South Americans faced with 60-year hoodoo

FOOTBALL: Brazil and Uruguay are plotting to upset the European monopoly and break a 60-year hoodoo when the World Cup quarter-finals kick off tonight.

While Germany won the last World Cup in Brazil, the only time a South American team won on European soil was 1958 when 17-year-old Pele scored twice in Brazil’s 5-2 rout of host Sweden in the final.

Russia 2018 marks the lowest Latino representation since 2006, when six Euro teams made the last eight en route to Italy’s win over France in the final.

Costa Rica (2014), Ghana (2010) and Senegal, USA and Korea (2002) are the only other times teams from other continents to reach the quarters since Roger Milla’s Cameroon in 1990.

Brazil flew the South American flag solo in the last eight of Japan/Korea 2002 and USA 1994 but did it with distinction, holding the World Cup trophy aloft on both occasions.

Uruguay’s hopes of upsetting France in the tonight’s first game (midnight AEST) have suffered a blow with preda- tor Edinson Cavani (calf) likely to be ruled out after limping off following his two-goal heroics against Portugal.

Barcelona’s Luis Suarez, who’s scored twice in the tournament, will assume attacking duties for Uruguay, while its stingy defence – they’ve conceded just once in four games – won’t allow Kylian Mbappe and co as much latitude as Argentina did in the round of 16.

Brazil’s Real Madrid left-back, Marcelo, has been declared fit after recovering from a back spasm and could return against Belgium despite replacement Felipe Luis putting in a solid round-of-16 shift against Mexico.

Buoyed by the late comeback against Japan, Belgium coach Roberto Martinez is relishing the Red Devils’ underdog tag.

“It’s a dream match for our players – they were born to play in a match like this,” he said.

“Naturally we want to win, but we are not expected to and that is an important difference.”

Tonight: Uruguay v France, 12am; Brazil v Belgium, 4am. Live on SBS.