JULES RIMET

With the two most successful world cup nations in history - Brazil and Germany - cruising into the quarter finals this week, scope for making a killing on the tournament is limited. Brazil's combination of silky skills and sound defence leaves them 11-8 favourites to lift the trophy despite the prospect of next facing the improving Holland without their influential midfielder Leonardo. He was banned after flattening the USA's Ramos with an elbow as fleet as a Pele shuffle. Germany at 4-1 may be the better bet with strikers Voller and Klinsmann starting to look the part. Germany's defence is not too assured, however.

It would take a brave man to back any team but these two. But both the favourites have shown enough frailty to suggest a third team could sneak in, and there are several possibilities. Sweden (11-1) and Holland (8-1) look strong, with Sweden's 1-1 draw against Brazil - albeit in a group game with little pressure on either side - showing what the underrated Scandinavians can do.

Holland are a confidence side and will be boosted by the 2-0 defeat of the Republic. But their quarter final opponents are Brazil which dampens any excessive optimism for the men in orange.

But Spain at 12-1 is my top outside bet. On Saturday they exposed the technical naivety of both Switzerland and ITV in the second round. Matt Lorenzo, Ron Atkinson and Co ignored Spain's goal scoring record (6 goals) in the first round to announce that they could not see how this Spanish team could score. Some 90 minutes and three Spanish goals later they still felt Switzerland were unlucky. Spain are the tournament's top scorers so far, they have a well organised defence and a game plan. If the big boys slip up they could surprise a few.