FORTUNE favours the bold – and that might be exactly why Dunga found himself out of a job yesterday morning.

The former World Cup winner’s defensive style never suited Brazil, and the fact he was continually butting heads with his nation’s notoriously vociferous press meant it was only a matter of time before things came to a head. Dunga – which unfortunately translates to “Dopey” in Portuguese – took over from Carlos Alberto Parreira in 2006 and the calls for his head materialised almost instantly from a Brazilian public who don’t just demand success, they demand success with style.

The problem was, that despite the negative tactics and the high-profile arguments with Ronaldinho, Adriano and the like, Brazil just kept on winning.

They took the Copa America and the Confederations Cup, and started this World Cup as the most dominant team in the competition.

Dunga looked like being the most unpopular bloke ever to lead his country to the major prize, until two shoddy pieces of defending against Holland gave the baying public just what they wanted.

By contrast, Diego Maradona looks like leaving his position as Argentina coach for taking the attack-at-all-cost route.

Joachim Loew tactically outclassed him on Saturday, and he knew it. And now, just days after we were all drooling over the idea of an Argentina v Brazil final, both sides have been dumped out on their backsides.

If this hasn’t been the most unpredictable World Cup ever, I’d like to know what was.