Brazil World Cup Favourite

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31109, 12 July 1966, Page 19

Brazil World Cup Favourite

(.V.2.P.A. Reuter—Copyright)

LONDON.

The largest audience for any sports event in history will begin watching the 1966 World Cup soccer finals in Britain this week.

Television coverage will bring the cup matches into homes in all parts of the world, and about one and a half million people will attend the 32 games before the tournament ends on July 23.

The finals, held every four years, are surpassed in size and stature only by the Olympic Games. The finals will begin today (New Zealand time) when England will play Uruguay. The 16 finalists, survivors of the qualifying tournament which began more than two years ago, have completed their final training in towns

and cities throughout Britain. Brazil, the most publicised team and winner of two competitions in 1958 and 1962, is favoured to win again. However, Mr E. Fabbri, the Italian team manager, has predicted that England will win. “I can see no other country winning at Wembley. Ceritainly not Italy. I cannot give • reasons for my lack of confidence. It is just a feeling in my blood,” be said.

England has announced its team, which, with one exception, is the same as that which beat Poland 1-0 last Tuesday. The team is: G. Banks, G. Cohen, R. Wilson, N. Stiles, J. Charlton, R. Moore (captain), A. Ball, J. Greaves, R. Charlton, R. Hunt, J. Connelly. High scoring is not expected as the accent in World Cup games is usually on defence. It will be England’s first match of the competition. As host nation, it was excused the preliminary qualifying rounds. Uruguay had to reach the finals the hard way, heading a South American group with wins over Venezuela and Peru. The finalists will play in four regional elimination competitions. England, Uruquay, France and Mexico are the London teams. Argentina is favoured to beat West Germany, Spain and Switzerland in the Midlands group. Brazil dominates the northwest group, which also includes Hungary, Portugal and Bulgaria. Bookmakers favour Italy in the north-east competition against Chile, Russia and North Korea.