Hopes High for Brazil Hexa

After a stellar 2005 in which Brazil won almost every award and competition possible, fans of the defending World Cup champions are feeling confident that their side will capture a “Hexa.�

“Hexa” – short for “hexacampeonato”, or six-time champions – is the word on a lot of Brazilian lips these days and it has led to hyperbolic comments such as this one by coach Carlos Alberto Parreira:

“A six-time champion would be unbeatable for the next 200 to 300 years,”

With talent spreading around the world and the number of teams that are competitive increasing each World Cup, Parreira might be right. Of course if Brazil were to lose and either Italy or Germany to win this summer, that would leave Parreira’s country a mere one title ahead and all this talk of Brazilian dominance would fade away quicker than you can say hexa.