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Brazil - Team Profile
27/05/2006
The betting public's favourite, the expert's favourite and seemingly everyone's favourites Brazil go to this World Cup with the weight of the world on their shoulders. Winners five times and finalists in the last three tournaments the South American Champions are as low as 5/2 to regain the crown they won in Japan and South Korea four years ago.
Odds:
It's not surprising considering the strength in depth they can call upon. Much will depend on their current Spanish connection where players such as Ronaldinho and more recently Ronaldo are terrorising defences.
Starting at the back their goalkeeper Dida has been a consistent international performer for a number of years and is a specialist penalty saver - though not against Liverpool in the Champions League Final 2005. In front of him play two offensive full backs. Roberto Carlos has been a mainstay of the team for years and he is ably assisted on the opposite flank by Cafu. Other defensive possibility include Alex of Fenerbahce, Real Madrid's Cicinho, Lucio of Bayern Munich or Lyon's Cris.
The midfield may include Arsenal's Gilberto (an ever-present in World Cup 2002),the World Footballer Of The Year Ronaldinho along with any two from Emerson of Juventus, Milan's Kaka, the German-based Ze Roberto, Real Madrid's rising star Júlio Baptista and Juninho from Lyon.
Up front will see Ronaldo play alongside the prolific Adriano of Milan or Real Madrid's Robinho.
Brazil's main problem could be the lack of form plenty of these players showed in the latter part of the season.
Anyone who considers them beatable may want to look at the exchanges to try and lay them to win World Cup 2006 but it would take a brave man.