Fave tag makes Brazil nervous

Sao Paulo (Brazil): Very few people are betting against Brazil at the World Cup.

The Brazilians have so many of the best players in the world, own a record five World Cup titles and carry the greatest aura in soccer.

The national team has won two of the last three titles, losing in the other final to France and is coming off a successful 2005 season.

There's no denying Brazil is heavily favored to win the tournament in Germany. And the Brazilians acknowledge that, as do most of their opponents.

The Brazilians, however, will be the first to point out that things won't be as simple as they look.

"It's true that we have great chances to win the World Cup," coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said.

"But that doesn't mean it's a done deal. We still need to play the matches and win them. And we know that's not going to be easy. All teams will be trying their best to beat the defending champions."

Brazil is as strong a favourite as ever. In addition to comfortably leading FIFA'sworld rankings since 2002, Brazil won the 2004 Copa America and Confederations Cup in 2005. It also finished first in the South American World Cup qualifying group, ahead of rival Argentina.

The team will be led by two-time FIFA Player of the Year Ronaldinho, and he will be supported by all-stars including Kaka, Ronaldo, Adriano, Cafu, Robinho and Roberto Carlos.

"We have a very strong team, very technical and experienced," said Ronaldo, the hero of the 2002 title team.

Brazil's World Cup record is unmatchable. It has reached the semifinals in 10 of the 17 World Cups since the competition started in 1930, and is the only team to have played in every tournament. It was runner-up twice.

Brazil has played 87 World Cup matches, winning 60 (including the last seven), tying 14 and losing only 13. It has outscored its opponents 191-82.

But no matter how good Brazil may be, history shows it could have a hard time in Germany.

After winning its first two titles in 1958 and 1962, Brazil was heavily favoured to clinch a third in 1966 in England. Even with Pele in his prime, the team played poorly and was eliminated early.

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Another disappointment took place at the 1974 World Cup in West Germany, after Brazil's dazzling campaign to win its third title in the 1970 tournament in Mexico. This time without Pele, Brazil was eliminated by the Netherlands and finished fourth.

"Several times the favourites came back home early," Parreira said. "Just remember France and Argentina in 2002, they had chances to win the title, but were knocked out early."

In 1982 in Spain, Brazil assembled a great team with stars including Zico, Socrates and Falcao. The team enchanted fans and cruised through the first two rounds, then was shocked 3-2 by Italy when it needed only a tie to advance.

By contrast, Brazil's fourth and fifth titles came when it was not heavily favoured. In 1994, with Parreira in command, Brazil surprised many en route to the championship in the United States.

And in 2002, the Brazilians won despite limping into the tournament in South Korea and Japan, clinching a berth only in its final qualifying match.

"When a national team is too superior than another technically, things can get out of control," Pele said recently.

"The other team will enter the field knowing they have to play their best. They will play harder to try to overcome their disadvantage."

Everyone will be aiming for the five-time champions. If Brazil wins a sixth title, it will be at least another 12 years before another country could match it and Germany or Italy would have to win all the World Cups through 2018.

"All teams that made it to the World Cup finals play at a very high level, and all of them will be extra motivated to try to beat Brazil," Ronaldinho said.

The Europeans will have a slight edge with the tournament being played on the continent. European nations have won eight of the nine World Cups played there. But the one outsider to win in Europe was Brazil in 1958 in Sweden.

In its 19 matches since 2005, Brazil has lost only three times, but all of the losses came against potential World Cup opponents. It fell 3-1 to Argentina and 1-0 to Ecuador in South American World Cup qualifying, and 1-0 to Mexico in the Confederations Cup.

In 2006 World Cup, Brazil is in Group F with Croatia, Australia and Japan, hardly the most challenging division.

Brazil and Croatia tied the only two times they played, including 1-1 in an exhibition game last August.

The Brazilians have a winning record against Australia, but the Aussies beat Brazil 1-0 the last time the teams met, in the 2001 Confederations Cup in South Korea. That Brazil squad wasn't close in quality to the one it is now.

The defending champions have five wins in seven matches against Japan. The teams tied the other two times, including 2-2 in the Confederations Cup last year in Germany.

So Brazil's players are cautious.

"This could be one of the most even World Cups ever," Ronaldo said.