Italy – Brazil

Marco,I guess you remember the 4-1 that Brasil prescribed to Italy in 1970. Let me educate you. All Brasilians can create a gem or play at any moment. They play even better when playing for their nation. To say that without some players they are nothing,is low,bro. And one more thing. Viva Brasil.

Posted from  Canada

May the best team win,Brasil. Josh,yawn because you do not appreciate the best,Brasil. And one more thing. Viva Brasil.

Posted from  Canada

Just like Chris, I’ve picked Italy v Brasil in the championship match. However, Josh, I picked Brasil to win – on penalty kicks!

But that was really just my first run through the brackets. I’m going to take another serious look one week out from the opening match.

Posted from  United States

Either Chris and I have it wrong; or Zantheman is mistaken.

If both Italy and Brasil win their respective groups, here’s what would happen:

Italy, winner of Group E, plays the second-place of Group F (Croatia) in Match 53. Italy advances to Match 58, where they wait the winner of Match 54 (France). After winning again, they play the winner of Match 57(Germany) in Match 61 to get to the Final.

Brasil, winner of Group F, plays the second-place of Group E (Czech Rep.) in Match 55. Brazil advances to Match 60, where they wait the winner of Match 56 (Spain). After winning again, they play the winner of Match 59(Sweden) in Match 62 to get to the Final.

I might not have my teams correct (yet!), but I’m pretty sure I’ve read the brackets correctly.

Posted from  United States

Hey dino … let me educate you .. first of all, out of all the barzilians that have played in sere a not one has scored as many goals as luca toni did this yr. Secondly brazilians (except for kaka) are all scum bags just like adriano and ronaldo .. they play better for the nation coz they play with heart. but in serie a they play for money .. sum on should have shot ronald for what he did to inetr (was getten paid for 2 yrs while he was in hospital recovering) and then did the bolt to real madrid — where he went to win chamions leage hahahaaha pitty he will never win it coz real are rubish!!!!!

And if you wanna know something, brazil never have bad lcuk in the wold cup unliek italy .. i guess italy cant win every thing though (i mean they are the greates nation to exist on this planet)!!!!

And as for your precious PELE .. i saw a documentry on soccer and he was comparing himself to mozart and michalandelo hahahaaha wat a moron .. where does he get off!!!! and anothhing maradona was bettrer than pele as shows the pole that climed maradona as a clear winner!!!

Posted from  Australia

And one more thing…Viva Italia

Posted from  India

Dino:
Go straight to hell. I don’t need to explain to you my passion for this game– but I will say this, I have more passion for my team than I do the sport. Maybe it’s good or maybe it’s to a fault, but here’s what you could do in the meantime: go straight to hell.

I’m sure the true Azzurri fans on our site understand that I can’t bear the heartache of going out prematurely.

To clarify: Italy cannot play Brasil in the final, at most it would be in the semi-finals, and at worst (for Brasil) as early as the second round. Dino, my wife is Brasilain, I know all about the beautiful game, as my father-in-law taught me everything he knows about it. And it is beautiful. And I do admire brasil for the sake of half my family, but when it comes down to it, you gotta go with what’s in your blood, son. FORZA ITALIA!!!!!!!!

All I hear, every other day, is about the penta (fifth) cup of Brasil. Cazzo! Penalty kicks in ‘94 and a cake-walk in ‘02.
Five world cups though (yawn).
One more thing, dino, nah… that’s boring me now too.

Posted from  United States

The thing that bothers me most about Brazil is their lack of sportsmanship. I have never seen a Brazilian go over to an opposing player after a big win and tell him “good match” or shake hands or anything of the sort. With very few exceptions, the Brazilians are self-centered and arrogant, and they need to be humbled.

Next month, they WILL be humbled, if not by Italy then by someone else, and when it happens, you can bet that the opposing team will have the DECENCY to go up to the Brazilians after the match and at least shake their hands.

Posted from  United States

Josh,

In the spirit of your bet with your father-in-law, I make a wager with you:

I will no longer post on the Italy Team Blog if I’m wrong, but I really think that you’ll find that it is possible for Italy to meet Brasil in the final. I’ve gone through the brackets and I think that the earlier explanation that I posted is correct.

Additionally, the earliest that the two teams would meet is actually in the first game of the knock-out round, Match 55. Match 55 has the Group F winner playing the Group E runner-up.

If Italy wins Group E (as I think they will do), they would play in Match 53 against the runner-up of Group F ( I think that will be Croatia).

Now, I know that you haven’t put anything up on your end of the wager, so I’ll accept whatever you see fit – if I’m right.

Posted from  United States

I’ve forgotten: the other scenario that puts Italy v Brasil at the first match of the knock-out stage could be Match 53 – but that assumes that Brazil finishes second in its group. Highly unlikely.

I think that Brazil and Italy will win their groups. I think that Croatia and Czech Rep. will finish second, respectively.

That makes a first-round match-up like this:
Match 53: Italy (winner E) v Croatia (runner-up F)
Match 55: Brazil (winner F) v Czech Rep. (runner-up E)

Assuming both teams win:
Italy moves on to Match 58 (v winner G/ runner-up H)
Brazil moves on to Match 60 (v winner H/ runner-up G)

Assuming both teams win:
Italy moves on to Match 61.
Brazil moves on to Match 62.

