Twenty years have gone by since South America last got its hands on the World Cup. Since then, strikingly, every Brazil campaign has ended as soon as they have come up against European opposition in the knockout rounds. And though Argentina got past Switzerland, Belgium and the Netherlands in 2014, all of their recent World Cups have also ended the same way: knocked out by the Europeans.
A combination of the pandemic and the birth of the Nations League means there has been very little football between Europe and South America since Russia 2018. Brazil beat the Czech Republic, while Argentina drew with Germany, both in 2019. It is hard, then, to measure the respective balance of forces in the buildup to Qatar — something that makes this World Cup especially intriguing.
Brazil and Argentina are certainly full of swagger at the moment. Often one of them has a hard time in South America’s qualifiers and has to dig itself out of a hole. Not this time. Confidence is high, and morale might have been boosted by the draw.
Uruguay and Ecuador will make it a South American foursome in Qatar, and if Peru win a playoff against Australia or United Arab Emirates, they will be the continent’s fifth.
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BRAZIL
Group G opponents: Serbia, Switzerland, Cameroon
What to expect: This is a group that may be tougher than it looks to many Brazilian eyes. Brazil have met all three recently — the two Europeans were in their group in Russia, while they faced Cameroon four years earlier. Cameroon would certainly be expected to put up stiffer opposition than they did in 2014. Even so, Brazil are clear favourites. Four years ago they beat Serbia but were held by Switzerland, a team they will not make the mistake of underestimating this time…
Source : espn
