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Bafana's Parreira tips Brazil

Bloemfontein - South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira on Monday tipped his native Brazil to go far in the Soccer World Cup, saying the five-time winners had not yet played to their full potential.

Brazil have already booked their place in the knockout phase in South Africa thanks to a 2-1 win over North Korea in their first Group G clash and an impressive 3-1 victory over Ivory Coast on Sunday.

Parreira, who won the World Cup with the South American giants in the United States in 1994, said the Brazil team was stacked with quality players, adding: "They are also experienced and they have a lot of self-confidence.

"They are so comfortable with their football that it's almost as if they are constantly training."

Speaking to reporters at the Free State stadium in Bloemfontein ahead of South Africa's match with France on Tuesday, Parreira said Brazil's "future in this competition is very positive."

"The Brazilians perhaps haven't yet used their experience to the full. They haven't put their foot fully on the pedal," he added.

Parreira said South America had been able to showcase the quality of its football at the World Cup amid woes for European and African teams, demonstrating that the game was not just about physical strength.

"If you are rapid in your play, if you are creative in your play you will get results," he said.

South American teams have so far won seven of their nine matches, with two draws.

Parreira's comments follow those of Ivory Coast manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who said Brazil, with just Portugal to play in the so-called "Group of Death," had the mark of potential world champions.

"I think the Brazil team can go all the way. They have quality, especially in defence," the former England manager said after his side played the South Americans.

"You need to be almost perfect to beat Brazil. In every way they are good, they are very good."

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