Brazil Prepares for Match With North Korea

JOHANNESBURG — Soccer in Brazil resembles figure skating in that artistry is no less important than performance. 
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In Brazil, the public frets that the national team’s once dazzling samba style has assumed a more martial beat. Dunga has been widely criticized for relying more on the imposing, muscular defense of a player like Lúcio, galloping counterattacks by right back Maicon, and the set-piece artistry of Dani Alves than the beautiful game of the days of Pelé.
Brazil, along with Spain, is favored to win the tournament. But many Brazilians lament that victory would be achieved with insufficient elegance and flamboyance. Socrates, a star on the country’s 1982 World Cup team, recently said that Dunga’s style was "an affront to our culture."