European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 16, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 32 the stars and stripes sports thursday june 16, 1994 three of four favourites chasing record 4th cup by John Salvado London up a when assessing the potential favourites to lift the world cup trophy in Triumph in Pasadena on july 17, there is a valuable lesson to be Learned from soccer history or teams which have won world cups tend to win world cups. Just six countries have tasted Success in the event since the first edition Back in 1930 and two of this elite band a England and Uruguay a have not even qualified this time around. So Start the search for a Winner by looking at the other four former champions Germany 1954, 1974, 1990italy 1934, 1938, 1982brazil 1958, 1962, 1970 and Argentina 1978,1986. As in 1990, Germany provides the Benchmark. As West Germany it won an unremarkable tournament four years ago in Italy and looks stronger this time. After the 10 Victory Over Argentina in the final at the Rome olympic stadium Franz Beckenbauer handed the reins to his successor Berti Vogts with the assertion that a unified German team would be near impossible to beat in the future. Juventud of Turin Italy midfielder Andreas Moeller currently mulling Over a possible move to Bayern Munich is one of the hot prospects to be the Star of the tournament and in Matthias Sammer and Thomas Haessler Vogts has plenty of class in the Middle of the Field. Captain Lothar Matthaus now. Fills the a Beckenbauer role a sweeping behind a defense Well endowed with the typical teutonic Virtues of reliability and consistency while up front the old firm of Juergen Klinsmann and Rudi Voeller May be asked to give one final curtain Call on the game s biggest stage. Germany is the Odds on favorite to top group c ahead of Spain Bolivia and South Korea and will be As difficult to beat As Ever from there in. Italy will also go into the tournament with High Hopes of winning what would be a record fourth title. Coach Arrigo Sacchi has based his squad around the All conquering a Milan team he handed Over to Fabio Capello in november 1991, is and its recent Triumph in the Europe an champions cup final showcased his Best players in top form. Sweeper Franco Baresi and Center half Alessandro Costacurta missed the game through suspension but they Are sure to be re United with Paolo Maldini in defense while Demetrio Albertini and. Jul ventus a Roberto Baggio Are among the Midfield stars. Italy a one potential weakness is Sac chips preserve ranch with Pierluigi casiraghi As his chosen striker. Casiraghi has struggled to hold Down a first team berth with Lazio Rome this season and it is hard to picture him As a regular scorer against International defences. Italy a meeting with the Republic of Ireland in new York on saturday was one of the first opening round matches to sell out and the result will go a Long Way to decide the world cup trophy Aptus ing the pecking order in group a brazils quadrennial dream of Matching the achievements of its predecessors As the Darlings of the world game places unique pressure on the Man in charge a in this Case Carlos Alberto Parreira at least this time the team s strongest suit appears to be in attack where Spanish based strikers Beneto and Romario Are the first Choice partnership with Muller Rivaldo Borba and earn undo Alves in Reserve. But Parreira has come in for criticism for his choices in Midfield where he prefers hard working rafters rather than the traditional attaching players favored in earlier brazilian teams. And this is the Crux for Brazil More than anyone else a it is not enough just to win it must be done with style. The other Side of latin american soccer has been showcased by Argentina in recent years. It is hard to argue with the record of a team that has reached three of the last four finals but its Progress through italia �?T90 just five goals Ana two penalty shootouts in seven matches set records for tedium. Looking beyond the usual suspects provides three other potential Quot winners a the Netherlands Spain and Colombia a with Belgium Ireland and most interestingly Nigeria perhaps the Best of the rest. The Netherlands certainly has the ability to go All the Way. Even without the injured Marco Van Basten and the disgruntled Ruud Gullet coach Dick Advocaat can Call on world class performers such As Frank Rijk aard Ronald Koe Man and Dennis bergkamp>j3ut a Lack of ability has rarely been a problem for the dutch whose tendency for internal squabbling has derailed several Cam a Girts. A at least Advocaat now seems to have the support of his big name players after the will he wont he Johan Ruyff Saga and provided the dutch can defeat archrival Belgium they should Progress at the top of group of Spain improved markedly As the qualifying Campaign wore on a capped by a 31 win Over Ireland in Dublin where Jack Charlton s team has been near impregnable for years. Spanish coach Javier Clemente decided Midway through the qualifiers that the old real Madrid Axis of Emilio but Raguc no Rafael Martin Vazquez and Michel was not going to win him anything so the new Fook team is based around the Barcelona outfit which has won the last four Spanish league titles. The potential weak Point is similar to that of Italy a in Julio Salinas the Spanish have a first Choice striker who struggles to make the starting 11 for his club Side in this Case Barcelona. But a Midfield including Jose Mari Babero and Guillermo Amor looks promising and a berth in the quarterfinals should be a realistic aim. Colombia is the outside Choice of several Good judges. No european team has Ever won the world cup when it has been held across the Atlantic