Everyone's getting excited about the big names going out and the rest of the favourites playing badly but all this means is that the Brazillians are virtually guaranteed to win it. Theyre on form and any realistic opponents (bar the Italians) are now gone.

This World Cup is LESS "wide open" than any other before it not more so.

Have you seen Brazil vs. Turkey? ;)
Very convincing...

Italy v Croatia though? if the Italians are the next best thing then my prediction is correct. Anyway, wasn't it more of a case of Turkey playing well rather than Brazil playing bad?

Also, it was their first game and any team can do badly in their first one - Argentina in 1990?

Argentina was quite bad in the whole World Cup of 1990.
I think of the game against Brazil and even more about the final against Germany, where they didn't have the slightest chance.

And the teams in this World Cup are so equally strong, that Italy is not the only contender to Brazil.

Argentina used to be my favourites for the world cup for quite awhile but by the time the world cup had started, I was predicting them to go out, although I still thought France would win. I think that Brazil will probably win but there are still plenty of great teams in the world cup and any one of them could beat Brazil on their day.

There's definately goping to be some great games - I reckon the 2nd round and 1/4 finals will have the best ones as there's most chance of an upset there.

In the semis and final any "minnows" lucky enought to get through will be overawed by the occasion and lose their nerve. Those rounds are where Brazil feel quite comfortable and, therefore, should take it easily.

Italy is not the only competition for Brazil. Denmark, believe it or not, should be considered a real threat. They are playing superbly and confidently. Spain could beat them if they tighten up their defense for a whole match. Why not Japan or Korea, the home crowd provides an edge every time?

I thought Spain looked pretty sharp today against S. Africa. If they can play defense like they did in the last 10 minutes today (I don't think SA got a shot, and they *needed* a tie to stay in the WC), Spain ought to go pretty far.

Brazil isn´t playng that good at all. The two games we won were against weak teams. Most of the press here only criticizes the team. But I have to agree that we will win th Cup anyway :) .

I've heard from some Brasileiros in Brasil that no-one likes the performance the team has put on, but I don't know why. China was a good laugh for all concerned, and entertaining for it. Turkey are a tough team and Brazil played some beautiful football in that match.

If they don't win, are you guys going to let Ronaldo back into Brazil this time? ;)

Was all that stuff about his girlfriend cheating on him and telling him about it just before the final true? If so, what do Brazillians think of her now?

I heard you guys had a government inquiry into it all - what was the conclusion?

If they don't win, are you guys going to let Ronaldo back into Brazil this time?


Ronaldo, yes. But the defenders will have to find a new nationality.

Was all that stuff about his girlfriend cheating on him and telling him about it just before the final true? If so, what do Brazillians think of her now?

After Brazil lost to France TONS of stories appeared but they all are probably false. Ronaldo´s ex-girlfriend is now married with the Flamengo´s goalkeeper who almost went to the WC.

I heard you guys had a government inquiry into it all - what was the conclusion?

We had TWO government inquiries that only proved that these presidents of teams and federations (including the president of CBF) are corrupt, dishonest and powerful enough to escape from decent punishment.

brazil shall fail vs Belgium!
Burn in hell Brazil!

Originally posted by philippe
brazil shall fail vs Belgium!
DIE BRAZIL DIE!

:lol: :lol:

Brazil - Fear the red devilets!

:lol: :lol:

Don't make us laugh boi.

well you gonna lose anyway.....
:satan:
sabotage is fun

Usually the team thats looks best in the early games goes out before the final. The teams that struggle through and then get better and better are the ones to look out for.

This means



England WILL win!

I notice Italy struggling against Mexico yesterday - is my prediction getting MORE likely to come true? I think so:p

Originally posted by Rodgers
Was all that stuff about his girlfriend cheating on him and telling him about it just before the final true? If so, what do Brazillians think of her now?

I heard you guys had a government inquiry into it all - what was the conclusion?

Actually, the CPI (parlamentary inquiry comissions) were not about the lost in the World Cup, but about corruption in our federations, as Henrique has told.

One of the points investigated was the possibility of the CBF (Brazilain Football Confederation) having a contract with NIKE that allowed them to have ingerency in the team management, including when, where and against who would we play friendly matches, and who the coach would call to play any game.

As many people here believed in a sort of "conspiracy theory" of Brazil being ordered to allow France to win the WC, that matter was adressed in the CPI. Other point investigated was the possibility of NIKE ordering our coach to put Ronaldo in the field even after he had the convulsions, to assure their commercial contracts.

Also, there were a bunch of them that misused the oportunity to ask Ronaldo why the hell didn't Brazil win - like the answer was any other than "France has played better and scored all the goals".

In that aspect, the CPI's were all a bunch of crap, if you ask me. But they did a good job in exposing some of the corrupt team and federations presidents here. We are now in the process ofd development of a law to attrib personal financial responsibility for them during their rule over any football organization.

Let's just hope the Senate do it well and quickly.

I feel smugness coming on here

Well it all went wrong for England...You were right, there were too many slocks which left us with a tournament that had an exciting group stage but a poor knockout stage.

Yeah - the latter stages have been rubbish (apart from Spain v S Korea) - ah, well - lets see what Euro 2008 hold :)

Do you mean Euro 2004?

Germany will win

Hold on...This topic has gone slightly off topic so are you saying that Germany will win the world cup or that they will win Euro 2004?

Well, I hate to say I told you so....

Anyway, good final in terms of football but overall the later rounds were a bit disappointing compared to what came earlier

Brazil deserved to win in the end but I agree with you, that the later rounds were not that exciting.

Germany will have their chance in 2006, no doubt - they will be the host country, their team will be more mature. And they are germans, so they will just be damn good.

I agree with the others, the later rounds really were anticlimactic after all the excitement of the early phases. O well.:cool: