It is clear most people are in awe of Brazil, tracking their arrival like the descending of the gods. The #1 team in the world is viewed by many as unstoppable with a roster overflowing with talent and a hard earned reputation of playing on a higher level, having won 7 straight World Cup matches before today. Many felt that the members of Group F would probably get run over. I guess someone forgot to tell the Croatian team they should be scared. They weren’t.


Brazil played a very good game and were often dangerous. But Croatia seemed unfazed by their opponent and fought hard for 90 minutes. Ronaldinho seemed to get robbed of the ball as often as he made a brilliant move past an opponent. Croatia had a few solid shots that would have found all net had they not gone straight to the keeper’s chest. Up until late in the match, Croatia seemed to have an edge on shots.

It was a very exciting match to watch. It may not have been as frenetic as some others, but the #23 team just played toe to toe with mighty Brazil and had chances to make this a draw.

Nobody is saying Brazil is in trouble – far from it. They are still a very powerful team. But I think people who previously felt Brazil was a lock are having second thoughts. This Cup is wide open and teams like Argentina, Croatia, Australia, Germany, and Holland have played well. It is still early and teams seemingly asleep could awaken this week. But you have to think mighty Brazil has been taken down a notch by a tenacious Croat team. They’re still likely to be the favorites, but many people across the world may realize that, yes, Brazil can be beaten.
I wonder if they’ll remain 2-1 favorites to win.

And what about those Croatian fans? With their team down one goal, most would expect a tense quiet. Not even close. The singing and chanting reverberated through Olympic Stadium accompanied by flares, banners, and a waving sea of red and white check. Coupled with the ever energetic Brazilian fans, it was the best crowd I had seen so far. It’s a shame ESPN squelches the crowd noise so much – it really takes something away from the match.

Having Seen Brazil's 1st Match - Who Will Win The Cup Now?

  • Germany (33%)
    Germany -> 33% (2 Votes)
  • England (33%)
    England -> 33% (2 Votes)
  • Italy (17%)
    Italy -> 17% (1 Votes)
  • A Dark Horse (17%)
    A Dark Horse -> 17% (1 Votes)
  • Brazil (0%)
    Brazil -> 0% (0 Votes)
  • Netherlands (0%)
    Netherlands -> 0% (0 Votes)
  • Argentina (0%)
    Argentina -> 0% (0 Votes)
  • Czech Republic (0%)
    Czech Republic -> 0% (0 Votes)
  • Mexico (0%)
    Mexico -> 0% (0 Votes)

Total Votes: 6

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