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The two previous articles in this series looked at the European favourites for the Big Prize in the summer. This time we turn our attention to South America.

Of all the countries that have ever taken part in World Cups, one is on everyone’s list of potential winners even before a ball has been kicked in the qualifying rounds: Brazil. This status of perennial favourites has perhaps more to do with the country’s history in the competition than the strength of the squad at any given time, although if the truth be told, the squad is also invariably outstanding. In Portuguese, Brazil are pentacampeões, meaning that they have won the Cup an incredible five times (Brazilians call the World Cup simply A Copa, reflecting the familiarity between the country and the competition), almost a third of all the World Cups since the first in 1930. And Brazil is the only country to have been in every one of them - 17 in all.

That’s some record … but it’s also the manner in which Brazil have won their Copas that has left an everlasting impression on the world of football. In 1958 in Sweden (winning the Final against the hosts, 5-2) and in 1962 in Chile (3-1 against Czechoslovakia) they had the masterful Garrincha, Vavá and an impossibly young Pelé as the cream of a bounteous crop; in 1970 in Mexico (4-2 in the Final against Italy) they had what many regard as the team of the century, prime exponents of what Pelé dubbed ‘The Beautiful Game’. As three-time winners, Brazil got to keep the Jules Rimet Cup on that occasion.

Brazil had perhaps a more pragmatic approach in 1994 in the USA, where flair took a back seat to a midfield that included the dour Dunga and Mauro Silva, and the goal-less Final went to penalties against Italy and the unfortunate Roberto Baggio (who missed his), but up front there were O Baixinho (‘Shorty’) Romário and Bebeto to provide at least a few thrills. And in the last World Cup in South Korea and Japan, Brazil embraced their heritage once more, fielding in the 2-0 Final victory over Germany an attack of Kléberson, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and match-winner Ronaldo; simply unstoppable.

From that Copa-winning team, Ronaldo and Ronaldinho, who has taken over the mantle of Best Player in the World, will grace the Canaries again, alongside the tank-like Adriano and supported by the excellent Kaká. If there is a question mark over the side, it is in defence, where the ageing full-backs Cafú and Roberto Carlos may yet be found wanting, but it is a small question mark, in brackets. At the bookmakers in England, Brazil are 9/4 favourites to win the World Cup (which means that if you bet four pounds, you will win nine if Brazil are Champions) - worth ten pounds of anyone’s money!

At 8/1 are Argentina. After Brazil, they have the next best World Cup record in South America. They have appeared in 13 Final phases and in all of the last eight, winning the Cup on two occasions and losing in the Final on another two (in 1930, 2-4 to hosts Uruguay, and in 1990 in Italy, 0-1 to Germany). In 1978, a galaxy of stars, including Passarella, Ardiles, Villa, Houseman, Luque, and the tournament’s top scorer Kempes (six goals) took hosts Argentina to the Final and a 3-1 win over Holland. Eight years later, it was a short, rather tubby midfielder who almost single-handedly gave his country the title, at the same time reinforcing the mystique of Argentina as a fearsome force in world football. The name of the player? Maradona, of course.

Argentina have had trouble finding a replacement for such an influential player as El Pibe since his retirement, and in the three most recent World Cups without him, the best they could do was a quarter-final place in 1998. But this time they were the first team from the CONCACAF zone to qualify, and they might just have a team to make us forget those legends of the 70s and 80s: players like Lucho Gonzalez and Riquelme in midfield and Crespo and Tevez up front deserve respect from any opponent, while in the diminutive Messi, if fit after injury, they have a player of such immense talent that even the ghost of Maradona may take a holiday from haunting the squad. If Brazil’s Achilles heel is their defence, Argentina do not have the same problem: they conceded just 17 goals in 18 games in qualifying, three of them against Brazil (Argentina got their revenge, copying the 3-1 score-line in the return). What might be an obstacle, at least on paper, is the group in which Argentina find themselves, arguably this World Cup’s ‘Group of Death’ (the most difficult one to qualify from): Argentina play Ivory Coast, Serbia-Montenegro and old rivals Holland. There are bound to be fireworks, but expect to see Argentina going through to join Brazil in the last 16 … and beyond.

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Do you think other South American teams could win the World Cup? Write and let us know.

Links

If you enjoyed this article, you might like to see World Cup Favourites (North Europe) and World Cup Favourites (Southern Europe).