3) AUSTRALIA: In the Sydney Morning Herald, Greg Baum calls the World Cup "mankind's grandest set piece", prized by those who have everything and those who have nothing.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/world-cup-2006/mankinds-grandest-set-piece/2006/06/03/1148956586128.html

2) AMERICAS: John Carlin in the New York Times says each time Ronaldinho scores, he looks up, heavenwards, as if to say, "For you, dad."

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/04/sports/playmagazine/04brazil.html

1) EUROPE: The world's no.1 football writer Rob Hughes of the International Herald Tribune puts his money on Brazil. "Why Brazil? You might as well ask why the ball is round, or why we breathe oxygen?"

http://www.nytimes.com/iht/2006/06/09/sports/IHT-09wcfavorites.html