Brazil SWC favourites - poll

London - Five-time winners Brazil are favourites to lift the World Cup trophy in South Africa this July, according to a poll of international sports journalists.

Brazil received 28.3 percent of votes to edge out second-placed Argentina with European champions Spain and Fabio Capello's England making up the top four.

The poll, conducted by the International Sports Press Association, was made up of 200 journalists from 97 countries.

Argentina and Barcelona World Player of the Year Lionel Messi took almost half the votes to finish as tournament top scorer.