave them their 67th World Cup match victory. Holland’s win rate at the World Cup is at exactly 50% from their 40 matches played. What Brazil have, on top of their sheer individual and team quality, is a lot of patience in sticking to their game. The passing and movement is to be admired, and while there is more of a defensive set up about Brazil, it is hardly noticeable, as they are still taking the games to opponents. This is the respect that they command as soon as they step out onto the pitch, and only against the super defensive and negative Portugal have they failed to find the back of the net. Their victory over Chile, was perhaps, their most impressive win, as Marcelo Bielsa’s men are no pushovers themselves. This was a Chile side which Spain had difficulties against, even when the South Americans were down to ten men. Brazil quickly and lethally brushed Chile aside, with some clinical attacking moves that were buried. Brazil make the most of their chances, and they make more chances than most. It is hard to tell if they have even made it into top gear yet, or whether there is more to come. They sat back and relaxed so much against the Ivory Coast, for example when they were closing in on victory, and against Portugal there was always a feeling that there was much more underneath to come.

Dunga knows how technically gifted the Dutch can be themselves, but will no doubt be backing his own men to be much better. Gilberto Silva, who is the key man in holding the midfield together with his distribution at the back of it, has told how desperate Brazil are to regain their World crown. They are not showing any desperation on the pitch though, as they are one of the few teams who actually seem to be enjoying playing their matches. They do not look as if they have any pressures on their shoulders at all. Confidence is a big element of football, and there doesn’t appear to be one performer who is not there 100% mentally for Brazil. Perhaps Robinho, whose form has been sparkling, is the epitome of this. He is along way from the depressed shadow of his former self that he was at Manchester City, as he is probably the brightest spark of light in the Brazilian team. Brazil are accomplished and teams naturally step out and give them a lot of respect, but Holland cannot afford to give them too much. Brazil can overrun teams and the difficulty is simply in knowing how to contain them. Portugal did it by dragging the game into a stalemate, Chile tried attacking and lost, while the Ivory Coast played cautiously and conservatively and still conceded three goals. There is great difficulty in tying Brazil down, although their strength is down the centre, but even then the overlapping full backs add the extra dimension. They have the time, craft and ability to move onto a semi final meeting between either Ghana or Uruguay.

Holland

Holland perhaps have not hit the pinnacle of their passing game during the tournament. The current Holland side are setting records, as their 23 game unbeaten run is the longest they have gone without suffering defeat. They take on Brazil in the best form of their lives and they can surely have had no better preparation, but that far from guarantees them success on the day. Coach Bert van Marwijk knows that he is taking on the strongest side at the tournament, and that his players will need to keep their mental strength if they are to prevail. All too often Holland have crumbled when coming up against a good team in the latter stages of tournament football, after starting those same tournaments so well. South Africa 2010 has seen their most convincing start to any World Cup. So what next for the Netherlands? It does not get any tougher than meeting Brazil in international knock out football, and Holland will need to make the most of any space that is given them. The natural width which Holland play with will be the key to them winning this match, as Brazil tend to keep things narrower when they do not have possession of the ball. The old Brazil were often caught at the back when they pushed forward, but that is not the case so much now, as Dunga has put a stop to that.

Brazil have a tough back line to break down, and that is why Holland need to use the natural width that Dirk Kuyt and Arjen Robben give them. Holland are a good team, although they have not put on the fully competent displays that were expected to flow from them. Holland are one of those teams which do use space very well when the opportunity arises, and most of their transition work is all down to the roaming skills of Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder. He is a class act at the moment, and allowed freedom to get forward knowing that there are two  holding midfielders behind him. Holland are defensively solid, but not only do they have to worry about the craft that Brazil will exude in open play, Brazil have a new weapon in their arsenal, and that is being able to send big defencemen up for set plays, like Lucio. The Netherlands will have their hands full, and it remains to be seen if they have that extra level in them to take on Brazil, but they are one of the more confident teams to be able to give it a go. Holland are a technically good side, and play more like South Americans themselves than a European side. There will always be questions about the Netherlands and their ability to go all of the way. It could be another year of falling short for the Dutch.

