Preview: Brazil vs. Croatia
GAME DETAILS
Brazil vs. Croatia, Berlin, 21:00 CET
THE BIG PICTURE
We all know about Brazil, and we’re all waiting to see Ronaldinho in action, But there’s so much hype surrounding the World Cup holders and favourites that you wonder if any team could live up to expectations. Croatia will be a stern first test. Though no longer possessing the attacking threat of the 1998 semi-final team (Davor Suker, Robert Prosinecki et al) this is a team with a stern defence, and won’t give up goals easily.
Scout Report - Brazil
Strengths - This Ronaldinho fella is meant to be decent, while fellow superstar Ronaldo seems born to play in World Cups (3 more goals and he’ll pass Gerd Muller’s competition record of 14). Add the talents of Kaka, Robinho, Adriano, Juninho AND the Adidas Teamgeist ball and you’ve got a recipe for goals.
Weaknesses - Despite the undoubted talents of forward pairing Ronaldo and Adriano, neither has enjoyed successful domestic seasons. Ronaldo failed to pull his (considerable?) weight in a Real Madrid shirt, while Inter Milan fans have questioned Adriano’s mental state. Lucio hasn’t been his imperial self in central defence, and with ageing fullbacks Cafu and Roberto Carlos unable to resist going forward, some gaps could appear at the back. Croatia will need to get the ball first though.
Scout Report - Croatia
Strengths - Juventus defender Robert Kovac leads a mean 3 man defence, protected by a two man defensive midfield of Igor Tudor (a converted defender) and Niko Kovac, neither of whom are afraid of the rough stuff. Right midfielder Darijo Srna is often called the “Beckham of the Balkans” for his quality crossing and dead ball skills. 21 year old attacking midfielder Niko Kranjcar (whose father Zlatko is the coach) has touch, vision and creativity that have seen him compared to Zinedine Zidane.
Weaknesses - Glasgow Rangers’ Dado Prso will lead the forward line as the definite first choice striker, but he is notoriously injury prone. His strike partner will be either Ivan Klasnic, who seems unable to reproduce his Werder Bremen form in Croatian colours or Ivica Olic, who hasn’t been a prolific international goalscorer. Croatia’s success could depend on finding a winning combination up front.
Teams: Likely formation; shirt numbers, name, caps and goals; coach
Brazil (4-4-2): 1-Dida (86-0); 2-Cafu (145-0), 3-Lucio (50-2), 4-Juan (38-2), 6-Roberto Carlos (127-10); 5-Emerson (72-1), 11-Ze Roberto (79-5), 8-Kaka (34-9), 10-Ronaldinho (66-30); 9-Ronaldo (98-62), 7-Adriano (34-22) Coach: Carlos Alberto Parreira
Croatia (3-4-1-2): 1-Stipe Pletikosa; 7-Dario Simic, 4-Robert Kovac, 3-Josep Simunic; 2-Darijo Srna, 5-Igor Tudor, 10-Niko Kovac, 8-Marko Babic; 19-Niko Kranjcar; 17-Ivan Klasnic, 9-Dado Prso. Coach: Zlatko Kranjcar
THE BOTTOM LINE
Bob sez: Brazil 3-2
Chris sez: Brazil 3-1
Sean sez: Brazil 2-1
Peter sez: 1-1
Nick sez: Brazil 2-0
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Comments
Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 29 comments.
Read the rest of the comments
By soze | June 13th, 2006 at 3:14 pm 
I think (hope) a draw. 2:2. My heart is racing and I am super stoked. I have been singing Neka Pati Kome Smeta all morning.
Posted from 
Canada
By Today, Brazil Will Stop - FIFA World Cup 2006 - Brazil World Cup Team Blog | June 13th, 2006 at 4:11 pm [...] If anything, we have a lot of questions about Brazil right now. Brazil does have many of the best players in the world, but does that make the better team? Is the Ronaldinho Gaúcho we’ll see the same Ronaldinho Gaúcho who played on Barcelona? Are our team’s defense mistakes fixed? Will Cafu perform like a 20 year old runner (like he did during training matches) or will he get tired too soon? Is Ronaldo fit for long matches, or will he be substituted by Robinho on the second half? Will we get the chance to see Juninho Pernambucano’s perfect free kicks? Will the team start in full swing and walk over Croatia, or will it have to start slowly and gain confidence during the group stages, like it did on 2002? Can we actually be considered favorites, after having only beaten poor teams in the past few months? Are we living a daydream, a clever plot created by Argentina and Germany to make us think we’re the favorites while they’re keeping a low profile and they’re the actual contenders? Or is the hexa inevitable? Or even still, like Daryl said on the match preview, with so much hype surrounding a team, how can any team live up to expectations? [...]
