Betting on Brazil at the World Cup 2010

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:

Group G Teams: Brazil, Ivory Coast, Portugal, North Korea. The mighty Brazil will dominate all of the headlines in this group, as their methodical approach to the greatest football tournament on Earth, continues ominously. They are the top ranked FIFA team in the World, they have been one of the strong front runners in World Cup Odds, and are going in search of their record sixth World Cup triumph. Online bookmakers are taking a lot of money on Brazil, and rightly so. Their record is second to none, and they have been the most prepared team ahead of the finals. With an interesting passage to the final, the eyes of the world will be on Brazil, to see if they can deliver. The pressure is on them, but is there a nation better equipped to deal with it? The time is now to get your early bets down on Brazil to win the touranment outright, as well as any other outright bets. Once they start progressing, their odds will get shorter and shorter. Here our guide to the best value bets in each World Cup group, continues with Group G.

Outright Market: Brazil 8/13 at Ladbrokes
Little surprise here. When this group was drawn at the World Cup draw, it was immediately dubbed the group of death, with the looks on paper that it would be a close run thing. However, with the Ivory Coast showing their usual problems of looking like a team of superstars instead of looking like a superstar team at the African Cup of Nations, and with Portugal having struggled through European qualification, suddenly the group looks a lot clearer. Brazil coach Dunga should be one of the most confident coaches at South Africa 2010. He has not played any games with the press, and since taking over has done things his way, which may have meant that Brazil compromise a little on style, but they are a much stronger team for what Dunga has done. There is a strong defensive aura about the South American legends at the moment, and they have the ability to catch teams on the break. This will unquestionably put a lot of fear in not only the other group rivals, but the rest of the genuine challengers for the World Cup. If things progress through the tournament as expected, then Brazil should run into England in the semi finals. The five time world champions look a lot stronger right now than any of their group rivals. They open with the easiest task of playing North Korea, and with the Ivory Coast and Portugal taking points off each other in their opening fixture, Brazil should be in pole position after the first round of games. It is difficult to see them losing grip of that, and that is why, although at lower odds obviously, this does represent a fairly safe bet.

Not To Qualify: Ivory Coast Evens at Blue Square
The Ivory Coast are a bet worth taking in this, whether or not Didier Drogba plays. Their iconic striker fractured his arm in a pre-tournament warm up, and while his operation has gone well, coach Sven Goran Eriksson is still unsure of what type of role the Chelsea man will be able to play in the tournament. One thing is for certain, and that the Ivory Coast need him. Going into the tournament, the Ivory Coast are seen as the strongest of the African Nations, and rightly so, as it is a team which has been together for a very long time, and is the African nation packed with superstars. However, they have never shown much of an ability to play as a team, and that has been their downfall, as displayed again at the African Cup of Nations this year. Howeve,r they now have ex England coach Sven Goran Eriksson leading them, and while the Swede has not had a lot of time to prepare the Elephants for the World Cup, there is also doubt over whether his style of management is right for the Ivorians. There is a bit of a dichotomy over this one, as Eriksson may have to cede some of his style, and let the players dominate how the Ivory Coast turn out. Eriksson may not have at his disposal, the type of players which he likes to work into his conservative tactics. Because of these reasons, amplified if Drogba does not play a full role, this bet represents some good value in seeing the Ivory Coast fall short again. Given a different group, they may have had more of a chance, but this is a very tricky one, as explained in the next best value bet below.

To Finish Second: Portugal 13/10 at Boylesports
As much as they struggled to get to the World Cup, Portugal also bring with them some good World Cup Odds. This is largely down to the fact that they did struggle, however, out of all the doom and gloom surrounding them, and their grey clouds of uncertainty, there is in air about them. An air that they will do much better when the tournament starts. They have good players in their squad, that is without question, and one thing which should give them a lot of confidence, is that they dug so deep in recovering from poor form during qualification, to actually get to South Africa 2010, that they must be feeling somewhat unbreakable. They are not one of the strongest challengers in the tournament, that is for sure, but if you are looking for a mysterious dark horse that is probably getting overlooked right now, then you probably should not look much further than Portugal. Yes, they have Cristiano Ronaldo, and as much as he does not want to admit it, he will probably have to carry the nation on his shoulders. There is not the same amount of all round quality and ability in the Portugal side as say Brazil, Holland and Spain, but if they can put that aside and turn out as a team, the few world stars they carry could elevate them. This is an outside bet, but at the price, the value makes sense to have a nice punt on it.

