Confederations Cup Preview: Brazil vs. Spain

What we’ve all been waiting for, Brazil vs. Spain.  Can this be the preview of next years World Cup Final?

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Five reasons to watch Brazil play Spain on Sunday in the final of the Confederations Cup.

Maracana Stadium

The final will be played at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, one of the most famous football venues in the world. Once one of the largest stadiums on the planet, the Maracana hosted the final match of the 1950 World Cup, commonly remembered as a “disaster” around these parts. In that match, Uruguay beat Brazil 2-1 to win its second world title and leave Brazil still searching for a first.

Brazil invented “O Joga Bonito” — what many in the world call “The Beautiful Game” — and the country’s national team will looking to put that on display in one of its biggest home matches in decades.

Neymar

The locals love Neymar, and the past few weeks have proven that they are on to something. The 21-year-old Brazil striker with the pseudo Mohawk recently completed a blockbuster move to Barcelona, where next season he will play alongside Lionel Messi and several of the same opponents he and Brazil will face Sunday against Spain in the Confederations Cup final.

World champion Spain

Almost any time you watch Spain play football, you’re watching the game at its best. After years of underachieving, the Spanish team broke through at the 2008 European Championship. Spain then won the 2010 World Cup and repeated its title at Euro 2012, the first team to win those three major titles in succession.

Read More: USA Today

Like UrbanStreetSoccer on Facebook. Follow UrbanStreetSoccer on Twitter @UrbanStSoccer