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Italy 4.5 - Brazil 4.5

May 17th, 2006 | By: Josh | 58 Comments »

The way I see it, if we take the Cup (which would almost by necessity entail a beating of Brazil at one stage or another), we’d be all square in the Cup department. Granted, Brazil have 5 world cups in their trophy case, to what would be Italy’s 4th. But if you consider 1994 (it haunts us all doesn’t it) and what really went on there, you’d agree with me (as I consistently tell my Father-in-law) that Brazil currently have only 4 1/2 world cups, and Italy have 3 1/2. My reasoning is as follows:

The 1994 final featured the undisputed best offensive team in the world versus the undisputed best defensive team in the world. Both teams played their hearts out — not just for 90 minutes, but for 120 minutes, and what was the final tally at the end of actual play? 0-0. Given their relative strengths, I think it’s fair to conclude that the Azzurri won the battle.
Brazil can have the physical cup for the 94 final (unlike their third cup, see note at bottom) but they’ll always have, at most, a 1/2 star for 1994 in my book.
So, getting back to 2006, if the Azzurri hoist the cup on July 9th, we’ll be knotted with Brazil at 4 1/2 stars.

Note: In 1970, Brazil won permanent ownership rights to the original Jules Rimet World Cup pursuant to an agreement that the Cup would permanently go to the first country to win its third world cup. The Rimet World Cup was subsequently stolen in 1983 in Rio, and has never been recovered. I understand that they have a nice replica. Talk about your holy grail– find that cup!!!!

Of course, Brazil beat our beloved Azzurri in the ‘70 final with what has been regarded as their best WC team. The current chatter in the Brazil camp is that their 2006 squad is the most talented team ever assembled. Whether or not that translates into a 6th (or 5 1/2) world cup is another story….

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Comments

Displaying the most recent 25 comments from a total of 58 comments.

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By rescorpione17 | May 19th, 2006 at 1:35 pm

to everyone else but the likes of Ronaldo ,Daniel or…it seems that our friends from brasil take pride in being unpolite like children in primary school…they should look in their backyard when calling anyone names like S.O.B

Posted from United States

By Josh | May 19th, 2006 at 2:12 pm

Come on guys, let’s keep it light, eh?
Life’s too short;
Life’s a bicht and then you die….

Posted from United States

By Josh | May 19th, 2006 at 2:15 pm

Dave Chappelle: “I’m Rick James, Bicht!” LOL!

Posted from United States

By Ronaldo | May 19th, 2006 at 2:42 pm

for rescorpione17: well I think I wasn’t unpolite, I told everyone my opinion and I gave you back a descent and a pertinent answer and no one was able to counter strike. So shut up and take your yellow smile away. You guys didn’t get a word of what I said. You maybe were able to read it, but did you really were able to understand it?

Posted from Brazil

By Forza | May 19th, 2006 at 8:52 pm

I think the Italians have nothing to lose. As an Italian fan i do not expect them to win the WC2006. I think most of the pressure is on Brazil and the home team. Italy will come in cool calm and ready to play. All we fans and spectators can do is cheer on our teams. Goodluck to all teams…FORZA ITALIA

Posted from Canada

By Euler | May 20th, 2006 at 6:46 am

Wow Rescopione, in what comment did Ronaldo get arrogant or unpolite? Sometimes when you say facts they can feel like an insult for a passionate person, but we should never let that impair our ability to dialogue.

I must thank Ronaldo and his father for these words: “ball kicked on the bar doesn’t score as half goal”.

By Rescorpione17 | May 20th, 2006 at 10:24 am

Guys i just meant the use of of the word “STRONZO” if you know italian you must know it is offensive if you use it without knowing now you know end of the story and move on! my point is that if everyone idssupposed to have fun no one should ac disrepectfully ….

Posted from United States

By Rescorpione17 | May 20th, 2006 at 10:31 am

as for the 1994 i would never claim it as aan 1/2 victory never in that case Italy would have 1/2 of the trophy at home …a loss is a loss no matter how it comes and that counts !also for everyone else no escuses for whatever reasons in any circumstances this is is my position and let evryone deal with their own past ..including the difficulty of digesting some defeats… even the most winning country (brasil) has some wounds that are hard to forget (1950,1978,1982…) isn’t that a fact ?

Posted from United States

By Your Kind Words - FIFA World Cup 2006 - Brazil World Cup Team Blog | May 20th, 2006 at 10:49 am

[...] In our Italian blog I’ve been reading many things about Brazil. One post suggested that in 1994 we only won half of the title. In another, our ragazzo Josh compares both rosters side by side and states that they have a stronger team, naturally. Even stronger statements are made by the commentators, saying insane things like ‘Brazil without Ronaldinho and Kaka is nothing’ or ‘Brazilians (except for kaka) are all scum bags just like Adriano and Ronaldo’. [...]

Posted from United States

By dino | May 20th, 2006 at 11:16 am

Deja de llorar-stop crying-get over it-Brasil has won fair and square. 5=cinco Cups and Italy less. Brasil is the best. Let us partake of the glory of the game for peace and harmony. The complaint department is closed,amigo. Viva Brasil and Viva Honduras and Viva the beautiful game. Gracias.