Group Stage Most Goals Scored: Portugal 9/4 at Bwin
As Brazil are expected to win the group, the natural tendency for your betting strategy would be to think that they would win it in style, scoring freely and running riot. You may not see that type of Brazil at South Africa 2010, but judging by the problems the other teams in the running have, they are probably still worth a safe bet in this market. But if you want to push the boat out a little bit, then looking at Portugal again, may serve you a little better in terms of odds. They have the ability to score, even though it fell short in qualification at times. Again, this bet is backing Portugal to come good, where they have not showed a great deal of promise so far. It will all be down to how well they get off the mark against the Ivory Coast. Portugal have the ability to creatively break other teams down, and they can get behind teams down the flanks, so if it comes together for them, then there could be plenty of goals in the World Cup for them.

To Finish Bottom: North Korea 1/5 at Coral
This is the safe bet of the group, just as it is for Brazil winning the group. Therefore there are no great odds on offer here, but if you want to back up the likes of the above bet, which is a more borderline one, with a cert in making up a multiple bet, then it can make a good building block in your betting strategy. If the North Koreans pick up a point in this group they will do well. They look well short of what South Korea can bring to the World Cup stage, and having landed in the worst group possible, it will be something if they can make any kind of impact.

Brazil, who have already arrived in South Africa ahead of the World Cup, have booked two friendlies to get themselves warmed up for their World Cup Fixtures. Admittedly they are not the toughest test that Brazil will face over the next month or so, but it will give Dunga’s men some match practice and fitness. The Seleçao have booked two International Friendly matches as part of their warm up, one against Zimbabwe, and another against Tanzania. Brazil will become the first non-African nation to play in Zimbabwe for 30 years. Brazil bowed out of the last World Cup at the Quarter Final stage to France, somehow. Beware of the beast with the wounded pride. Twelve months ago, Brazil won the FIFA Confederations cup in South Africa, so they are prepared for the conditions, which are more likely to suit the European nations.

Brazil are the number one FIFA ranked team in the World going into South Africa 2010, but are second in World Cup Odds to European Champions Spain. Brazilian coach Dunga named his 23 man squad well ahead of time, in a no nonsense approach to laying out his intentions. This is clearly Dunga’s Brazil, with his authority stamped all over it, and he wasn’t about to bow to pressure to include one of the world’s top players in his squad. So, while there was no room for Ronaldinho and Adriano, the Brazil who are marching to the tournament in a quest to secure their sixth title, are ominously powerful in all departments, including defence. With Brazil probably the most business like team in their approach to the World Cup, you only have to look at Dunga’s face to know that he is not there to mess around. In fact, if past trends are anything to go by, Tanzania and Zimbabwe will probably face the full brunt of the World Cup starting eleven.

Naturally there will be a lot of justified betting on Brazil at the World Cup simply because of their heritage and record in the competition. Not to mention also that continuously produce some of the most talented footballers in the world. Not to mention that they won the tough South American qualification zone. Not to mention they have a goal machine in Luis Fabiano, and so on and so forth. Brazil will always be a strong bet in the competition, and there is a chance that they could run into England in the semi finals if they both win their respective groups. World Cup betting sees Brazil hovering around the 9/2 mark, just a little out from favourites Spain, but still, for a nation that has won the World Cup five times already, that is an extremely decent price to jump all over. If you pulled them out of World Cup sweepstake you wouldn’t be disappointed, would you?

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.

One of the most popular directions in which betting money always goes to, is betting on Brazil at the World Cup. The five times champions of the World, go into the 2010 FIFA World Cup full of confidence, as coach Dunga has named his 23 man squad already. There is no messing about and waiting to see who makes the cut from a 30 provisional squad, for Dunga. Brazil are ready. Technically, physically and mentally. Brazil are Brazil, and the omnipresent World Cup nation is ready to reclaim its world status, after climbing back to the top of the FIFA World Rankings. But people expecting to see the attacking Brazil, who take the field with some arrogant disregard for defensive duties, may be disappointed. This is a Brazil side who look organised, efficient and know how to keep the ball out of their end, largely thanks to the phenomenal centre half pairing of Lucio and Juan.

