Are Brazil Now The Favourites To Win The 2010 World Cup?

The team that wins the Confederations Cup doesn't necessarily become the best in the world and the Confederations Cup isn't played among the best teams in the world. Moreover, the team that triumphs in the Confederations Cup almost inevitably disappoints in the World Cup finals the following year, but even then Brazil's performance in the competition wouldn't have failed to amaze the football loving community on the planet.

No doubt, Brazil deserved to win the competition. Throughout the tournament the Canarinhos had everything a national football team is expected to have: the technique and talent to play the beautiful game beautifully, the will to win, the character to dig themselves out of holes, the ability to sustain patience until success is finally achieved, the commitment to remain true to one’s ideals and the urge to maintain national pride.

Spain might still remain the most exiting national side to watch (and Argentina the most talented) but Brazil were the more poetic in the competition. What Spain lacked was the mentality and steel to be effective in a more pragmatic way but Brazil weren't bereft of that. Their football in the competition wasn't exactly the swashbuckling, awe-inspiring, all-consuming poetry that the legendary 1982 Brazilian side composed and the current bunch of players collectively are not the most talented the South American nation have had in recent years, but there is a certain almost European-like strength of character and will to win in this massively coherent Brazilian team.

The 2010 World Cup finals is only about a year away and it can be safely assumed that Brazil will qualify for the finals. Only coach Dunga can say whether he really meant to win the Confederations Cup or just wanted to play and test the team but in any case Brazil's performance must have been as delightful for him as it was frightening for the rest of the 2010 World Cup favourites.

This Brazilian side feeds on the creative ability of the Confederations Cup's MVP Kaka. The new Real Madrid recruit is the fulcrum of this side that is one of only three national teams in the world who can play exotic poetic football, and it was he who came time and time again to Brazil's rescue, be it slotting home a late late penalty against Egypt or ripping apart a 9-man defence of the USA. It won't be a ludicrous idea to state that in a year's time it would be Kaka again who would be the playmaker-in-chief for Brazil in South Africa.

Then there's of course Robinho and Maicon, the two 'flank-men' who (should ideally) combine perfectly with Kaka in midfield. Brazil's success in the World Cup qualifiers is due to the link-up play between Robinho and Kaka and although the Manchester City star was below par in the Confederations Cup, he still remains the most talented player among the Brazilians who started against the USA on Sunday. Maicon's surging runs upfront as well as his work ethic to run back to his defence and clear the ball from danger is a marvel to behold.

Then comes the combination of the defensive midfield duo of Gilberto Silva and Felipe Melo. They are the ones who protect the defensive line led by Lucio who does possess the technique to get past opposition defenders inside the opposition penalty area. And if Lucio gets beat, then there is Europe's best goalkeeper of 2008-2009 Julio Cesar. As for FC Barcelona star Daniel Alves, who for Spanish football followers is the best right-back in the world, he plays as a substitute.

The majority of the rest of the side is comprised of lesser known players, a number of them currently playing their club football outside Europe. But you don't necessarily need a team of 11 world class footballers to win football competitions. That was shown in the 2006 World Cup finals when Kaka, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Adriano failed to do much, with only Kaka emerging from the ruins with some credit.

Since Germany 2006, Brazil have recovered almost dramatically to win the Copa America and now the Confederations Cup. But to baptize them as the 'divine favourites' for 2010 World Cup would be a mistake. Felipe Melo is developing, by this time next year Gilberto Silva would be 33 and Alexandre Pato would be 20 and would be ready only for the 2014 World Cup; and Luis Fabiano for all his goalscoring feat and class is not the player that Ronaldo is/was.

Teams like France, Germany and Argentina didn't feature in the Confederations Cup and they would of course be sterner tests than Egypt, South Africa or the USA. Italy might have been pillaged by Brazil in the group stages but Marcello Lippi remains a shrewd tactician who can get the best out of his players in the worst of times. Spain's defeat to the USA owed more to the Americans' spirit and was a one-off and although England are more hype than substance forever destined to make to the quarters but not beyond are a tricky side under Fabio Capello.

Individual-wise Brazil are not the most frightening side, Spain and Argentina are; collectively it is a different story. This Brazil team has a certain chemistry about itself and has a brilliant mixture of youth and experience, of stars, semi-stars and no-stars and this is what makes it a dangerous side. Football, as everyone would acknowledge, is a team game, and Brazil, of all teams, are the perfect embodiment of this idea.

Subhankar Mondal