WORLD CUP : Brazil not seeking revenge: Parreira
WORLD CUP : Brazil not seeking revenge: Parreira
Published: 12:00 am Jun 30, 2006
Bergisch Gladbach, June 29 :
Revenge is not an issue for Brazil when it faces France in the World Cup quarter-finals.
The five-time champion lost 3-0 the last time if faced France - the 1998 World Cup final at Stade de France.
“There’s no atmosphere of revenge, we don’t think about this here,” Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said. “We will be playing France in another decisive match, like it was against Ghana.”
Brazil earned its quarter-final berth by beating Ghana - Africa’s last survivour in the tournament - 3-0 on Tuesday in Dortmund. France had a comeback 3-1 win over Spain in Hanover.
“Brazil and France is a classic matchup,” Parreira said. “It should be a great game.” Parreira said France deserved its win over Spain after playing better for most of the match.
“France has shown it improved in a key moment of the tournament, when every match is decisive,” he said.
“It deserved the victory, played better.”
Veteran midfielder Zinedine Zidane was crucial in France’s win, setting up the deciding goal and then scoring one of his own late in the match. Zidane also was key in the final against Brazil in 1998, scoring twice.
Brazil has been the most successful team in World Cup history, but its record against France is slightly checkered. France eliminated Brazil in the quarter-finals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, winning on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time.
Brazil’s only win over France in World Cups was in 1958, when Pele netted a hat-trick in a 5-2 victory in Sweden.
The Brazilians planned to return to practice on Wednesday afternoon at their training camp in Bergisch Gladbach, outside Cologne, in preparation for next Saturday’s match in Frankfurt.
Striker Robinho was expected to recover from a muscle injury and be available. Brazil got the win against Ghana despite being heavily challenged by the Africans in Dortmund, even outplayed at times.
“It’s not as though we didn’t put the effort in,” Parreira said after the match. “But rather that we were surprised by Ghana’s good performance.” The defending champion
got on the board with three streaking goals.
Ronaldo netted his 15th World Cup goal in the fifth minute, putting him ahead of Germany’s Gerd Mueller as
the tournament’s all-time leading scorer. Adriano added another in first-half injury-time, and Ze Roberto closed the scoring in the 84th. It extended Brazil’s World Cup record to 11 consecutive wins - including the seven in 2002.
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Past winners
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1930 — Uruguay
1934 — Italy
1938 — Italy
1950 — Uruguay
1954 — West Germany
1958 — Brazil
1962 — Brazil
1966 — England
1970 — Brazil
1974 — West Germany
1978 — Argentina
1982 — Italy
1986 — Argentina
1990 — West Germany
1994 — Brazil
1998 — France
2002 — Brazil