Not known for producing defensive stars, Brazil have a back bone of two of the best defenders in the World at their disposal. Think Rio Ferdinand without the constant stream of aimless long balls. Both Lucio and Juan are solid in defence, but equally as dangerous and proficient in going forward when the time is right. In fact, after falling below their expected standards in Germany 2006, Brazil have undergone some sort of change, and have become even more ruthless in being extremely clinical with a counter-attacking approach to their games. The pace of attack is there. That old Brazil flair is there. It is just being used more intelligently in the grand scheme of things, and that should mean that they are even stronger than ever before. There clearly is no messing around from the South Americans, and that should put fear into the rest of the teams participating in the World Cup.

Dunga has instilled a strange new element of defensive duties in the Selecao, but this has not taken anything away from the Brazil that the football world knows and loves. This means Brazil are balance in defence and attack, and those old vulnerabilities are not there to be so easily exposed. The full on house-hold names of attacking stars may not be there, there may not be the wealth of experience with which they took to the 2006 World Cup, but the new Brazil is all round well prepared. The consistency is there in the team selection, something which Dunga enforced by not ceding ground to the pressure from the press to include such household names as Ronaldinho and Adriano. The measure of the Brazil World Cup squad can be measured by Ronaldinho’s exclusion. He is fit, he has been in startling, eye catching and lethal form for his club AC Milan, but still he could not break into the squad.

The defensive duo of Lucio and Juan have been the cornerstone of Brazil’s defence since 2005. That adds up to only three defeats in 37 games in which they have been paired together. In those games, Brazil have conceded just 21, a clear indication that Brazil know how to defend more than ever. The quality of Lucio has been on display in the Champions League this season, as his Inter Milan side have progressed to the final of the competition at the expense of Chelsea and Barcelona, whose star players have been squeezed out of the games. The defensive pairing are ready, and they are in form, with Juan playing for Inter Milan Serie A rivals Roma. All of these clear signals of the strength of Brazil, should put pressure on them to win their sixth world title. Their qualification campaign was a sign of what was to come, efficient and at times clinical, topping the group in the end by one point.

Brazil’s World Cup Record

• They will have appeared in all 19 World Cup Tournaments
• They have a World Cup Record of: W64, D14, L14
• They have won the World Cup a record Five Times in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002
• They have scored 201 World Cup Goals and conceded 84

World Cup odds may be just leaning towards Spain to lift the greatest accolade in football. But will the famous Amarelinha shirts be able to overturn what the bookmakers think where it matters, on the pitch? Is there a better nation in the world to handle the pressure of being favourites? They have the unquestionable quality in the likes of Julio Cesar in net, Maicon in defence, Kaka in midfield, and Luis Fabiano up front. The squad is expansive, organised and solid, if by no other definition by the names which have been excluded. The options have been tested and explored by Dunga in something of a methodical manner. Brazil are favourites to top Group G, which has been dubbed the Group of Death, with the Ivory Coast, Portugal in the mix, along with Korea DPR. There are no real surprises in the 23 man squad, to which seven stand-by players will be added. The defensive duo of Lucio and Juan are the epitome of just where the new Brazil are at the moment under Dunga, and well worthy again of their status of being one of the tournament front runners. Dunga’s approach may not be the most traditional way of Brazil, but it is effective. His side conceded just 11 goals in 18 qualification matches against some of the most attacking sides in the world.

Brazil 23 man squad:
Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar, Doni, Heurelho Gomes
Defenders: Maicon, Dani Alves, Lucio, Juan, Luisao, Thiago Silva, Gilberto, Michel Bastos
Midfielders: Gilberto Silva, Felipe Melo, Josue, Elano, Ramires, Kleberson, Kaka, Julio Baptista;
Forwards: Robinho, Nilmar, Luis Fabiano, Grafite.

Group F World Cup Betting Preview: It has been dubbed the Group of Death, and it’s not hard to see why. While all the fun an anticipation of the World Cup 2010 Draw was about which groups France and Portugal, two of the dangerous floaters in the draw, would land in, it was Cristiano Ronaldo’s nation which drew the short straw.

