Euro quest

By Tim Vickery
South American football reporter

Brazil go on a lap of honour after beating their hosts in the 1958 final

Brazil won the World Cup in Sweden in 1958 and this summer's favourites will be looking to emulate that feat in Germany.

But how easy is it for a South American team to win the game's ultimate trophy on the road in Europe?

Here are some statistics that anyone planning to bet on the World Cup should know.

Brazil won that tournament in Europe before the rise of football in the north of the continent and it remains the only instance of a south American team winning the World Cup in Europe.

Since then, Brazil's record in European World Cups against European opponents makes fascinating reading; eight wins, three draws, seven defeats, with 23 goals scored and 24 conceded.

Only two of these victories have been by a margin of more than a single goal - 2-0 against Bulgaria in 1966, and 4-1 over the Scots in 1982.

Argentina's record, using the same criteria and over the same time period, is not vastly different; five wins, seven draws, seven defeats, 21 goals for and 22 against.

The figures clearly show that for a south American team, winning the World Cup in Europe is the supreme challenge.

This should clearly be placed in perspective.

It is sometimes seen as a south American weakness, but such an observation would be unduly harsh.

South Americans have won the World Cup in all the continents where the tournament has been played. Europeans have only ever won in Europe.

South America's best players now ply their trade in Europe

Could it be that European domination on home ground is now under threat?

Over the last 15 years or so the global market place in footballers has well and truly opened up.

Instead of producing talent, Europe now imports, allowing players from the peripheries of the global economy to pick up valuable experience in the best leagues.

Gauging the consequences of this process will be one of the most fascinating aspects of the World Cup.

All but two of Brazil's squad play in Europe, and all but five of Argentina's.

The Paraguayans are also a nomadic bunch. Only five are still based at home with the rest dotted all over the world - seven in Europe, where another four have already played and others will soon move.

These three sides should be prepared as never before to face a World Cup in European conditions.

The exception is Ecuador. The country has very little tradition of sending players across the Atlantic, and of the few who have gone, fewer still have settled.

Aston Villa's Ulises de la Cruz, overlooked for much of the season at Villa Park, is probably Ecuador's most successful European export.

The only other European-based player in the squad is young midfielder Luis Valencia, who found himself loaned out to Recreativo Huelva in the Spanish second division after failing to get a chance at Villarreal.

Promising striker Felix Borja is on his way to Greece to join Olimpiakos and will hope to fare better than senior centre-forward Agustin Delgado, who had an unhappy time following a strange move to Southampton.

Another squad striker, Ivan Kaviedes, bounced around Italy, Spain, Portugal and England without leaving much of an impression.

And veteran centre-back and captain Ivan Hurtado had a brief spell in Spain with Murcia.

Ecuador also have very little collective experience of European conditions. They played their first full international on the continent as recently as 2002.

Their brief acquaintance with Europe has not always been happy.

They were drubbed 4-0 by Spain three years ago, and late last year they had a thoroughly miserable time on a waterlogged pitch in Barcelona when they lost 3-0 to Poland - who then came out of the hat as their opening World Cup opponents.

A drier surface might make for a more level playing field when they meet again in Gelsenkirchen on the day the World Cup gets under way.