The World Cup draw is set to be released on Friday and there is plenty of anticipation around the world, especially in Brazil, where they are hoping the host nation will get an easy road to the finals.
Carlos Alberto Torres, the captain of arguably Brazil's greatest side, fears the current crop are worse than previous World Cup failures and the soccer-mad nation is overcooking expectations.
Favorites Brazil are bidding to win a record sixth trophy on home soil in June and July next year but misplaced confidence could be their biggest threat.
"You have to keep your feet on the ground, you can't say six or seven months before the World Cup that we are champions, I don't think that is the right approach," the captain of the victorious 1970 side told reporters on the eve of Friday's draw for the finals. Brazil established themselves as Favorites after demolishing world and European champions Spain 3-0 in the Confederations Cup final at home last June.
Backed by a raucous support and with outstanding performances from players such as Neymar, Paulinho and Fred, Brazil were surprisingly dominant over a side which had ruled the soccer landscape for five years.
That boosted their confidence and manager Luiz Felipe Scolari last month ramped up expectation by declaring: "Brazil will be World Cup winners in 2014".
Carlos Alberto travelled with the Brazil squad for friendly wins against Honduras and Chile last month and said he was impressed with their professionalism and preparation but there was still a lot of work to be done.
NATIONAL ANTHEM
"My level of optimism has gone up but when I see them play I must say it hasn't reached 100 per cent," he told hundreds of journalists gathered in the media hall at the resort chosen for the draw.
"We need to be realistic... and bear in mind that there is a lot to be done before we are 100 percent ready and before we can make a bet and say we will be world champions."
Fans enthusiastically singing the national anthem was cited as inspirational by many players at the Confederations Cup but Carlos Alberto dismissed comments from other former winners such as Ronaldo that the crowd would play a crucial role.
"We can't declare that we will win just because fans will sing the national anthem," he said.
His comments came just days after another member of the 1970 team gave similar warnings about over-confidence.
Tostao said Brazil's players, many of whom are playing in their first World Cup, must respect their opponents.
"I fear that the euphoria over the national team will go beyond the limits of good sense, as if it were impossible for us to lose the World Cup at home," Tostao wrote in a column for the Folha de SP newspaper in Sao Paulo.
"To win, you need to fear your major opponents. Fear is the security and pressure necessary to help you play better.
"Spain, Germany and Argentina have the same or almost the same chances that Brazil do."
The runners-up in Brazil next year will pocket $25m, while the third-placed team will take home $22m and the fourth-placed team $20m. The four teams eliminated in the quarter-finals will leave with $14m; teams in the last 16 will receive $9m; and those eliminated in the first round will get $8m.
In addition, each of the 32 finalists will receive $1.5m for their "preparation costs", up $500,000 on 2010.
"There will also be awards of $70m for the clubs whose players are taking part in the World Cup and, in addition to that, $20m will be given as a legacy to Brazilian football," Valcke said.
"We will not wait for the start of the World Cup for that, those payments will start immediately and will rise to $100m in the future."
Valcke confirmed that the legacy money would be ploughed into grassroots football in Brazil as well as education and health projects linked to football in the country.
The grand total of $576m includes a figure of $100m available as insurance for players injured while playing for their national teams, known as the club protection programme.
(Reuters)