Big Question: How do you Beat Brazil?
They’ve been in the finals the last three tournaments. They are the number one ranked team in the world. They have the world’s best player. They have no shortage of offensive weapons. Brazil enters the World Cup as the favorite, but as the saying goes, no team is unbeatable. Today we present the top secret blueprint for how to beat the world’s top team.
Play physical but smart football: You can’t let Brazil get into a rhythm. One way to prevent this is to do some intelligent fouling to disrupt the pace of the game. Tackle hard in the mid portions of the field, but don’t allow Brazil to enjoy too many set plays near your goal.
Focus on the midfield: If you look at the games where Brazil has had the most difficulty, you see opponents who clog the midfield. Limit the space where Brazil’s midfielders can operate. If you control the play on the midfield you take away Brazil’s pace and creativity. Playing five across might not be the worst idea. Take a look at how Turkey played Brazil in the semifinals in 2002.
Don’t play bunker ball: If you think you can put 10 behind the ball and beat Brazil you are going to lose. You have to keep Brazil’s midfielders and defenders honest, otherwise they will spend all night tap dancing around your penalty area. Well timed counter attacks and runs up the flank force Brazil to keep its players at home. When in your offensive end, attack Brazil’s central defense.
Play without fear: Don’t let Brazil’s stars and history affect how you play. No team is without its weaknesses and this year’s Seleção is no exception. If you give Brazil too much respect they will make you pay.
Voodoo: One of the most underrated techniques in all of football. Don’t be afraid to consult your local witch doctor and order up a spell on Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Robinho. Learn how to hypnotize your opponents with a simple three-second stare. See tape of Ronaldo at France 1998 for example of how this works.
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Comments
By Bense | March 14th, 2006 at 9:03 am 
I’d say the most important thing is not to risk stupid standards and not to run into counterattacks. That goes for every game, I guess.
Espacially against Brazil, you need to play offensively, with a lot of pressing in the backward movement and the most important thing: Sliding tackles. You can only pray not to have a too whistle-happy ref on the pitch. But if he lets the sliders perform, Brazil gets absolutely pissed, frustrated and irritated.
Posted from 
United States
By nicholas ohio | March 14th, 2006 at 11:36 am The article makes a couple of good points. Ronaldo is not playing well, Robinho isn’t a regular in the Real Madrid team, Cafu is hurt, Kaka is playing average at the moment, Adriano is also play so so at the moment. Dida is also not playing well in the Milan goal. Brazil is interesting because they can turn it on pretty much when ever they want. Ronaldinho is the key, you get some someone to tackle him hard and try to get him out of his game early. I think if you stop him you stop Brazil this year. Also attacking the flanks against them is huge because you can catch them out, a perfect example is Roberto Carlos who is well past his best and a really bad defender. Pressing offensively on the flanks is key to success against them.
Posted from United States
By kgnatiko | March 14th, 2006 at 1:37 pm I dunno about that. People think that roberto carlos is a bad defender but I think he’s actually a decent defender. For the article, I doubt they will win the WC because the favorite almost never wins it. They do have a chance and I think their biggest problem is going to be team spirit. Also the slider tactic is a good point because they tend to get frustrated easily that way.
Posted from United States
By Euler | March 14th, 2006 at 2:28 pm So violence is the key? I better warn our team about that!!! Hey Ronaldinho!!! They want to break your legs!!! Refs!!! Read this!
That would be a fun article in the refs blog!
By Otto | March 14th, 2006 at 4:04 pm You are full of theories about how to stop Brazil. You can not stop the talent of the brazilians players..sorry at the end Brazil will lift the cup again
Posted from United States
By Adrian | March 15th, 2006 at 1:16 am Yeah, fouls is really not the way you want to stop Brasil. Seriously, do you want Ronaldhino to be injured. Look, I don’t want Brasil to win the WC again - however, I enjoy watching the Brasilian players in the European leagues to much for wanting them to be injured.
I think a perfect excample of how to play (and not play) against the Brasilians is Holland in the 98 WC. Play attacking football, keep the ball in your ranks with short, low passes, play over the sides, attack them early in the midfield and always, always, always keep with the forwards. This is how Holland equalised and got into the over-time…and then they showed how NOT to play against Brasil (the article mentions this as well): do not try to play defensive football. Eventually, they are gonna get you. Brasil is always, at any time and stage of the game, able to score a goal. And if they don’t, you certainly don’t want to face them in a penalty shoot out.
