Brazil tries to break ‘European curse’ against Croatia

It has been 20 years since the Brazilian football team last won the World Cup, beating Germany 2-0 in the final and clinching an unprecedented fifth title. But that match was also the last time Brazil has defeated a European side in the World Cup knockout rounds. 

Since then, the Seleção has had disappointments against France in 2006, the Netherlands in 2010, Germany in 2014, and Belgium in 2018. It hopes to break the hoodoo against Croatia on Friday in Al Rayyan’s Education City Stadium. 

Brazil go in as big favorites, according to bookmakers’ latest Brazil v. Croatia odds. Recent performance is also on the Brazilian side.

The Seleção come into the game off the back of a 4-1 trouncing of South Korea in the round of 16, which followed solid performances against Serbia and Switzerland. (In its 1-0 loss to Cameroon, Brazil played an all-reserves lineup.) 

Croatia, meanwhile, has yet to play a brilliant game. The high point of their tournament so far was a 4-1 group-stage win against Canada, which saw them go behind early on. However, Croatia are the reigning World Cup runners-up and shouldn’t be dismissed easily. 

Unlike Brazil, Croatia have so far been unable to rest their aging roster. And in their last 16 match against Japan, they needed extra time and penalties to overcome Japan.

Per data platform Opta, Brazilian starters have so far played a combined 2,600 minutes in Qatar, while the Croatian lineup nears 4,000 minutes. The warm Qatari weather and long stoppage times have required much more physical endurance from players than in past World Cups.

The game may hinge on which side manages to control the midfield. Brazil will look to play more direct and deliver a high attacking volume, while Croatia will seek to hold on to the ball, hoping midfield maestro Luka Modric can pull the strings.

This will be the third Brazil-Croatia meeting in World Cups: the teams played in the group stages of 2006 and 2014, both matches ending in Brazil wins.

• #football
• #worldCup