Brazil v Holland Betting Prediction: Over/Under 2.5 Goals for Evens at BetFred
 

Current Holland v Brazil Odds:

Brazil v Portugal Betting Odds

Brazil to win: 13/10 at Totesport
Draw: 2/1 at Ladbrokes
Portugal to win: 11/4 at Bet365

Brazil

Brazil can wrap up Group F comfortably with three wins from three if they beat Portugal. In the supposed Group of Death, Brazil have barely blinked an eye, picking up maximum points from their first two matches. In their second group match, they made light work of Sven Goran Eriksson’s Ivory Coast, in a match which was supposed to be a lot tougher than it was. Brazil simply showed all of the qualities as to why they are now outright favourites in World Cup betting to win the World Cup. Basically they just make everything look so easy and effortless. The control with the ball at their feet,  the passing, the movement, the scoring of goals, the defending…it is as if the are playing an international friendly while the opponents are left huffing and puffy and scratching their heads at what to do next. Brazil are now down to 4/1 at William Hill to win the World Cup outright, after sitting just behind Spain for most of the build up to South Africa. There is a lot of fluctuation at the bookmakers between them and Argentina, but overall, across the board of online bookmakers, Brazil have the edge. They have the edge against Portugal as well, as the Brazilians, who will be missing Kaka after his red card against the Ivory Coast, look to move through to the next round as Group winners.

Dunga has put together a team which every other nation should fear. They are solid at the back, and even though they are not as gung-ho in attack as Brazil’s of past, there is still the feeling that even if the opposition score three then Brazil will effortlessly score four. It is a more conservative Brazilian team, who are out to make up for their disappointment of Germany 2006, by taking back their world crown. While they are more conservative, with a good eye for defensive duties, there are still as lethal as ever. The poise and invention with which they attack is unmatched, and Manchester City’s Robinho must surely count as one of the stand out players of the tournament so far. What Brazil do do, which has not been seen with any other team, is play with a great deal of respect for opposition and with a smile on their faces. Robinho looks to be laughing most of the time when the ball is at his feet. With the deadly Luis Fabiano up front opening his account with a brace against the Ivory Coast, it will take something special to bring down the Brazilians. With Europe’s top nations all having their problems, besides Holland, the South American sides simply look to be getting stronger. It is looking more increasingly likely that a European side will still not win a World Cup outside of its own continent.

Brazil World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: W2, D0, L0
GF/GA: 5/2
Cards: Y1, R1
Most Shots: Elano, 7
Top Scorer: Elano, Luis Fabiano, 2
Shots/On Goal: 38/16
Fouls Committed: 26
Total Passes: 1260
Pass Completion: 83%

Portugal

Can Portugal make more of a game of it against Brazil than the Ivory Coast did? While Brazil were always expected to beat both the Ivory Coast and Portugal in their group, it was not supposed to be quite so easy. The world will look to the Portuguese now to try and find and expose any weakness that may be in the Brazilian set up. Portugal go into the match on the back of a 7-0 demolition of North Korea in their previous match, and match which saw Cristiano Ronaldo end his two year international goal drought. It was a romp for Portugal in the end, as the North Koreans looked to physically tire. The result will really not have any meaning for Portugal, as they know they need at least a draw against the Brazilians to progress. There is a scenario where  a heavy defeat for them, and a crushing victory for the Ivory Coast over North Korea can seen the Portuguese miss out, but it’s all a bit unlikely. Portugal could lose against Brazil and still get through on goal difference.

Cristiano Ronaldo continues to be the shining light of the Portuguese team, and when the cards are all laid on the table, he is carrying the country, no matter what he says. His presence and goals will be vital for Portugal, and now he gets to exhibit his skills against the best team in the World. What better a showcase for the Real Madrid star? Portugal had their troubles in European qualification, and they had their troubles against the Ivory Coast in their opening match, in which they looked completely devoid of attacking ideas. If that Portugal show up against Brazil, then they will get beaten, because Brazil will dominate them in the midfield, and cut through their defence like a knife through butter. Portugal have a pretty good defence actually, but it could be exposed, as any team’s would, against Brazil. Out of the Ivory Coast and themselves, Portugal have always looked the likelier to give Brazil a tougher time, and edge things in terms of finishing in second place. That is the way things should pan out, but they will want a big game from Brazilian born Deco in the heart of the Portuguese midfield, as well as Raul Meireles on the wing, who looks a very good player. They may not carry the threat in the tournament which Brazil do, but hopes are that they have a go at the South Americans and play a lively, spirited game.