This WC, I seriously put my hopes on Argentina to take out the Brasilians. They did it in qualification already. Hopfully, they won’t cruble as they did in 2002. That was rather sad.
Adrian
Posted from 
Australia
By Player Profile: Cicinho - FIFA World Cup 2006 - Brazil World Cup Team Blog | March 17th, 2006 at 4:55 am […] I have been trying to watch every Real Madrid’s game to see our boys playing, but he is the one I admire the most. He defends, he attacks, he runs all around the field during the whole game, he serves with precision… he will be an important key player in our team. If violence is the way to stop Brazil, these are the legs you want to break. But don’t break them, please. […]
Posted from United States
By Fabiana | March 18th, 2006 at 8:19 am Hahahaha.
Ps:. I’m Brazilian.
By Luis Carlos | April 1st, 2006 at 5:31 am You’ll probably don’t beleive me, but there are 2 or 3 teams that can beat brazil in eliminatory rounds. Ant one of them is Mexico. We could probably lose to USA or Argentina or even South Korea, but I don’t know why we have beaten Brasil in 4 of the last 5 matches.
Posted from 
Mexico
By LUIS GONAVLES | April 16th, 2006 at 9:58 am just tell croatia face them they will lose the checkers will confuse them big TIME CROATIA#1
Posted from 
Canada
By Pedro P | April 16th, 2006 at 10:33 am I’d say:
1) Concentration - a big strength of Brazil’s game is “hypnotizing” the adversay; when you see what’s happening it’s too late
2) Solid team work - don’t need to throw them on the floor - let Italy do that 
3) Defend far away from your own goal
4) Play in possession and pressure them keeping your midfield as closed as possible
5) Don’t be scared by the names - they also have a lot of weak spots
Posted from 
Netherlands
By soze | April 16th, 2006 at 10:48 am To try and defend far away from the net opens up Adriano and Ronaldo for their famous run ins. A nice little pass from midfield to either of those two is a guaranteed goal. A team has a better chance of defending close, so as to keep their attackers surronded and stifled.
The only problem at that point is Kaka..a very able player at close range.
By Pedro P | April 16th, 2006 at 10:59 am Soze, like this, any small mistake in defense means goal.
Posted from Netherlands
By Carlos Aquino | May 5th, 2006 at 3:57 am I say that to beat Brazil, its opponents have to emulate BRAZIL. Play, Pray and be artistic like Ronaldinho, run and be magical like Ronaldo, be flashy and playful like Robinho, be serious like Roberto Carlos, be talented like Kaka, Juninho, and Cicinho, be happy like the millions of football Fans the world over!
One World Cup! One month of exciting, dramatic, awe-inspiring exhibition of the Beautiful Game….and world Peace!
Smile everybody! =)
Posted from 
Philippines
By red | May 11th, 2006 at 7:00 am croatia will show u guys how slap the shit outta brazil
stay tuned.
r.
Posted from 
Poland
By DT | May 11th, 2006 at 7:31 am Teams like Italy, Holland and Argentina are capable of beating Brazil by playing the way they normally play.
For other teams:
Play three defensive midfielders who are tough tacklers.
Play short passes back and forth inside your own half or in the midfield for 10-15 minutes. This will bore the opposition. When they’re bored, start a blitz attack!
Play ugly football by provoking the opponents, time wasting, not kicking the ball out when the opponent’s injured, etc.
It won’t be entertaining but it’ll beat Brazil.
Posted from Australia
By dino | May 12th, 2006 at 12:18 pm Adrian-Australia,you are losing your marbles. Brasil also beat Argentina 2 times. 1-in the qualifications of South America. @-in the Copa America. Brasil will win the Cup. Viva Brasil and Viva Honduras. BRasil was first in qualification points.
Posted from Canada
By Danilo | June 11th, 2006 at 10:56 pm Greetings from Brazil,
I think our team is strong but full of flaws. We have good odds of making goog games, but nevertheless we’ve been pretty unstable lately. Hope our team make a good show in Germany and bring the Cup (and hence prove this thread wrong and useless 
:) :)), but before all I want this to be a good and peacefully championship.
Nice cup for all people in this world!!!
[]’s
Danilo
Posted from 
Brazil
By paul | June 14th, 2006 at 10:09 am Does anyone think that cicinho will get any playing time in this world cup?
Posted from United States
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