EPPING, AUSTRALIA, June 22, 2010 /24-7PressRelease/ -- By: U Soccer Nut
Reporting from: Cyberspace via Hong Kong
A Brazilian friend of mine once told me that certain factors are mandatory for Brazil to win a World cup:
1. The Brazilian press can't support the team;
2. Brazil is to to play no more than what is necessary to win each game;
3. A good goalkeeper does not enhance Brazilian chances;
4. Brazil wins games by scoring more than the opposition, using the skills of individual players combined with the passing game ("jogo bonito" in Portuguese, or Beautiful Game as English speakers refer to it)
Over a number of caipirinhas (the Brazilian national drink), Joao da Silva (the Brazilian friend) explained why this is the case:
PRESS SUPPORT ...
is bad for the team, as they slack off under adoring press coverage. "We have already won" before the first game is the attitude of the Brazilian camp, if the team has the full support from the press.
PLAY NO MORE THAN WHAT IS NECESSARY TO WIN...
If Brazil goes out and plays too hard, they can't last the 90 minutes.
Against North Korea , Brazil had a score-less first half because they were just running the ball around and having fun (another Brazilian specialty).
For the Brazilian press, winning 2-1 against the lowest ranking team ever to make a World Cup final is embarrassing. After the game Brazilian game against North Korea, some people in Brazil began talking about Argentina winning.
GOALKEEPER
Unlike beautiful and free-spirited women, which are a Brazilian tradition, great goalkeepers are not.
Joao's gorgeous wife exemplifies the ethos of the country - for Maria da Silva, second place in the World Cup is the first loser.
SCORING MORE THAN THE OPPONENT
This might sound silly, but simple maths still apply to soccer. If you score more than the opponent, you win the game, stupid!
Brazil does not play defensive football very well, and the reason is pretty simple.
If you can play football in Brazil, you want to play mid-field or forward. The defensive positions are usually taken by players that would rather but out at the front, but don't have the skills.
The pecking order in Brazilian society is as follows:
Top Dog - Striker (scoring goals probably translates into scoring girls, and in Brazil this is a big incentive)
Ranking 2-7 Mid-fielders
Ranking 8-10 defense players
Ranking 11-20 bench of the national soccer team
Ranking 21 Giselle Bundchen
Ranking 22-500,000 Any other Brazilian Supermodel OR Carnival dancer
Ranking 500,0001-192,200,000 .... everyone else in the country, except below
Ranking 192,200,000+ Goalkeeper, Funeral Directors and Parking Police
(Brazil' population is roughly 192,300,000)
Joao referred me to the 1970 World Cup, and the following facts:
1. The press didn't support the team, as Brazil didn't win the 1966 World Cup - for the Brazilian press, anything other than 100% track record is not acceptable in soccer;
2. In 1970, Brazil's effort in the initial phases of the tournament aggravated the feeling by the locals that they could not possibly win.
Winning 3-2 against Romania and 1-0 against the reining World champion in 1970 was classified by the Brazilian press as the proof the team could not win the tournament;
3. The Brazilian goalkeeper in 1970 was Felix, possibly the least talented goalkeeper ever to wear a Brazilian jersey;
4. Jogo Bonito in 1970, as played by:
Forwards and mid-field: Pele, Gerson, Tostao, Rivelino, Jairzinho,
Defense: Brito and Wilson Piazza
Links to Wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caipirinha
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brazil
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1966_FIFA_World_Cup
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1970_FIFA_World_Cup
1970 notable Brazilian players
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pel%C3%A9
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%A9rson
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tost%C3%A3o
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivelino
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jairzinho
1970 Defense players
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilson_Piazza
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H%C3%A9rcules_Brito_Ruas
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/F%C3%A9lix_Mi%C3%A9li_Venerando
NOTE: Cybernut could not locate an English version of Felix's Wikipedia entry - is that a coincidence?
Cyber NUT is a start-up news organisation, specialising in publishing articles directly from Cyberspace.
Blog http://usoccernut.wordpress.com
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