and even though the United states holds less fear of the unknown than latin America geography still has some relevance. If Brazil and Argentina falter Colombia must be the americas Best bet. In Faustino Asprilla Carlos Valderrama and Freddy Rincon the squad hardly tacks for players capable of taking any match by the Scruff of the neck. Another plus is that goalkeeper Oscar Cordoba is not prone to the Type of Rush of blood to the head that struck Rene a Tel Loco Higuita when a mad dash into Midfield and subsequent loss of Possession effectively gifted Cameroon Success in the second round in Italy. Without the injured Niall Quinn a Lack of goals will probably doom Ireland for the second time in a Row while Belgium a stuttering end to the qualifying Campaign hinted at a team past its Best. The pick of the three african nations looks like Nigeria which recently won the african nations cup in Tunisia. Nigeria does have the depth and resources to make a Success of its first world cup a although Matching Cameroon a journey to the last eight four years ago would constitute real Success. The last word on who should and  win goes to England a leading bookmaker Ladbroke has installed Brazil As the 3-1 favorite ahead of Germany 7-2italy 6-1the Netherlands 6-1 and Colombia 8-1. Saudi Arabia draws the longest Odds of 500-1, but if the old adage holds water Germany is Likely to be celebrating yet again on july 17 m front of an estimated television audience of 2 billion at the end of the biggest Jamboree in world sport. 01991 wc9-1tm gup Odds London. Apr current Odds of winning he world cup As set by Ladbroke nation Odds nation Odds Brazil. 3-1 Norway. 40-1 Germany. 7-2 Romania. 40-1 Italy. 6-1 Sweden. 40-1 Netherlands. 6-1 Bolma. A a 50-1 Colombia. S-1 Bulgaria. 50-1 Argentina. 10-1 Mexico. 66-1 Spain. 22-1 Cameroon,.,.,. 60-1 Ireland. 25-1 United states. 60-1 Belgium. 29-1 Greece. .125-1 Nigeria. 33-1 Morocco. .200-1 Russia. 40-1 South Korea. .250-1 Switzerland. 40-1 saudi arabia.,. .1.500-1 cup facts previous title games Host country in Paron thesos 1990�?w�l Germany to Argentina q holy. A 1900�?Argentina 3, West German by 2 Mexico. T902�?lialy 3, West Germany i Spain. 1970 Argentina 3, Holland 1 extra time Argentina t974�?West Germany 2, Holland 1 West Germany t970�?Brazil 4, Italy t Mexico 1966�?England 4, w. Germany 2 extra Lima England 1962�? brazils Czechoslovakia i Chile 19ss�?brails, Sweden 2 Sweden a a 1964�?West Germany 3, Hungary 2 Switzerland 1950-Uruguay 2, Brazil 1 Brazil 1933�? Italy 4, Hungary 2 Franco 1934�?Italy 2, Czechoslovakia 1 extra time Italy 1930�?Uruguay 4. Argentina 2 Uruguay attendance figures averages in parentheses 1990 italy�?2,767.198 1 52 games 53,216 1306 Mexlco-2,199.941 in 52 games 42,307 tss2 spain�?1,760,277 in 52 games 33,967 1976 argentina�?1,610,215 in 38 games 42,374 1974 West Germany-1,774,022 in 30 games 46,684 1970 Mexico-1,673,975 in 32 Aames 52,311 1366 engiand�?1,814,677 in 32 games 50,450 1962 chile�?776,000 in 32 games 24.250 1358 swoden�?868,000 in 35 games 24,800 f 1954 sw.zerland�?943,000 in 26 games 36,270 1350 Brazil-1,337.000 in 22 games 60,772 1936 france�?463,000 in 18 games 26,633 1934 Italy-395,000 in 17 games 23,235 1930 uruguay�?434,500 in in games 24,138 a goal scoring Del 1990 1908 1902 1978 1974 1970 1966 1962 1058 1954. 1950 1938 1934 1930 Host rely Mexico Spain. Argentina West Germany Mexico England Chile. Sweden Switzerland Brazil France Italy. Uruguay . Venues capacity in parentheses lds Angeles Rose bowl 104,091 sen Francisco Stanford stadium 66,019 Mew York giants stadium 77,311 Detroit a Pontiac Silver dome 72,794 Dallas Cotton bowl 72,032 Orlando a Citrus bowl 70,188 Chicago Saddier Field 66,614 Boston Foxboro stadium 60,794 Washington Frk stadium 55,683 a indoor stadium. Games 52 52 52 38 38 32 32 32 35 26 22 18 17 18 goals 115 132 140 102 97. 95 89 89 128 140 68 64 70 70 goal avg. 2.2 2.5 2.8 2.6 2.5 2.9 2.7 2.7 3.6 5.3 40 4.6 4.1 3.8colombians have most Cash on the line Chicago up Colombia has the greatest incentive to lift soccer a world cup when the month Long tour Anent ends july 17. Backed by the country a largest brewery Bavaria the 22-Strong squad can Rake a Bonus of $390,000 a Man if the South americans win the final. Colombians Continental rival Brazil has cause for jealousy because players from the sentimental favorite will Only receive a $100,000 Bonus if they claim a record fourth title. Anything but the title Means no Money and National mourning. Another three time Champion Italy is More generous. Its players have already bagged $120,000 each for qualifying and they would add $210,000 for the title. Meanwhile the reigning Champion Germany a players have to Settle for $75,000 per head if they win while the . Team will get $120,000 each for an unlikely win. Bonuses Are also a major Factor behind the former Iron curtain As Many players earn their living at Rich european clubs. The romanians won themselves a Mercedes car each for qualifying and even went on strike recently to secure a w inning Bonus of $125,000. In Bulgaria never fulfilled qualifying bonuses led to the sacking of the National federations president Valentin Mihov. Russian players bag a $35,000 appear a Nee fee plus $150,000 if they prevail. But these payments Are Only the top of the iceberg. Players will be aiming to l prove their value with Good performance during the 31-Day extravaganza a see ing higher salaries and endorsements. And neither National federations n sponsors will be impoverished after wan because the world cup is the worlds b Gest sports event. The organizing International soc federation fifa hands out $500,0 per team for each match leaving the Wing federation $3.5 million Richer