JOHANNESBURG - The next World Cup will be played in South America.
Most of the rest of this one will be played by South America.
Even before Brazil's 3-0 win over Chile on Monday at Ellis Park, South American teams were guaranteed spots in three of the four quarterfinals. And if Paraguay beats Japan in its round-of-16 game today, four South American teams will be among the final eight.
That leaves open the possibility of all-South American semifinals - which has never happened - and an all-South American final, which hasn't happened in 60 years.
Just don't ask anyone to explain why the continent is suddenly the most dominant on Earth at Earth's most popular game.
"I don't really know," said Chile's normally thoughtful Marcelo Bielsa, the only South American coach who has lost in this tournament. "I simply prefer to say nothing because I don't know what to say."
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Brazilian striker Robinho was no more enlightening.
"I can't tell you why that has happened," he said. "South America has evolved very well to the attacking soccer that is being played today. We also mark well. But it is a very aggressive soccer."
Very successful, too.
Monday's matchup was not so much a game as it was a clinic, with Brazil taking control on first-half goals from Juan and Luis Fabiano that came three minutes apart. It then put the game away 14 minutes into the second half when Robinho buried a 20-foot shot just inside the far post.
If it were a prizefight, Bielsa admitted he would have thrown in a towel from his corner.
"Brazil's superiority was too much for us. We were unable to slow them down," he said. "It's hard to adapt to an opponent when there's such a big gap in quality."
And guess what: Brazil says it can get better.
"We have to improve in all facets of our play," Brazil coach Dunga said.
That's because this is the time when the pressure starts to build. And no one feels it more than Brazil, which went into the World Cup among the favorites and has done nothing to change that perception.
"Given the quality of the Brazilian players, there is always this expectation that Brazil will be the winners," said Dunga, who won a World Cup as a player with Brazil. "But being the favorite doesn't mean you will win the World Cup."
Up next for the five-time World Cup champions is the Netherlands, which is 4-0 in this tournament.
TV TODAY
• Paraguay vs. Japan: 7a.m., ESPN
• Spain vs. Portugal: 11:30 a.m., ESPN
