Brazilians split over support for World Cup final

Brazilians are facing their greatest conundrum of the 2014 World Cup so far ahead of Sunday's final between Argentina and Germany: who to support?

The choices are not enticing for the football-crazed nation: either support Germany, who have just given Brazil a historic 7-1 World Cup thrashing, or cheer for arch enemies Argentina, putting aside their decades-old rivalry in a sign of neighborly friendship.

But, with their World Cup dreams in tatters, Brazilians must first decide whether or not to watch their own team in Saturday's third place playoff against three-time World Cup runners-up, the Netherlands.

Sounding indifferent, São Paulo fitness instructor Rita dos Santos, 26, told the Anadolu Agency: "I suppose I'll watch it, but just to see it through to the end.

"It'll be a tough match, and the Netherlands will have the advantage of knowing Brazil has just been pounded 7-1."

Family lawyer Sandra Pereira, 37, from Jaraguá do Sul, said: "I'm not going to watch, because I have better things to do.

"After all, we don't all have footballers' salaries!"

But for 18-year-old São Paulo salesperson Jalison Alves, there was no question.

"Although a lot of that drive and emotion that was in abundance among Brazilians until the last game has now practically vanished, I'm going to watch and cheer on Brazil - even if it's just for third place," he told the AA, sharing the widely-held view that only a win at the final could truly slake Brazil's World Cup thirst.

But even if Brazilians do watch, they appear wanting in confidence.

A Friday poll by Globo TV network showed only half of viewers were "ready to support Brazil" with 71 percent believing they would lose and 59 percent doubting the team would get a single goal past their Dutch opponents.

A win on Saturday could provide a razor-thin silver lining to the monstrous black cloud hanging over the country, but whatever happens, it now seems certain that Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari will not survive in the role beyond the tournament.

The president of the Brazilian Football Confederation, José Maria Marin, slammed Scolari's tactics for the semifinal clash against Germany, the Folha de S.Paulo newspaper reported on Friday, and speculation about who will replace the team manager - who led Brazil to victory in 2002 - has begun in earnest.

Former Corinthians FC coach Adenor Leonardo Bacchi - better known as "Tite" - is currently tipped to take over the top spot, but Marin said no announcements would be made before Monday.

Scolari said the 7-1 defeat was the "worst day of my life" and took responsibility for his disastrous strategy.

Fans speaking to the AA blamed a mixture of judgment errors by Scolari, and a lack of togetherness on the pitch due to the absence of two crucial players - Neymar, ruled out of the World Cup due to a fractured vertebra, and captain Thiago Silva, suspended for the semifinal tie due to a second yellow card.

As for Sunday's final, in which both sides are vying to boost their World Cup victory tally - Argentina has won twice, and the Germans three times - who to back has become a hot topic for Brazilians.

A historic rivalry between Brazil and Argentina - both of whom have produced many world-class players, including Neymar and Messi - is deeply engrained in both countries' psyches, and it is clear many more Brazilians will cheer against their neighbors to the South than for them.

"There is no way I'm ever backing Argentina, I'm going to cheer on the Germans!" says Natal tourist consultant Wesly Dantas, 28.

"I don't mind if the Germans get seven goals again, as long as it's seven-nil!" he adds.

Some others are, however, apparently willing to look past the incessant banter and ubiquitous jibes - including the Argentinian fans' now-institutional "Maradona is greater than Pelé" chant - and will be backing Brazil's traditional arch rival, wishing to keep the Jules Rimet trophy in South America:

"I'll be cheering for Argentina. After all, they're our neighbors," 22-year-old student Waldyr Araújo, also from Natal, said. "But what's even more important for me is that we see a great match; one to finish off the tournament with a bang."

However, given the deluge of Argentinian fans - known by Brazilians as "hermanos" (Spanish for "brothers") - expected in Rio for the final, around 100,000 by some estimates, Argentina will not be short of fans on Sunday both inside the famous Maracanã stadium and around the picture-postcard city.

With that many arch rivals in town, the atmosphere is likely to be tense, particularly if the "hermanos" win, and the unprecedented 26,000 security personnel set to be deployed to the city's streets could have their work cut out.