World Cup Teams: Brazil, Korea DPR, Ivory Coast, Portugal

One of the two favourites for the 2010 FIFA World Cup are the great Brazilians, the nation with the most World Cup history and prestige about them. The mighty Brazilians have gotten their hands on the trophy five times, and they are always somewhere at the head of the prices when it comes to World Cup Betting. They won their qualification group in South America, but were pushed very hard by Paraguay and Chile. Brazil, managed by Dunga have been playing with AC Milan’s Ronaldinho, and that is a mark of the quality which they have. They have so much quality in their squad with the likes of Luis Fabiano, Nilmar, Kaka and Robinho that it is no surprise that they will be one of the strongest nations in South Africa. This is largely down to their style of play, and the inherent technical ability which seems to course through their individuals players. The current side legend Dunga has at his disposal, may not be one of out and out flair that the Brazils of the past may have been, but maybe this is playing up to new strengths. The current Brazil is efficient and strong in defence and has plenty of strength in depth as well. They are, and probably will always be the team to beat, and betting on Brazil at the World Cup will continue to be plentiful. Are they in a position to win the 2010 FIFA World cup in South Africa? The undeniable answer to that, is yes. Fabiano hit 9 goals in qualification, keeping up his incredible goal scoring record for his country, but Brazil did suffer two defeats along the way, once to Bolivia and once to World Cup dark horses Paraguay. That didn’t halt their progress though, as they finished as group top scorers, and the team with the best defence. Uncharacteristically, it could be the defensive side of the current Brazilian game which leads them to glory in South Africa. They open their World Cup 2010 account against Korea DPR, which set them on a good path. The Ivory Coast landed themselves a tough draw for the second World Cup running. After being lumped in with Germany and Argentina at the last tournament, they now have to deal with Portugal and Brazil. They had a disappointing African Cup of Nations, which resulted in them sacking their manager. They have now drafted in former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson, in the hope that the Swede’s experience can gel the team together and get them out of the group. Looking at the World Cup Fixtures for this group though, it won’t be easy, and their opening match against Portugal is something of a crucial decider. Whoever wins that would put themselves in pole position to grab an expected second place behind Brazil. The Ivory Coast have star players in the likes of the Toure brothers and their talisman Didier Drogba. The current side has been together for a long time, and it is a little surprise that they were so individualised at the African Cup of Nations. Whether Sven Goran Eriksson’s defensive and economic style will suit them remains to be seen, but he could bring the kind of qualities to the team that were successful in getting England through tricky qualification groups. The third factor in Group G is Portugal, who only qualified for the tournament by the skin of their teeth. For some reason they struggled badly through their European Group, and stumbled over the line behind Denmark. This put them out of the seeding and landed them an unfavourable draw. Like the Ivory Coast they have their stars in Deco and Cristiano Ronaldo, but whether the quality throughout the team is there, is another question entirely. There are two sides to look at when betting on Portugal. Yes, they had a hard time qualifying, but they showed quite a lot of resilience in actually managing to qualify under some considerable pressure. They do perhaps have the edge of the Ivory Coast, and that first World Cup Fixture will be crucial for them. Quite what the Korea DPR will be able to bring to the table in this Group other than being the whipping boys, is hard to determine. They performed above and beyond expectations in reaching the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals, in a group where the Korea Republic and Saudi Arabia were favourites, but they do hold one of the most remarkable pieces of World Cup history, as they famously beat Italy in 1966. The stand out name for Korea DPR is Jong Tae-Se, who is their star striker, and their speed could cause defences problems, but overall ability will fall short in this incredibly tough group. The draw could have been kinder to them, but if they go home with a point it will be a surprise. This is the toughest group because there are three genuine contenders, but only two tickets available for safe passage through to the last sixteen of the tournament.

Group F Betting Stats (World Cup History form in brackets)
(Final outcomes of Golden Goal, Extra Time and Penalty Shoot Out results count as wins or losses)

Brazil: The nation which has made the World Cup their own. They have encountered Portugal once before in the World Cup, back in 1996, with unhappy memories. In Liverpool, the Portuguese ran out 3-1 winners. No history against Korea DPR or the Ivory Coast in the World Cup. (P92, W66, D11, L15)

Ivory Coast: Still waiting to make their impact on the World Stage, and again they have been dealt a rough hand. Didier Drogba will need to shine, and need to get off to a strong start. No history against the other nations. (P3, W1, D0, L2)

Korea DPR:  Famously made it the Quarter Finals in 1966, beating Italy along their way, which was their crowning glory in their brief World Cup history. Who beat them in those Quarter Finals? Group rivals Portugal 5-3. (P4, W1, D1, L2)

Portugal: Just the one triumph over Brazil in the group stages of the 1966 World Cup, which was the last time Brazil failed to get past the first stage. (P19, W12, D0, L7)

World Cup Group G - Table

Group Stage Fixture List

World Cup Betting at SportingBet for Outright Winner of Group G, has Portugal at 7/2, Ivory Coast at 4/1, North Korea 100/1 and Brazil are favourites at 9/20 (and 5/1 to Win the World Cup Outright).