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2014 FIFA World Cup: Will Brazil win? No ...

Smallwood: For a dark horse contender keep an eye on Belgium.

    by John Smallwood, Daily News
    Published 
It would be so easy to pick Brazil to win the 2014 World Cup, and if I had money at stake, I probably would go with the smart betting line.
As the host nation, five-time champion Brazil has almost everything in its favor.
With star players like Neymar, Oscar, Hulk, Paulinho, and David Luiz, the Seleção has as much talent as any nation and has not lost a competitive match at home since 1975.
But what fun is there in the easy way?
It’s not a huge gamble to go against Brazil, not with reigning World and two-time European Cup champion Spain looking to repeat; three-time champion Germany fielding its most talented team in several cycles and Argentina led by unpredictable yet potentially dynamic strikers Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüerro and Gonzalo Higuaín.
I like Brazil, but my gut tells me Spain. This golden generation of the “Red Fury,” which includes the likes of Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, Cesc Fàbregas and Iker Cassillas has one more major accomplishment in them.
For a dark horse contender keep an eye on Belgium, whose time is coming but might not be quite here yet.

It would be so easy to pick Brazil to win the 2014 World Cup, and if I had money at stake, I probably would go with the smart betting line.

As the host nation, five-time champion Brazil has almost everything in its favor. With star players like Neymar, Oscar, Hulk, Paulinho, and David Luiz, the Seleção has as much talent as any nation and has not lost a competitive match at home since 1975.

But what fun is there in the easy way?

It's not a huge gamble to go against Brazil, not with reigning World and two-time European Cup champion Spain looking to repeat; three-time champion Germany fielding its most talented team in several cycles and Argentina led by unpredictable yet potentially dynamic strikers Lionel Messi, Sergio Agüerro and Gonzalo Higuaín.

I like Brazil, but my gut tells me Spain. This golden generation of the "Red Fury," which includes the likes of Andrés Iniesta, Sergio Ramos, Cesc Fàbregas and Iker Cassillas has one more major accomplishment in them.

For a dark horse contender keep an eye on Belgium, whose time is coming but might not be quite here yet.