Everything is great for Brazil: no injuries, no scandals… Heaven.

Still, this might be the biggest threat yet: not having a wake-up call. What if that wake-up call comes when it will be too late? What if everything is good because there is no pressure?

I would love to have a team in the World Cup that plays smiling, like Ronaldinho does, but is that good for a team?

Some commentators, however, worry that it may all be too good to be true and suggest that what Brazil really need is a nice, big row to shatter their confidence and disturb the peace.

The worriers point out that when Brazil have started the FIFA World Cup as favourites, such as in 1982 and 1990, they have crashed out before the semi-finals.

Their last three of their record five FIFA World Cup wins, by contrast, have all followed turbulence.

Though it may seem incredible nowadays, Brazil arrived in Mexico in 1970 amid widespread apprehension back home following the last minute decision to sack coach Joao Saldanha and bring in Mario Zagallo.

Their 1994 win, also under Parreira, followed a rocky campaign along the road to the United States, which included a 2-0 defeat away to Bolivia, Brazil’s first-ever defeat in a FIFA World Cup qualifier.

Last time around, they were tipped for an early exit after using four coaches as they staggered through the qualifiers and were knocked out of the previous year’s Copa America by Honduras.

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has even been bold enough to name his staring line-up for the 13 June meeting with Croatia, with the ‘magic quartet’ of Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Adriano and Kaka spearheading the attack.

Let-s hope Brazil will not fail under pressure. I really want a Brazil - England match (if not the final, at least a semi-final).

Source: WCoffsite