South American clubs still lack killer instinct say FIFA experts

MIAMI - The gulf between South American and European teams may not be as wide as expected at the Club World Cup, but a clear gap still exists in their efficiency in front of goal, according to FIFA technical experts.

Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s Chief of Global Football Development, and Juergen Klinsmann, former Germany and U.S. national team coach, were speaking at a round table on Saturday as the tournament enters its knockout phase.

At the start of the competition, many opponents seemed to fear playing against the European teams, Wenger said.

But as things progressed - especially the Brazilians - they began to realise it might not be so different after all.

Flamengo and Botafogo beat European teams during the group phase of the 32-team competition, with the latters 1-0 victory over European champions Paris St Germain standing out.

Wenger said growing belief, especially among Brazilian sides, has shifted the dynamic heading into the last 16.

Maybe its also because theyve gained the confidence to do it. That shift in mindset could mean we’ll see a different Brazil in the knockout stage than we saw in the group phase, he added.

The Frenchman highlighted the influence of Filipe Luis, whose Flamengo side showed what Wenger called the most European tactical profile among South American sides at the tournament.

Filipe has ... played in Europe, and you can see that in the way his team approaches the game, Wenger said.

GAP CLOSING

Wenger and Klinsmann said South American clubs were quickly closing the gap in infrastructure and preparation.

When we visited the teams, we saw delegations of up to 100 people - support staff, analysts, advisors, Wenger said. With squads of 23 to 35 players, these clubs are now fully professional in every department. That level of preparation allows teams to