Portugal World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: W1, D1, L0
GF/GA: 7/0
Cards: Y3, R0
Most Shots: Cristiano Ronaldo, 10
Top Scorer: Tiago, 2
Shots/On Goal: 33/15
Fouls Committed: 31
Total Passes: 1129
Pass Completion: 77%

Asian Handicap Betting Tip: Brazil, along with Argentina have been the stand out teams, and therefore it is hard to bet against them. Dunga may have to shuffle his pack a little bit for this one with Kaka missing, but they have such a talented squad, they can live with him for one match no doubt. It should not disrupt them too much.
Brazil -0.75 for 8/5 at Bet365
 

Current Portugal V Brazil Odds:

Brazil draw level with Spain in World Cup Odds

After Spain’s loss to Switzerland, both they and Brazil now can be taken for the same price to win the World Cup, 11/2 at SkyBet. Sunday’s big World Cup match sees the mighty Brazil v Ivory Coast, in what should attract a wealth of World Cup Betting. Brazil opened their 2010 account with a 2-1 victory over North Korea, in a game which saw them dominate, against a hard working Asian side, which was a lot more disciplined than most people would have imagined. The North Koreans went into the match not promising anything spectacular really in the battle between the World’s best side and the lowest ranked team in the tournament. However, the North Koreans gave a good account of themselves with 10 men behind the ball most of the time, but hustled and harried the Brazilians, closing out all the space on the pitch, so that the Brazilians were very limited. Not until right back Maicon broke the deadline early in the second half did the Korean resistance break, and then had the gusto to steal away down the other end of the pitch with a couple of minutes to go to get a consolation. While the scoreline was close, the game wasn’t really. Brazil were never in any danger of letting it get away, and for a World Cup opener they will be happy. The Brazilians had a quiet build up to the tournament, not playing anywhere near as many international friendlies as other nations in their preparations, so coach Dunga was happy to get that one out of the way and move on. Brazil are a little unique under Dunga, who named his squad and starting eleven, well in advance of the FIFA deadline. The squad numbers run from 1 to 11 in the side which he put out, indicating that he knows who his best eleven are, and he is not afraid to let the rest of the squad now. You really have to earn your stripes to make your way into the current Brazilian side. The strengths of Brazil were on show in their opener, the creative passing, and the speed and adventure of the full backs. The movement off the ball was as good as the movement on it, and while Kaka had a quiet game, one man who didn’t was striker Robinho. The Manchester City forward looked simply amazing with the ball at his feet. He deliberately took the ball into tight situations, and with mesmerising trickery always got the ball to fellow player. The space he created was magnificent, and his pass to release Elano for the second goal was sublime. His was one of the best performances of the first round of matches. Now Brazil expect to have a lot more space against the Ivory Coast on Sunday, which should suit their passing game even more. The Koreans pretty much shut up shop for most of the match, but the Ivory Coast will pose a threat up front. This is a good test for Brazil against an awkward side, but nothing they should not be able to handle. Dunga is confident, and the players looked confident, respectful of their opposition and delighted with their win. There was no complacency, no bravado, just a quiet efficiency with an air of menace bubbling under the surface. Brazil will know that the Ivory Coast probably will present them the most problems off all of their group rivals, as they will face physical challenges that Korea and Portugal won’t bring.

Brazil World Cup Betting. Even though this will be a step up in terms of quality for them, you would still fancy Brazil to win. There have been upsets at the World Cup 2010 so far, but Brazil falling would really be the biggest. They are organised, strong in defence, and tactically sound. With more space to play they will be even more dangerous, as the Ivory Coast will play a more expansive game than the North Koreans, naturally. Outright betting on the win should be a safe enough bet, and look for anytime goal scorers for Fabiano and Robinho.

Brazil World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: P1, W1, D0, L0
GF/GA: 2/1
Cards: Y1, R0
Most Shots: Robinho, 6
Top Scorer: Elano, Maicon, 1
Shots/On Goal: 26/10
Fouls Committed: 9
Total Passes: 715
Pass Completion: 83%
Last 5 Form: WWWWW