Posted from 
United States
By Today, the Country Will Stop - FIFA World Cup 2006 - Brazil World Cup Team Blog | June 13th, 2006 at 4:20 pm [...] If anything, we have a lot of questions about Brazil right now. Brazil does have many of the best players in the world, but does that make the better team? Is the Ronaldinho Gaúcho we’ll see the same Ronaldinho Gaúcho who played on Barcelona? Are our team’s defense mistakes fixed? Will Cafu perform like a 20 year old runner (like he did during training matches) or will he get tired too soon? Is Ronaldo fit for long matches, or will he be substituted by Robinho on the second half? Will we get the chance to see Juninho Pernambucano’s perfect free kicks? Will the team start in full swing and walk over Croatia, or will it have to start slowly and gain confidence during the group stages, like it did on 2002? Can we actually be considered favorites, after having only beaten poor teams in the past few months? Are we living a daydream, a clever plot created by Argentina and Germany to make us think we’re the favorites while they’re keeping a low profile and they’re the actual contenders? Or is the hexa inevitable? Or even still, like Daryl said on the match preview, with so much hype surrounding a team, how can any team live up to expectations? [...]
Posted from United States
By Petar Skoc | June 13th, 2006 at 5:09 pm idemo hrvatska!
Posted from United States
By Hex | June 13th, 2006 at 8:01 pm Bob is probably going to be in the front row for this game. 
Posted from United States
By Melissa | June 13th, 2006 at 8:05 pm tough call, im going to go with Brazil 2-1.
Posted from United States
By Vin | June 13th, 2006 at 8:17 pm I believe Bidemi’s analysis is correct. Brazil is in for a physical game, Eastern European-style. I’d imagine it will be difficult to Samba dance when there is a red and white shirt on top of you.
Posted from United States
By Cerebral Wanderer | June 13th, 2006 at 8:29 pm Of course Brazil!
Posted from 
India
By Philip | June 13th, 2006 at 8:52 pm Darkoze:
I have to give you credit, you pretty much nailed the USA-Czech result.
Today i’ll go with Brasil 2-1, Croatia’s a reasonably tough opponent but Brasil should be better. Too early for the European curse to kick in….
Posted from United States
By Philip | June 13th, 2006 at 8:54 pm Woohoo! CCTV-5 working for me. Here come the teams!
Posted from United States
By larsen | June 13th, 2006 at 8:57 pm brazil will win 3-0
Posted from 
Qatar
By larsen | June 13th, 2006 at 9:02 pm Strengths - This Ronaldinho fella is meant to be decent, while fellow superstar Ronaldo seems born to play in World Cups (3 more goals and he’ll pass Gerd Muller’s competition record of 14). Add the talents of Kaka, Robinho, Adriano, Juninho AND the Adidas Teamgeist ball and you’ve got a recipe for goals.
Posted from Qatar
By Nanna | June 13th, 2006 at 9:43 pm im going with brazil 4-0 always the best!
Posted from United States
By Keat | June 13th, 2006 at 9:54 pm HOping brazil to score more !!!!
MAybe 3-0 will do……..
Posted from 
Malaysia
By Nick | June 13th, 2006 at 9:58 pm I think that brazil will win either 2-0 or 2-1 somewhere around there;)
Posted from Canada
By Aneeza | June 13th, 2006 at 11:01 pm gr8 Game…..I knew Brazil Will win…Croatia played very well as well…
By hrvatska | June 13th, 2006 at 11:04 pm Proud to be Croat
Posted from 
Croatia
By Mario | June 14th, 2006 at 3:40 am yeah wat..let me see any other country in the tournament to play as well as croatia did against brazil..they did lose but not by much croatia didnt let them have the ball much…im a croat and i knew they would lose but not 1-0..they were better than i tought…man the fans are awsome..love u hrvatska
Posted from Canada
By Stalin John Manuel B | June 14th, 2006 at 8:18 am Brazil games is not so much what all expected. But anyhow croatia fight well. Brazil 1 - 0 Croatia
Stalin BalBoa
TamilNadu
India
Posted from United States
By Siddharth | June 14th, 2006 at 11:20 am I think ppl are least bothered if croatia or brasil win, the whole world is waiting for India to play the football worldcup some day and see them win………It’ll surely happen someday……………………………
Proud to be Indian
Posted from India
By Sheesh, Get Off Our Back - FIFA World Cup 2006 - Brazil World Cup Team Blog | June 20th, 2006 at 5:52 pm [...] You know, Daryl’s words on the preview of Brazil’s premiere match against Croatia have become quite prophetic: “there’s so much hype surrounding the World Cup holders and favourites that you wonder if any team could live up to expectations”. [...]
Posted from United States
By azzroy_7304 | June 26th, 2006 at 5:57 am The Brasilian team should play very2 well agaist Ghana, coz this the knock out round. the brasilian coach should make some substiton. coz i`m the one of the milion brasilian fan. and i hope Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Kaka can co-operatif to work together and brings the world cup back for 6 times. hope so….
Posted from Malaysia
By GO THE ROOS | August 1st, 2006 at 3:36 am C’MON AUSSIE C’MON
Posted from 
Australia
By malla | September 26th, 2006 at 2:24 am kaka is just the bomb man
but who cares i want nepal
once to be qualified for the world cup
Posted from India
By Nicola | August 11th, 2007 at 6:18 pm guys croatia,is the best soccer team and thats a fact no1 can beat them and if they have its because croatia has been uncoordinated!!!! PROUD TO BE A CROAT!
Posted from Australia
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