Brazil bar England's final route

With totally blinkered vision, England need to hope for a Belgium win in Kobe on Monday.

In a competition of stunning shocks, the departure of the four-times winners and tournament favourites would give a massive lift to Sven-Goran Eriksson’s hopes of become the second England manager to march his team to the top of the world.

But the romantics and the purists will be praying Brazil’s winning run continues. After all, if you are going to win the World Cup you want to beat the best. And, in the magical world of football, there is none better.

There was a time, a few short months ago, when it was feared Brazil wouldn’t even make the competition.

Their qualifying campaign was scarred by six defeats, including losses to the likes of Ecuador and Bolivia, plus Argentina and Paraguay, who have both already headed for home. And, if they hadn’t managed to overcome the threat of Venezuela in their final, it is likely the samba kings would have spent the summer on Copacabana Beach.

History tells us they overcame that challenge as easily as they disposed of Turkey, China and Costa Rica in the opening group phase.

Now it looks likely they will stand in England’s path to the semi-finals.

Those famous yellow shirts, the names etched in history. Men like Jairzinho, Zico, Garrincha, Romario and the best player of all time - Pele.

The burden of the past now falls on the shoulders of Rivaldo, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldo, the man whose tortured soul left an indelible scar in France four years ago but is now restored to fitness and form which made him the best player of his generation.

There have been three previous World Cup meetings between the sides, England have yet to win and on each occasion the South Americans went on to lift the Jules Rimet Trophy.

Guadalajara, June 7, 1970. The day Bobby Moore robbed Jairzinho with the tackle which has been replayed time after time - what price Rio doing the same to the men from Rio next Monday.

Pele’s bullet downward header, pushed brilliantly over the bar by Gordon Banks and Jairzinho’s flashing winner from Pele’s stupendous pass. John Barnes’ brilliant dribble in 1984. Careers are made against Brazil, marks which can never be erased. And now it looks like there are more to come.

Ferdinand, Beckham, Butt, Owen, Scholes. Big names and big reputations who have the chance to etch their names in England’s glorious history.

What do we know about them. They can attack, they can’t defend. Isn’t that always the case?

In fairness, manager ‘Big’ Felipe Scolari has tried to place more emphasis on what happens when his team are going backwards as opposed to piling forward.

Lucio has enjoyed a fine season with Bayer Leverkusen and provides a useful anchor in the Brazilian back four. But you can’t change a mindset with is carved in stone. Against China, Roberto Carlos exchanged crossfield passes with Cafu, the most advanced Brazilian players on the pitch. They are the full-backs.

If England can defend properly and patiently, chances will come and they have an outstanding opportunity to progress. If they get sucked into an attacking game, their opponents will be too good. It’s as simple as that.

Look a bit further ahead. A semi-final with Senegal, Japan, Sweden - Turkey? Maybe we don’t need the last one but in a pure footballing sense England can beat them all.

What about the final? Germany, Italy, Spain. Who cares. There is no point looking beyond Monday.

Bring on the boys from Brazil.