Drogba ready to start and star for Les Elephants

Talisman Didier Drogba could well start the match as his country goes into battle against South American champions Brazil. Drogba, who’s arm was broken prior to the World Cup, came on for 25 minutes in their dour 0-0 draw against Portugal and did not seem to be troubled by his surgery-repaired arm. That will bring much good news for the Ivory Coast as they look to take on their toughest challenge of the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Ivory Coast looked a much more stable side under ex-England boss Sven Goran-Eriksson. There were questions whether Eriksson’s pragmatic and cautious approach would be a good fit for the golden generation of the Ivory Coast’s players, but you could see his influence over his side, as the Ivory Coast were happy to sit, consolidate and hope for the one break which would bring them success. But not even the introduction of Drogba could make the break through in a match which was sadly devoid of goalmouth action, and failed to live up to the promise of an exciting Drogba v Cristiano Ronaldo match up. Eriksson will again put out a side which will try and contain the Brazilians, knowing that a second point for them would not be a disaster in the group, with the North Koreans still to come from them. Les Elephants showed a much tighter, more solid defence against Portugal than they had showed at the African Cup of Nations, and that can be credited to Eriksson. They will that defence to remain calm and steady as the Brazilians will attack them from all angles of the pitch. There is the potential for this to be one of the most exciting matches of the second round of matches, and has the potential for plenty of goals. But the Ivory Coast will probably try and suffocate the Brazilians early on, ceding ground to the more talented side. But with Drogba in the team, he gives good options for going long up front, and he will battle hard against the Brazilian defence, which contains probably the best central defender in the world, Lucio. That will be a fascinating battle to watch, and could be one of the main keys to the game. There is a lot at stake for Les Elephants, as the likes of Drogba are likely to be around for the next World Cup. This generation of players have promised a lot down the years but have failed to deliver. Will Eriksson be the missing link, and lend the World Cup another upset by plotting the downfall of Brazil?

Ivory Coast World Cup Betting: The Ivory Coast would probably be very happy with a draw from this one to be honest, and therefore backing them at a Draw No Bet, would be a brave but very interesting bet. Brazil look solid enough to beat the African nation, but you never know with Drogba on the pitch. It may only take one chance for him, and with the defence looking a lot more organised, there are just the faint callings of an upset. Brazil will press hard in order to ensure qualification from the group, and this could be a real battle. Always worth looking at Didier Drogba for an anytime scorer, especially if he is from the start, as he is the free-kick taker and the biggest menace in the Ivory Coast side.

Ivory Coast World Cup 2010 Stats
Played: P1, W0, D1, L0
GF/GA: 0/0
Cards: Y2, R0
Most Shots: Several, 1
Top Scorer: N/A
Shots/On Goal: 5/1
Fouls Committed: 18
Total Passes: 458
Pass Completion: 76%
Last 5 Form: DLDWD

Brazil v Ivory Coast Betting Odds

Brazil to win: 4/6 at Bet365
Draw: 14/5 at Boylesports
Ivory Coast to win: 5/1 at Totesport

Asian Handicap Betting Tip: Not a lot of choice around on this one really, as Brazil are clear favourites to win this match, and quite comfortably looking at the World Cup odds here. The 4/6 outright price above is not too bad on them to win the match really, but for a little more you can shoot for them winning by two goals, and if they only manage to win by one, you’ll get your stake back. Decent value.
Brazil -1 for 13/10 at Paddy Power
 

Current Brazil V Ivory Coast Odds:

Will the engine room and lynch pin of the Brazil World Cup squad, Kaka, be fit in time to take his rightful place in the starting eleven? The Real Madrid star sat out his club’s weekend match, and is now going to be examined for a hamstring problem. Kaka insists that his fitness for the World Cup is not in doubt, confident that the medical staff will not find any problems which will keep him out of the World Cup. With Germany losing their star midfielder, Chelsea’s Michael Ballack to injury, Brazil, who are second favourites in World Cup betting odds behind Spain, will hope for better news than the Germans. The prognosis for Ballack was that he would be ok, only to find out that he had to be ruled out of World Cup plans after injuring his ankle in the FA Cup final.

Kaka missed a big chunk of Real Madrid’s season through injury between March and April, in a season which has rarely seen him at the very best which he was producing with AC Milan. Kaka is being looked at by the staff in Sao Paolo, his former club, and from there he will go on to meet up with the Brazil World Cup squad at their training camp ahead of their World Cup Fixtures. Kaka is of course, one of the 23 man squad already announced by manager Dunga. There has been no messing around with provisional squads by Brazil, no putting players through a nervous few weeks over who will get selected from an initial 30 man squad. Dunga knows who he wants, but in case of injury, he does have seven players on stand by, including AC Milan star Ronaldinho, who failed to make the main cut.