Assuming both teams win:
Match 64 – THE CHAMPIONSHIP
Italy v Brazil

Posted from  United States

brasil italy sounds like a likely final but there is a general feeling that this not going to happen ..Italy has to win a division that only on surface looks approachable ..even though we have the best team assembled since 1982 we could still be beaten by Cechs and find some problems in a very motivated ,fast,athletic USA….Brasil group may give us more surprises than anyone can imagine…Croatia is a sleeper full of talent …Australia could be giving the world one the shocker games they have the strenght ,the quickness high paced soccer and most of all at least 3 players(Bresciano,Kewell,Viduka) who could do some damage to a slow ,aging Brasil defense..so again who knows ? i am amongst the ones who think that Brasil will not go that far……as for Italy well will see but for sure we never had such a firing power …and everything else is still in place…

Posted from  United States

Cajun Nick, you’re correct. Italy can indeed play Brasil in the final.

I think we’re both on the same page regarding the earliest that they can play, i.e., the second round (first elimination game/round of 16).

Please continue to grace us with your surgical precision! In that regard, who do you have winning the cup?

Posted from  United States

Josh,

I may be able to read brackets correctly (years of practice on the NCAA Basketball Tournament), but if history is any gauge I’m a real duffer at doing the actual predicting.

Also, I put together my predictions and ran them through the brackets before all the teams had even announced their full squads.

I plan to take a much closer look at the tournament on June 1.

Having said all that, I picked an Italy v Brazil championship match – with Brazil winning (daggers through the heart).

Please let me remind you, I’m notorious for really bad predicting. If surgical precision depended on correct prediction, I’d be Dr. Frankenstein.

Posted from  United States

Cajun Nick i’ll take your and predict a Argentina Englad final..(i have always bad when it comes to Italy so i will not bet for..just let it happen)

Posted from  United States

Rescorpione17,

That’s a bold prediction – England v Argentina, considering Rooney’s fitness. But, it would make a great one to watch.

I must admit that my Dream Final would be England v US. I would like to see it happen so that both teams finish second in their groups, but make the final.

That would mean a few great things:
1) US make it to the finals (yeah!, beating Brazil on the way there
2) England beat Germany (and could possibly beat Mexico in the quarterfinals)

Of course, I’d want the US to beat England in the championship.

However, I know that this won’t happen.

When I first made my Italy v Brazil prediction, I didn’t know the final rosters of all the teams. I need to go back and take a look at them now that they’re official.

For example – No Lucarelli!

I’ll get back to you at the end of the month with my FINAL final predictions.

Posted from  United States

Apologies! Brazil and Italy can meet in the finals provided they both win their group or both come in second in their groups. It would be an interesting matchup with Italy having the edge in goal and defense but Brazil having a big advantage in midfield and a slight( not much thanks to Toni’s recent form) advantage at forward. However, I have noticed that since 1966 where I believe England won, the winners have alternated between South America and Europe since then. Therefore, I can almost guarantee that this years winner (if the trend continues) should come from european soil since the last winner was Brazil. Plus the world cup is being held in europe which is a bonus for european teams. Italy has a great chance of winning but Brazil ringing off 2 cups in a row with the second coming on european turf. Don’t think so! Brazil better be careful with croatia because I can see the Croatians pulling off a big upset here. Croatia could go far in the tournament (underrated)

Posted from  Canada

croatia is a real sleeper like Ukraine ..there will be surprises actually i would prefer Italy to meet Brasil in the 8th …instead of Croatia …we have an awful record with Croatia they double their effort with Italy and have no fear…i do agree with the fact that an European team will go all the way..by the way did anyone notice that Italy reached the Final every 12 years ?1970 lost,1982 won ,1994 lost,2006 ?? the big numbers Kaballa sees to be on our side even the fact in 1982 we were in the middle of (by then )the “biggest scandal in calcio history”but anyway every year we seem to have one so….

Posted from  United States

wow, that’s great work, resco-pico train!!! i mean it, too. you’ve convinced me. those facts are uncanny, and with another huge scandal going on…. we’re in. this is better than having nostradamus pick italy…. forza azzurri

Posted from  United States

FORZA ITALIA!!!. Play the best football and show these Brazilians how you are great. And one more thing…VIVA ITALIA

Posted from  Tajikistan

well, i dunno how many of u noticed the symmetry of WC winners around 1982. What i mean is this:

1958——————————brazil
1962————————-brazil
1966———————(england)
1970—————–brazil
1974————–germany
1978——-argentina
1982—italy
1986——-argentina
1990————–germany
1994—————–brazil
1998———————(france)
2002————————-brazil
2006——————————-????

notice the symmetry? except for england and france….but then they’re both first-time (and the only one-time) winners of the WC. So there.

So brazil to win it?

Posted from  India

i knew about this simmetry but never really saw it written down….powerful and suggestive i like to stick with mine little one (call it italian delusional attitude)since the 1970 we have been in the finalevery 12 years..
1970 lost 1982 won 1994 lost 2006 win ??

Posted from  United States

“Brazill are nothing without kaka or rohnaldhinio” Man you know nothing about our team. Brasil could take 4 or 5 teams to the WC and all of them would be strong candidates.

Just for you to understand. Here is one we had to left behind. And he’s a defender, imagine that.

http://brazil.worldcupblog.org/group-f/bellettis-magical-moment.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SMQ5sGpX2GA&search=belletti

Posted from  Brazil

question for Ronaldo ..how do you feel about your defence is that the best out of brasil ?was there anyone in Brasil that we don’t know better than Roque Junior or Lucio what happened to Alex who used to be great at Santos ? is that true that Lucio,Roque ,Cafu is nicknamed by the press the triangle of bermudas? and last would you start Rogerio Ceni ? i think he would be the most reliable..?

Posted from  United States

i wish italy will win frozza azzuri

Posted from  Lebanon

I think Italy will start slow-paced game and progress enormously after few rounds. They are in hungry for success this time and clear out their bad name to be known number one selection to the football fans around the world.May god bless them with good luck. Luck and confidence is much needed this time.

Posted from  Malaysia