Brazil had to go down to its final game against Venezuela before qualifying for the 2002 World Cup. Still, there’s few who believe the four-time World Cup champion won’t be a factor next year.

BRAZIL

A force to be reckoned with

Brazil is through to the World Cup, its record of having qualified for every tournament still intact.

What are its chances at Korea/Japan 2002?

Four years ago, Brazil was the overwhelming favorite to repeat as World Cup champion. But Romario was injured on the eve of the tournament. Ronaldo became ill hours before the final. And Brazil had to settle for second place, falling to France, 3-0.

The early odds for 2002 place the Brazilians behind Argentina and France.

Despite the chaotic state of affairs throughout qualifying – the 59 players, the four coaches and the two congressional investigations – Brazil will be a team to be reckoned with. In particular, the warm temperatures the Brazilians will find in Japan and South Korea will suit them well.

The first task is settling on a coach.

The 1994 World Cup coach Carlos Alberto Parreira (now coach of Internacional) or Fluminense coach Oswaldo de Oliveira (with Parreira at his side) might replace Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Many blame Scolari’s negative tactics – and those of his predecessors – for Brazil’s problems in qualifying, but the reality is that Brazil’s talent pool has shrunk since Parreira led Brazil to the title in 1994.

If qualifying offered one truth about Brazilian soccer today, it’s that there’s no replacement for Romario or Ronaldo.

Romario, who had eight goals in four qualifiers before Scolari dropped him, wants to play next year.

“I’m not going to give up now,” the 35-year-old striker said recently.

Ronaldo’s latest comeback with Inter Milan was aborted when he went off with an ankle injury after 14 minutes against Lecce – his first Italian League match in almost two years.

Whoever leads Brazil must to protect the players from the enormous expectations placed on them as four-time World Cup champions.

After all, what other team would have 35,000 fans show up for practice, as they did in Sao Luis on the eve of the deciding qualifier against Venezuela?

SLOVENIA

Katanec works his magic

With a population of 1.9 million, Slovenia will be the smallest country represented at the 2002 World Cup.

But the former Yugoslav republic has quickly earned a spot on the international soccer stage.

Slovenia’s qualification for the 2002 World Cup was a repeat of its Euro 2000 campaign: second place in its group, playoff, 2-1 win at home in the first leg followed by a 1-1 tie on the road.

The mastermind of Slovenia’s rise is 38-year-old Srecko Katanec, who played for Yugoslavia in the 1990 World Cup.

Katanec, very popular with his players, is credited with getting much from a team with limited talent.

Slovenia beat Romania in the World Cup playoffs without four starters, including star Zlatko Zahovic (three goals at Euro 2000).

Milan Osterc’s goal in the first game – a brilliant chip from 18 yards – is being called the greatest goal in Slovenian national team history.

Mladen Rudonja scored his first goal in 53 appearances to clinch the series in Bucharest.

“Sooner or later, I had to score,” the striker said.

An estimated 15,000 fans showed up at Ljubljana’s international airport in the middle of the night to greet their returning heroes.

Slovenia will be one of four teams to make their first appearance at the World Cup – China, Ecuador and Senegal are the others – but will not go unnoticed.

Katanec’s no-name team tied Yugoslavia (3-3) and Norway (0-0) and narrowly lost to Spain (2-1) at Euro 2000.

by Soccer America Managing Editor Paul Kennedy