Argentina and Brazil remind me why I love the beautiful game so much

Showing us how it should be done

When I watched Argentina play some scintillating attacking football when beating Mexico on Sunday I thought I may well be watching the world champions, but then I watched Brazil totally outclass Chile last night and I have changed my mind.

Decent

The other four who have already qualified are decent teams as well, mind you. Uruguay are outsiders but no team will look forward to having to defend against Forlan and Suarez.

Ghana are very unlikely to win it but they play with pace and passion and freedom and belief and nobody will have an easy win against the team who have a whole continent behind them.

Germany are a young and exciting team but I don’t think they are great at the back and I fear a little for Mertesacker and his defender colleagues when they come up against the attacking force of Argentina.

Holland have some really fine players and they will fancy their chances, but they will have to play out of their skin if Brazil turn up on Friday.

Realistic

We still have Paraguay against Japan, although neither side in that game are realistic contenders and Spain against Portugal who will both think they are. Spain are the most likely team to challenge the big two from South America, but with Xabi Alonso injured and Fernando Torres out of sorts, they need to improve considerably on what they have shown so far.

The South American giants really are playing the beautiful game and they are a joy to watch.

Cavalier

Argentina are a wonderful attacking side and in Lionel Messi they have a man who is head and shoulders above the rest of the world at the moment. They have a cavalier attitude that says, let’s not worry about protecting the back four and keeping clean sheets, let’s go at the opposition and score more goals than they do.

Brazil are more compact than Argentina. They have a better goalkeeper, a better back four and they also put two men in front of them to protect them. They will be incredibly difficult to beat. On top of that compact shape they also have players like Kaka, Fabiano, Robinho and Alves who cam break at lightening pace and with exquisite precision.

Contempt

Chile and Mexico are not bad teams but Brazil and Argentina brushed them aside with something approaching contempt. As good as Germany and Holland are, they will have watched their next opponents with a great deal of admiration and trepidation.

This World Cup started very slowly and looked after the first round of matches as though it might be one to forget. It soon came to life however, and is now as good as ever. The six games played in the knockout stage so far have all been decided without the need for the lottery of penalty kicks and only one has needed extra time. That is good for the game.

Talking points

We have seen some poor decisions and the debate about the use of technology will not go away. There have been some bad challenges, but not too many. There has been some controversy about the ball they are using. Despite that, I am pleased to say that the main talking points coming out of the competition are all about the football and that is just how it should be but often isn’t.

It is developing into the festival of football that we all hoped it would be and when I watch Argentina or Brazil I just find it even more difficult to understand those people who don’t enjoy watching football. It is the beautiful game.