Match won, not the hearts

Head coach Luiz Felipe Scolari of Brazil (2nd R) celebrates with his team during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Group A match between Brazil and Croatia at Arena de Sao Paulo on June 12, 2014 in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Photo: Getty Images

Brazil got off to a winning start to its Hexa Mission for the World Cup. Score in the inaugural match of the 2014 World Cup will read: Brazil 3 - Croatia 1. It's one of the best score in an opening match.

Getting a winning start is always difficult. Fans of any country in this 32-team tourney would have been happy with this score. But win is just not enough for Brazil. Brazilians are more interested to see how the match is won. It has to be in the Brazilian way, which is stroke art on the green.

Except for Oscar, undoubtedly the best player in the Sao Paolo match, the Seleçãos won the match in un-Brazilian fashion. 'Where has the Brazilian artistry gone? What's wrong with the team?' They are most likely to have been asking themselves these questions.

Brazilian obsession for beauty in the football is very high, and often runs beyond logic. It's not for the Total Football of the Netherlands, Tiki-Taka of Spain or Defensive football of Italy. They crave for their South American football.

They relish every goal that comes through a stroke of Brazilliance. The breath-taking run

down the flank by the overlapping defender, dazzling dribble by a midfielder after winning the ball from opponents' feet, jiggle and wiggle with the ball among the forwards inside the D-box of opponents and the mesmerising sways of strikers before sudden bursts of lethal attack were all that they missed in the opener.

However, history of the World Cup says Brazil continue to get better as tournament progresses. Rusty starts are always on the cards for them. When the initial anxiety is over, Seleçãos usually find little difficulty in getting the Samba rhythm back.

Brazil will be more like Brazil in four days' time against Mexico. You can place sure bet on it!