Brazil start as clear favourites in Group G, as they line up in the Group of Death alongside Portugal, North Korea and the Ivory Coast. It is against North Korea who Brazil will open their account, and after winning the South American qualification zone, Brazil should be a major threat as always on the World stage. Dunga has instilled a more defensive, counter attacking style of play in the Brazilians, a move that has seen them disregard some of their old habits of neglecting defence. The best bookmakers for betting on the World Cup are aware of the threat Brazil carry, and that is why there are one of the two main frontrunners in World Cup odds. The attitude Brazil are exuding is one of pure confidence. With or without Kaka, their squad looks very well balanced, strong and now with Dunga at the helm, they are tactically aware, and will make a strong case for their sixth World Cup.

Manager: Dunga
Captain: Lucio
FIFA World Ranking: 1
World Cup Appearances: 18
World Cup Winner – 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002  

Brazil Article

Brazil Team Profile

No World Cup would be the same without a bit of samba and it’s a pleasure to say that Brazil will play an integral part in South Africa’s 2010 World Cup thanks to them steam rolling their way through qualification, becoming the first of the five South American countries participating in South Africa to make the cut. Now that the Samba specialists are in town, Brazilians back home in South America will fancy their chances of winning what would be their SIXTH World Cup – Stretching their record of World Cup wins further. Moreover, the Brazilians maintained their trend of qualifying for the finals, with Brazil about to participate in their 19th World Cup, while Brazil have never failed to qualify for a World Cup – A feat no other country can boast.

Former Brazil great and 1994 World Cup winner as a player, Dunga is the man the hopes of the nation rest upon as he takes a Brazil squad blessed with extraordinary talent to South Africa aiming to make is six World Cup’s. Dunga has already guided Brazil to the FIFA Confederations Cup last year and he’ll aim to complete a quick fire double by claiming the World Cup on South African, becoming the first country to win the prestigious tournament on African soil in the process, adding that to their many other records and personal achievements.

The Brazilians have an impeccable record in World Cup’s and will undoubtedly rate their chances of success very high once more as they boast one of the stronger teams in the competition. In the 18 World Cup’s they’ve participated in, Brazil have bowed out before the knock-out stage on just three occasions, while they’ve played in 7 finals (Winning 5 and losing 2) and have made the semi-final or better ten times.

Led by a former Brazil player, Brazil will of course be sporting the colours of their famous bright yellow jerseys.

Manager

With success comes great responsibility and the pressure of the nation will land upon the shoulders of Dunga, who has come under his fair share of criticism in his time as national manager. Dunga has tried to transform the Brazilians into a complete package rather then being solely an all-out attacking force. For years Brazil have been a force to be reckoned with in the final third but their defence has generally been their achilles heel. Despite Dunga’s best efforts though, the Brazil defence is still shaky and vulnerable, but it’s in a better shape than never before some believe.

Dunga was of course a former Brazilian international and was capped no less than 91 times for his country, scoring 9 goals along the way. He has got his hands on the trophy he wants to lift as the Brazil coach as a  Brazil player when he guided Brazil to the World Cup back in 1994 as captain, and although he has added the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup to his managerial CV as Brazil manager, he will be desperate to get his hands on another World Cup only this time as the Brazil coach; and with a wide array of attacking flair and technically gifted players at his disposal, he should go close to achieving his managerial dream.

Dunga only needs the World Cup to complete an historic treble as manager of Brazil. In 2007 he led Brazil to the Copa America, 2009 seen him win the FIFA Confederations Cup so victory in South Africa would see his name enter into the history books with an unprecedented treble of international honours.

Brazil Key Players

Kaka

The second most expensive player in the history of the game second only to his Real Madrid team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka is undoubtedly the puppet master in the Brazil team, often seen picking the ball up from deep and charging into the heart of the opposing defence. An array of neat swivels and tricks, a blistering turn of foot and a deadly precise finish make Kaka one of the dangerous men alive purely from a football perspective. Kaka has the ability to single handily drive Brazil towards the victory line, while dashing the opponents hopes and dreams in the same instance. He’s a player which can break a nations hearts but could be the man to spearhead Brazil to their record sixth World Cup.

