Word: braziller
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...Some Teams Just Can't Win Although the pre-Cup form book predicted otherwise, Brazil and Germany - the usual suspects - turned up in the final...
...hundreds of millions of fans who will watch the World Cup from around the globe, football is also more than a mere game. After all, a football team is a vessel for a nation's habits and aspirations, psychoses and strengths, triumphs and disappointments. Brazil's beautiful game. France's Les Bleus. Italy's Azurri. Nigeria's Super Eagles. They are more than teams. They are 11-man embodiments of national pride and passion. And yet the World Cup may be the only medium where national pride can be flagrantly, vividly manifest without diplomats being recalled and troops mobilized...
...This time, in the first World Cup ever held in Asia, the French will have millions of fervent supporters back home. And France, led again by Zidane, are 4 to 1 favorites to win. But an almost desperate Argentine team figures to challenge, as does Brazil, eager to avenge its 3-0 humiliation by France in '98. Among the Europeans, Italy's rejuvenated attack makes them a threat. But the smarter bet may be Portugal?brilliant in midfield, and efficient enough elsewhere to stand a real chance of reaching the final four. As for the Eastern Europeans: Croatia...
...France won't have the luxury of the home field this time but neither will the other favored teams. And the French team has only got better since '98. It still features largely the same defense that ran roughshod over Brazil in the final plus a mature front line that has now been battle-tested in England's Premiership and Italy's Serie A. Fullbacks Marcel Desailly, Lilian Thuram and Bixente Lizarazu can pick up where they left off, augmented by Roma's superb left back Vincent Candela. They should make up for goalkeeper Fabian Barthez' propensity to lose...
...That used to be Brazil's job, until the team went wacko. First it was just Ronaldo, whose breakdown/seizure/panic attack before the '98 final has never been explained. In its torturous qualifying round, Brazil lacked magic, and the local media have been merciless. Brazilian coach "Big Phil" Scolari was mobbed after neglecting to name onetime hero Romario to the squad. Scolari, who took over 11 months ago when Brazil was in danger of not qualifying, knows that anything short of a fifth world title will be dubbed a failure. "If I don't win," he said, "I'm dead meat...