CLASS WORLD CUP 2010

Fernando Torres: Spain star player at World Cup 2010

Permalink | ShaThe world’s best striker? Debatable, but what is beyond doubt is that Torres is a man at the peak of his considerable powers.

What makes him such a formidable opponent is his lack of a glaring weakness. Strong in the air, adept with either foot, blessed with explosive pace and shrewd positional sense, the Spain striker has developed into possibly the Premier League’s most complete players, as well as one of its most likeable – no mean feat, considering the terror he strikes into the hearts of defenders on a weekly basis.

His consistency is another of his great assets – since arriving at Liverpool, he has never gone more than three league games without a goal.

Torres is in only his third season at Liverpool, but is already considered a potential Anfield great, leading a front line that would otherwise look fairly thin. His partnership with Stephen Gerrard is one of the most successful in Europe, and while he won’t be able to play off Gerrard next summer, he won’t exactly be short of service with Iniesta and Xavi behind him and David Villa alongside.

Curiously, his international scoring record isn’t that great – less than a goal every three games – but he tends to save his best performances for the big stage. Just ask Germany, who he took apart in the Euro 2008 final.

particularly with Brazil rated as joint-favourites to win World Cup 2010 in South Africa.

World at his feet: with players like Kaka (left) at his disposal, Brazil coach Dunga will be expected to deliver at World Cup 2010 in South Africa Photo: REUTERS

Brazil's World Cup record: 1930 1st rd, 1934 1st rd, 1938 3rd, 1950 RU, 1954 QF, 1958 Winners, 1962 Winners, 1966 1st rd, 1970 Winners, 1974 4th, 1978 3rd, 1982 2nd rd, 1986 QF, 1990 2nd rd, 1994 Winners, 1998 RU, 2002 Winners, 2006 QF.

How Brazil qualified for World Cup 2010: South American Group, 1st.

The Coach: Dunga (Brazilian, 46). Appointed: July 2006. WC experience: Player: 1990, 1994, 1998. Coach: None.

Dunga was considered as a replacement for Vanderlei Luxemburgo in 2000 but it was not for another six years until he took charge, replacing Carlos Alberto Parreira.

The Country: Brazil are joint favourites, with Spain, to win a sixth World Cup, not that surprising given their pedigree, history and ability to continually produce outstanding players. There is a saying in football that “The English invented it, the Brazilians perfected it” and few would argue.

The “Little Canary”, as they affectionately known, are the only team to have appeared in every World Cup finals and they made sure that record would continue in the best possible fashion, beating Argentina 3-1 in Rosario.

Two goals from striker Luis Fabiano and another from defender Luisao was enough as they inflicted only the second home defeat in World Cup qualifiers on Diego Maradona's struggling side.

But it was not all plain sailing. A 0-0 draw at home to Bolivia was a low point and then they were held by Colombia in the next home tie, prompting the fans to chant “Goodbye Dunga” again.

But a coach who worked in the media during the last World Cup finals is benefiting from the form of Kaka and Robinho. In Dunga they have a man who has won the World Cup, in 1994, while they have some of the world’s most talented players. He used no fewer than 39 players during the qualification process, and the belief is that Brazil have strength in depth ahead of South Africa.

Ronaldo, a World Cup winner in 1994 and 2002, was dropped by Dunga but remains optimistic, at the age of 33, that he could still feature in South Africa, though such a recall remains doubtful.

Telegraph verdict: Rightly favourites along with Spain. Their victory in Argentina during qualifying sealed their status while coach Dunga has created a system that will be hard to beat. Brazil may not possess the attacking flair of old but it’s still evident while they are organised and will be extremely competitive and robust with pace and power.