Despite the doubts surrounding football, and the insecurity in linking performance to results, the World Cup is the only competition with so many knockout matches spread around the world that has never seen a major upset, with a small or even medium-sized team winning the World Cup. One day this could happen.
The team is playing its first match against the strong Moroccan team, which ranked fourth in the 2022 World Cup, although it is not among the candidates. Then they will face a very weak Haiti. The third match will be against a weak Scotland, although the Scots have a habit of putting up big battles. There are two places and eight other places for the best third places. There will be no difficulties in qualifying.
The Brazilian national team has some shortcomings, but all the other candidates for the world title have problems as well. Among the competitors, Spain is the one that plays the football that I like to watch the most. It has great players like Pedri and Lamine Yamal, who control the ball, exchange passes, and play beautifully and efficiently. But I do not see her as the only candidate, as the difference is very small compared to the other candidates for the title, such as Argentina, France, Portugal, Brazil, England and Germany.
The team that includes Rafinha, Vinicius Junior and other great strikers has everything to be very strong. After injury, Rafinha returned to the field from the start of the match, with great brilliance, in Barcelona’s 3-1 victory over Atletico Madrid.
Unlike other great strikers, like Vinicius Junior, who needs many great moves to make a decisive move, Rafinha, in two or three moves, becomes a great hero with his precise passing and finishing.
Neymar remains a World Cup hope, but there’s nothing more antiquated than saying that at 50% fitness, he should already be a World Cup starter. With Ancelotti, Neymar will only play if he is in very good physical condition.
One of my fears is that the team will remain hostage to the rapid, sometimes hasty, movement of the ball from defense to attack, in order to take advantage of the characteristics of the attackers, who are characterized by speed and elusiveness. They rely on many spaces to shine brightly. The ideal situation is to alternate this position with the ability to control the ball, exchange passes, and wait for the right moment to try the decisive play, especially when facing tighter defences, as will happen in the World Cup.
Brazilian clubs remain hostage to a tactical formation with two midfielders combined with an advanced and positioned midfielder. Even in the national team, there is a lack of outstanding midfielders who play from one midfield to another and possess a lot of talent, such as Vitinha from the Portuguese national team, Pedri from the Spanish national team, and others.
When Arthur started his career at Gremio, it looked like he would become an outstanding midfielder. He went to Europe and didn’t stand out, as has happened to countless bright young Brazilians. Did this happen because of the low technical level in Brazil or because of other factors? Would this be an embodiment of our hybrid complex, as Nelson Rodriguez put it, which is the belief that everything in Europe is better?
The only solution to solve the problems and doubts is for the Brazilian national team to perform exceptionally well and win the World Cup.
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