Luis Fabiano

The Seville forward is the man put solely in charge of obtaining the vast majority of Brazil’s goals in South Africa, while his 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup Golden Boot bodes well for his chances of completing a quick-fire Golden Boot double in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. Fabiano, however, is a late bloomer at 29 years-old and has only made 36 appearances for his country but has one of the leanest goalscoring records around at international level, averaging more than a goal every other game after scoring 25 times for Brazil. He’s also scored twice against Argentina in qualifying, as well as scoring 9 goals in qualifying overall, thus proving that Fabiano doesn’t just score on a regular basis, he also scores in the big games and against the big teams.

Strengths

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that Brazil’s most effective inventory is their attacking prowess. They have so many quality forwards that it puts other country’s to shame. Robinho & Kaka will be a handful for any defence while Luis Fabiano has been prolific in front of goal for Brazil. Dunga’s side will look to open up opposing defences with their lightening fast breakaways and you’ll often see Brazil scoring on the counter as their pace of attack is frightening.

Weaknesses

By far and away Brazil’s biggest and arguably very obvious flaw is their defence. Despite having some highly trained and experienced stalwarts at the back, Brazil still haven’t mastered the art of defending. Lucio and Juan will form a centre-back partnership which doesn’t fill us with any great deal of confidence, as for all Lucio’s battling qualities, we don’t rate him as much of a defender as he’s clumsy and dirty. However, their main problem is with their full-backs. Every Brazil team has had world-class full-backs who bomb forward and aid the wingers with support and deliverieis into the boxes. This has proven very useful from an attacking point-of-view down the years but it leaves the Brazilians handicapped at the back , vulnerable against teams who specialise in counter-attacking football. Both Maicon and Dani Alves get forward very well, while their distribution is generally very good, but they’re rubbish at defending and even worse at tackling. It’s certainly an area in the team which other teams will look to exploit.

Brazil Qualification for the World Cup

Sector: South America
Current Position: 1st
Win-Draw-Lose: 9-7-2
Goals Scored: 33
Goals Conceded: 11

World Cup potential: 5/5

We would look stupid were we to claim the Brazilians, the most prolific and consistent nation in world football, had no chance of winning the prize in South Africa, so we haven’t.

Spain maybe the bookies favourites to win outright but Brazil get our vote ahead of the Spanish. Arguably the best attacking force out of all the 32 teams competing in South Africa, it would be a massive shock were Brazil not to at least make the Semi-Finals. They are, however, one part of this years ‘Group of Death’ alongside the African Elephants, Ivory Coast and the Portuguese. You would fancy Brazil’s chances against both of those, and two authoritative displays against the pair of them would see Brazil’s price to win the competition outright plummet.

We aren’t necessarily saying Brazil are stunning value, as at odds of around 5/1 they aren’t. However, Brazil are extremely reliable and consistent and for your money they’ll take you a long way, deep into the tournament. They are far from unbeatable though, as the USA so nearly proved at the 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup when taking a 2-0 lead into HT. Even so, it will take a colossal performance from one of the elite nations competing at the tournament to see off the classy Brazilians.

Brazil World Cup Betting Odds

Brazil to win the World Cup:         5/2 – Bet365

Before the World Cup the odds on Brazil were 5/1 

Official Brazil World Cup Squad

Goalkeepers

Julio Cesar (Inter Milan)

Doni (AS Roma)

Gomes (Tottenham Hotspur)

Defenders

Maicon (Inter Milan)

Dani Alves (FC Barcelona)

Michel Bastos (Olympique Lyon)

Gilberto (Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte)

Lucio (Inter Mailand)

Juan (AS Roma)

Luisao (Benfica Lisbon)

Thiago Silva (AC Milan)

Midfielders

Gilberto Silva (Panathinaikos Athens)

Felipe Melo (Juventus)

Ramires (Benfica Lissabon)

Elano (Galatasaray Istanbul)

Kaka (Real Madrid)

Julio Baptista (AS Roma)

Kleberson (Flamengo Rio de Janeiro)

Josué (VfL Wolfsburg)

Strikers

Robinho (FC Santos)

Luis Fabiano (FC Sevilla)

Nilmar (FC Villarreal)

Grafite (VfL Wolfsburg)

last update: 18 June 2010

World Cup 2010 Brazil Fixtures – Group G

28/06 – 19.30 – Round of the last 16: Brazil – Chile: 3-0

02/07 – 15.00 – Quarter Finals: Brazil – Holland

World Cup Group G - Table

World Cup Fixtures and Results

World Cup Group of Brazil