BRAZIL ONCE AGAIN THE TEAM TO BEAT
Perennial powerhouse appears to be class of this World Cup following group stage
The music stopped, but Brazil’s national team, along with tens of thousands of fans inside Spartak Stadium, kept singing. They make their World Cup opponents respect the second verse of a national anthem FIFA cut in half.
Serbia’s confused lineup looked around, but ultimately stood in line to hear their opponents belting out Hino Nacional Brasileiro a cappella.
The Selecao aren’t just expected to win on every occasion. There’s a certain aura, a kind of reverence, an inevitability that comes with donning a yellow kit dotted with five stars.
“We don’t live off of expectations,” Brazilian coach Titi said post-game. “We live off reality.”
While English media spent Wednesday night debating if The Three Lions should throw their decisive Group G meeting with Belgium, the Brazilians weren’t bothered by potential pairings and brackets and future opponents.
They used this convincing 2-0 win to re-establish themselves as tournament favourites ahead of a knockout round that’s unlike anything we’ve seen.
At the conclusion of this group stage, Brazil’s side of the bracket could contain as many as five former World Cup winners and the current European titleholders.
Yet the five-time champions don’t seem bothered by their collision course with Mexico or Belgium or England or anyone else. It was hardly mentioned during Titi’s post-game availability.
Recent evidence suggests everyone else should be concerned after watching Brazil’s growth at this tournament.
The Serbians can attest to what it feels like to defend a Brazilian front four whose movement is on another level from any team that remains.
Philippe Coutinho was unstoppable against a Serbian midfield that lacked mobility in the centre of the park. Willian and Gabriel Jesus haven’t yet played to their potential despite solid showings in this must-not-lose fixture.
Neymar looks like a changed man after being bombarded with early-tournament criticism for repeated antics that rightfully earned him a reputation at this tournament.
But Neymar’s alter ego, the good Neymar, is a player whose ability to weave through traffic and isolate opposing fullbacks makes him a nightmare to handle. There were instances here Wednesday in which Neymar was impossible to defend. If he wasn’t taking on Serbian defenders at pace, he was slowing things down before his first two steps saw him leave defenders in his wake.
More impressive, though, was Serbia’s inability to put anything together aside from a five-minute spell. The Selecao ultimately survived, a sign this iteration of Brazil is the clear favourite to win a sixth world title.
“The team is strong because we have athletes with different characteristics, but all of them are important,” Titi said.
It doesn’t matter that Brazil is without two first-choice fullbacks now after Marcelo’s early exit at Spartak Stadium. Their central defenders have been near perfect since conceding to Switzerland in their first match.
Miranda and Thiago Silva are so safe they’re unnoticeable when they’re not creating havoc in the penalty area when they saunter forward for corners and restarts.
The pairing rarely seemed bothered behind a more balanced midfield that was sorely lacking four years ago.
It’s a Brazilian side Titi is credited with bringing back to life following the meltdown at the Mineiro.
“It’s a balanced team. We’ve always looked for a balance,” assistant coach Cleber Xavier said. “It’s a team where everyone knows how to defend and attack. We don’t change the system.”
A Brazilian reporter wondered post-game how a Brazilian coach managed to remain so calm through the first few weeks of this tournament.
“I’m apparently at peace,” Titi said, “but I’m going to have a drink tonight.”
The Selecao are back to their rightful place as the elder statesmen of this tournament.
Expect to hear their anthem through next month.