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Brazil the favourites - so what's new?

November 26 2009 at 09:32PM

By Diana Renee

Brazil rely on an unwritten motto - drive, discipline and austerity - to seek in South Africa 2010 their longed-for sixth World Cup title.

Confirming Brazil's status as the current leader of global football remains a pending task for coach Carlos Dunga, who took over command of the "verdeamarela" amid great scepticism in August 2006, after a disappointing campaign at the 2006 World Cup.

Dunga - an inexperienced manager - silenced his critics with important wins and titles. In 50 matches under the command of Dunga - a former Brazil captain who lifted the trophy in the 1994 World Cup - the "selecao" have won 34 and lost only five.
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After a hesitant start they recovered to end the South American qualifiers at the top of the table and obtained one of the best streaks of results in Brazil's triumphant football history.

The team that is led on the pitch by Real Madrid's Kaka is currently a solid group that stands by the coach.

Over the past three years, Dunga tried to change the spirit of the "canarinha." With the same strength he showed as a defensive midfielder on the pitch, Dunga built a squad in which no one - not even superstar Kaka - has privileges.

"Dunga adopts the same criteria for all, from Kaka to the substitute keeper," a source very close to the coach noted.

Unlike what happened in Germany 2006, when then-coach Carlos Alberto Parreira avoided strenuous training and defined himself as a "talent manager," Dunga demands from players hard, constant work as a condition to remain in the team.

Dunga's Brazil is a side that is more balanced than brilliant. They do not have in their attacking line the quality of the "triple R" (Ronaldo, Rivaldo and Ronaldinho) that won the 2002 World Cup. But Kaka, Robinho and Luis Fabiano have proved their efficiency: Brazil scored 33 goals in 18 qualifying games.

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