Posted from Canada

By Vin | May 20th, 2006 at 5:49 pm

Way to see both sides of the story, Dino. I respect Brazil as a team… why can’t you respect Italy?

Posted from United States

By akki | May 21st, 2006 at 5:09 am

why christian veiri dropped from italys wc team

Posted from India

By Joseph | May 21st, 2006 at 2:32 pm

Just responding to the song and dance from the italian fan calculating with his fingers the number of world cups.
Italy is alright but only the great prevail.

Try doing the math again.
a..umm…what?

Posted from Canada

By Fabio | May 21st, 2006 at 3:06 pm

he wasn’t dropped, he got injured and would not be ready to play for the world cup
and dino brazil is good, very good, but this summer lets let the scoreboards talk about who is gonna be the best, cause my money says it wont be brazil

Posted from Canada

By Italia | May 22nd, 2006 at 6:58 am

I hope that winner will not be Brazil, other the WC won’t be interesting anymore. But if Italy wins (Inshaallah) it will be a great holiday.

Posted from Tajikistan

By Josh | May 22nd, 2006 at 8:41 am

Pingback: You’re the first person on this post to say that “Brasilians (except for Kaka) are all scum bags.” Please point to where you see this. Or if it’s from another post or another country’s site, please state that. Otherwise, please refarin from writing inflammatory comments. Thank you.

Also, Brasil are great. No question about it. But Brasil are lucky to have won the ‘94 cup. EXCEEDINGLY LUCKY. In fact, if Italy had won the ‘94 cup, I would be saying the same thing about Italy. I honestly don’t believe that you could decide a world cup on something as whimsical as penalty kicks. I can’t overemphasize that it’s the WORLD CUP we’re talking about. This is the one instance, IMO, where the players should play until a goal is scored, even if some have to sit on the pitch and rest, or even if it requires the keepers (a bit more energy perhaps) to start making runs at goal.

Look at hockey. Hockey has penalty shots, but you’ll never see a single playoff match decided by penalties at any round. They’ll play 5 or 6 overtimes if they have to. Look at the Philadelphia Flyers vs. the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2000. It went 5 overtimes and it didn’t even decide the series. It made for one hell of a contest though, and most fans were up until 2:30 a.m. until the very end.

That’s the kind of guts and glory that the world cup is about, not about penalty kicks and which player makes the lucky guess in terms of the goal keeper’s direction.

That has no place in determining which is the better team. Keep it on the field of play, under team conditions, not individual happenstance.

Brasil are great, and certainly play the most beautiful football in the world, but ‘94 was a true windfall. It just so happens that they were the lucky ones to benefit by it. 1/2 star, only. Sorry.

You could think what you want, but for those who agree that PKs have no place in a WC final, they’ll understand my point.

Posted from United States

By JoLaFiotte | May 25th, 2006 at 8:06 pm

I think Italy should get another 1/2 star for the 98 world cup. They lost against France in 1/4 finals on penalty kicks. Since France went on to win the world cup, obviously, Italy deserves half of that star and France only deserves the other half.

Posted from United States

By Josh | May 26th, 2006 at 8:08 am

For only the quarterfinals?? Wow, awfully generous of you. But we’ll gladly accept….

It’s official: Italy look to tie Brasil in cups this summer. Thanks JoLa, “we’re cool de la now….”

Posted from United States

By Alex Facchini | June 21st, 2006 at 9:49 pm

Americans talking about football! Hahahahaha, that’s funny. No wonder I’m reading so much crap in this blog…

By Johnny Herbertson | June 21st, 2006 at 9:51 pm

“Brazil sucks.” That’s the opinion of a football expert from Canada — that great footballing nation, as well all know.
Get a life, Mr Rosati.

By Tonya | June 26th, 2006 at 6:26 am

you should put something about italy on this site. Because Italy is a really good team so i think you should write something good, great, and fantastic about them ok

Thanks …. a really big fan of Italy………….

Posted from Canada

By Diane | July 7th, 2006 at 7:01 pm

Well, I am a fan of team Italia. Especially Luca Toni and Francesco Totti those two hotti’s. Actually, the entire Italian team is H-O-T and I could care less about soccer.

Wondering who is going to win Sunday when Italy plays France. I’m betting on Italy.

So, to all y’all complaining: just shut up! All us girls wanna see is some hot, sweaty men running around kicking a ball looking good. And, we wanna see the Italians win.

Posted from United States

By squiggle | July 10th, 2006 at 5:40 am

I guess you’re rather regretting this post now.

By Marco Rossi | July 10th, 2006 at 6:14 am

http://www.maximoinvestments.com/champions_italy.jpg

Posted from Australia

By Joseph from Malta | July 10th, 2006 at 6:19 am

Italy NEVER had anay favours in the World Cup….but still showed great football & sportsmanship, especially by Zidane, who used his head f=differently than 1998 this time…

…this time his head got him chucked out of….dignity, respect, & the Cup.

Posted from Malta