June 18, 2014 | Sports Blog
Is it the skill or the home support that will bring the cup back to Brazil?
For Brazil, home advantage can prove to be a big factor behind winning the World Cup. The advantage of a host team is a known fact where home teams have been winning more than fifty percent of the sporting tournaments. Let's find out how actually playing on a home ground can be an advantage for Brazil and disadvantage for other nations.
Among eight of the teams winning the World Cup, six did it on the home soil. When hosted it previously, Brazil ended up as runners-up. Even the less prolific teams, who hosted the World Cup, have reaped the rewards. The World Cup host nations have put the best performance when they've hosted.
As we start examining the home sporting advantage, we find that home sporting advantage lies mainly in five vital factors like awareness of local playing conditions, crowd influence, distance travelled by opposing teams, territoriality and probable influence on refereeing decisions.
The most important single advantage that a country can have as a host team is influence of crowd noise; home advantage grows as crowd size gets bigger. The simple reason behind this is home crowd is there to motivate their home team and may influence referees as well as linesmen which often prompt them to give decisions on home team's favor. Many times it has been seen that crowds have affected refereeing decisions and vital decisions against the away team have helped the host team win the game. This time in 2014 football world cup in Brazil with more familiarity with their surroundings and a large crowd to cheer for them, Brazil is definitely going to be benefited; however, this advantage may be slight.
Brazil, the most decorated country of the competition is going to play host to the greatest football show of the world and home advantage is surely going to boost their chances of acquiring the global crown and the first one since 2002. This 2014 World Cup, Brazil is definitely one of the favorites to lift the trophy and they have the best chance of winning. With the local crowd roaring on the Selecao, the country is going to get the strong home advantage.
Playing on home turf can affect Brazil's performance to a significant extent. Playing at home will be of help for the Brazilians. Many times influence of crowd noise on referees make them flash yellow cards and give penalties against touring teams than the hosts. Apart from biased referees, hectic travel schedules and unfamiliar conditions can tire them out. These factors do really make a difference.
Twelve out of nineteen World Cup host nations could make their way to the semi-finals and could win it six times. With the World Cup 2014, on their home turf, Brazil have high possibility to triumph this year.
But that is not the main reason that Brazil is a hot favourite for 2014 World Cup. For Brazil, the skill is enough to win the World Cup this summer. Brazil have a well-drilled, resilient team with added treasure Neymar. The biggest star of the squad, Neymar carries the hope for Brazil to reach to the final. Luiz Felipe Scolari's Brazilian squad is full of individual talent - the midfield talents of Oscar, Hulk and Neymar; the forwards Fred and Jo; the solid back four in defence team with David Luiz and Thiago Silva and in the centre with Marcelo and Daniel Alves among the full backs. If Neymar is able to replicate his form in this World Cup, he will be the key to Brazil victory. When Neymar has the ball at his feet, his outstanding skills can be a real threat to the defenders.
For more information on the current world cup updates you can log on to http://fcnaija.com/world-cup-2014