Brazil not showing the same flair

There were Romario and Bebeto and their "rocking the baby" goal celebrations for Brazil en route to winning the 1994 World Cup final at the Rose Bowl.

American soccer fans remember them.

There were Ronaldinho and Ronaldo, the one with the goofy grin and the other with his strange half-moon haircut, leading Brazil to victory in the 2002 World Cup final in Yokohama, Japan.

American fans remember them.

There were countless other Brazilian stars of recent vintage, players such as Roberto Carlos and Cafu, and of an older generation, such as Rivelino, Rivaldo and Jairzinho.

And, of course, Pele

But what of the Brazilian players who will take the field today against the United States in Johannesburg, South Africa, in the final of the FIFA Confederations Cup? Will they be remembered?

Possibly, but not necessarily for the same reasons as the players mentioned above. Flair and fantasy were always the hallmarks of Brazilian soccer. Imagination and invention went hand in hand. The unexpected was always expected.

But the current Brazilian team is a different matter altogether. Because of it, the U.S. stands a chance. Not much of one, but a chance.

The Brazil team put together by Coach Dunga, the defensive midfielder who captained the 1994 side, is big, it is fast, it is strong, it is experienced and top-heavy with high-salaried players.

But it is also vulnerable.

Egypt proved that in taking Brazil to the wall before falling, 4-3, to a last-minute penalty kick during group play in the Confederations Cup.

The U.S., meanwhile, proved by upending Spain, the world's No. 1-ranked team, 2-0 on Wednesday, that it cannot be taken for granted, as the Spanish apparently did. On the right day and with the right amount of luck, the Americans can get the job done.

Of course, it has been 11 years since the only time they had that sort of good fortune against Brazil. And, of course, Brazil is unbeaten in the dozen games it has played on the African continent.

And then there is the matter of Kaka, Robinho, Luis Fabiano and Ramires, the attacking spearhead of Brazil's 4-2-3-1 formation. Stop one of them, fine. Stop two, even better. But stop all four, and at the same time keep tabs on the likes of Felipe Melo and Maicon?

It's a tall order for U.S. Coach Bob Bradley's team, especially with the mind-set Dunga has instilled in his players. Creativity is admired, but not at the expense of teamwork and application.