Dunga’s critics might as well accept that Brazil are unlikely to create the fabulous rhythms of the sides created by Tele Santana that seduced the 1982 and 1986 World Cups. And Dunga will point out that these teams did not win the trophy; his model will always be the functional side he captained in the World Cup final in Los Angeles 16 years ago. That said, the final group game with Portugal was a grim disappointment. The Selecao may have been without Kaka, Elano and Robinho, the heartbeat of this year’s Brazil but they struggled to impress against some resolute Portuguese defending. It was only the second time in 24 games Brazil had failed to find the net – and this against a team they put six past in November. Brazil’s keeper, Julio Cesar may have been right when he said they dominated possession but they did little with it and the experiment of employing Nilmar in attack in unlikely to be repeated at Ellis Park – even if he did score a hat-trick against Chile the last time these sides met.

They do not call Chile’s Argentine manager, Marcelo Bielsa ‘El Loco’ or ‘The Madman’ for nothing. Despite the fact he had steered Chile to the knockout phases of the World Cup for the first time since 1998 and given them their first victory in the tournament since 1962, he looked beside himself after the 2-1 defeat to Spain in Pretoria. Bielsa knows that with a bit more discipline, Chile might have topped Group H and they will have to face Brazil – a team against whom they have an inferiority complex without three key players. Not only was Marco Estrada sent off for a trip on Fernando Torres but Bielsa will also be without his first-choice central defenders, Gary Medel and Waldo Ponce. Given that it is 10 years since Chile overcame Brazil, these are handicaps they could do without.

Even without the suspensions that have crippled Chile, the weight of history also lies very heavily on their shoulders at Ellis Park. Quite simply, they very rarely trouble Brazil. In 65 encounters between the two nations, Chile have won just seven times. Chile may have impressed in qualification, winning more games than the Selecao, but when the two sides met the old uncertainties came back to haunt them – they went down 3-0 in Santiago and 4-2 in Salvador. Brazil are not an irresistible force, and despite what the Fifa publicists say, they are not going to start playing too much of the beautiful game. But they beat Chile in the 1962 and 1998 World Cups and they will probably beat them in this one too. Verdict: Brazil to win.