‘Samba Style v Total Football not on’

Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk has played down expectations that Friday’s World Cup quarterfinal between the Netherlands and Brazil will be a feast of football. The clash in Port Elizabeth pits two countries renowned for free-flowing football together. Van Marwijk however insists the days of Dutch Total Football versus Brazil's traditional "samba" style are a thing of the past. "It was a long time ago, Total Football - if you play like that now it's very hard to win the Cup," said Van Marwijk on Thursday. "Total Football was back in 1974. But sport changes and football changes also. It has to do with the fact everybody is getting fitter, better organised." ‘Total Football’ saw outfield players interchange and operate in any position as the situation. It saw the Dutch lose the 1974 and 1978 World Cup finals but win the 1988 European championships.