Luis Felipe Scolari

I did it once, I can do it again!

After a well paid exile in Uzbekistan, Felipão is back at the bench of his beloved Palmeiras.  He has the experience and the crowd stands by him. However, after two not so great gigs, in Chelsea and Bunyodkor, Big Phil’s return to his country was perhaps his only choice. Scolari is the person with more to lose if he accepts this job. He already has a World title and most people in Brazil put the 2002 team in an unreacheable pedestal. His image as a good tactical mind and a conciliator of great minds can quickly change after a couple of  bad results.

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Vanderlei Luxemburgo

Double or nothing!

Well known outside Brazil for his short time spent in Madrid, Luxemburgo has already worked in the biggest clubs of Brazil. His tactical knowledge is always praised in his home country, where he holds a record 5 national championships. Lately, his star hasn’t shone so brightly, with allegations of gambling addiction hovering over his head. Having had an unsuccessful experience in the national squad, his name continues to be brought up among those who remember the good ol’ days.

The rule is: the referee's call is always a bad one.

Mano Menezes

The Corinthians’ coach doesn’t have any international experience. However, his tenure in the popular São Paulo club has been victorious. Born and raised in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul, the local Uruguayan and Argentinian influences are shown in his physical, defensive minded game. His shady connections may get him the job, but he is just not ready, yet.

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Wearing his heart on his sleeve, the media loves him. Especially after a loss.

Muricy Ramalho

After three titles in a row with São Paulo, Muricy’s star faded in Palmeiras. He is now trying to get back on his feet in Rio. His temper does not help his cause for he presents an unfitting attitude for a job this big. Tactically stubborn, he would have to change lots of things to make his beloved 3-5-2 work in the Seleção.

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The best choice with his current boss

Paulo Autuori

A former Peruvian national coach, he has experience in South America, Portugal, Japan and the Middle East. He is famous for replacing coaches fired mid-term in Brazil. His South American titles with Cruzeiro and São Paulo, plus good work with Botafogo, add to his resume. Currently, he is making a lot of money in Qatar. Calm and with great knowledge of the game, he is my favorite for the gig.

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Santana has his eye on the job

Joel Santana

The folkloric former South African coach is very popular in Rio. In Brazil, we say that he talks the same ‘language’ as the players, hence his popularity among them and the public. Apart from that, he is not the greatest of coaches. For Joel, his name being in the mix can be considered a prize for his work in some Brazilian big clubs.

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Always classy Leonardo

Leonardo

Still undecided if he wants to be a coach or a GM, Leonardo’s name is brought up more because of his finesse and less because of his coaching skills. He had a bitter-sweet experience in Milan, no one could do a lot better than he did. I wonder if he was really the coach of that team, or just a puppet from master Berlusconi.

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I wonder what he is so happy about....

Carlos Alberto Parreira

Well, when you talk of renewal, new faces or new man for the job, the last thing you want is an old coach back. Somehow, Parreira is always in the mix when it comes to the Seleção, and he should be confirmed soon as a General Manager for the National Team. He has the experience, but his name is still linked with the 2006 debacle, which is not a good memory for Brazilan fans.

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Maybe after 2014, his time will come.

Dorival Junior

Junior is probably the best coach for young players nowadays. After two good seasons (with Coritiba and Vasco), Santos hired him to lead a young and very talented squad. He won some titles and has the right temper. However, some tactical flaws still prevent him from taking this giant leap.

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Looking for a job!

Adilson Batista

The former Cruzeiro coach is one of the best new names. Currently unemployed, after a long tenure in Minas Gerais, Adilson has yet to accomplish something at the greater level in Sao Paolo or in Rio to be taken seriously for a job this big.

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Soon to be unemployed!

Ricardo Gomes

He has had some international experience, coaching clubs in France, between jobs in Brazil. However, his name is in the mix because someone at the CBF likes him. His contract with São Paulo expires soon and has not yet been renewed, which indicates he would be free to take the job.

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And who is the man that chooses the coach?  Well, that would be:

He better think this one through....

Ricardo Teixeira

João Havelange’s ex-son in law, he has been the head of Brazilian football since 1989. He is certainly the type of person people would rather have on their side, due to his power. Even Brazilian Presidents have found that out. Allegations of corruption never stick to him, and he is always quiet when confronted with the lack of stars and money in the Brazilian League. Making most of the decisions alone, he has already announced that the new coach will not split duties between any club and the National Team. He also guaranteed that the new man will have time to work and that he expects nothing less than a title in 2014. Sure, like that’s so easy.

If you’re the gambling type, there are plenty of choices.  So, take your pick.

Soon enough we will know who will sit in the hot seat.

Robinho shows his anger!

The first game deciding a place in the top four today was Brazil against the Netherlands, at Nelson Mandela Stadium in Port Elizabeth. A much anticipated match, for everyone expected a nice display from both teams. When the match started, I had the impression that some players were a little more nervous than they should be.

Brazil had the best chances as the Dutch team couldn’t keep the ball at their feet for long. The Brazilians’ first goal was disallowed, after Daniel Alves was flagged for offsides before his cross to Robinho. However, just after that, Felipe Melo made a beatiful vertical pass to Robinho and the forward scored a nice second goal in the World Cup. All those things happened before the 1oth minute of the first half.

Before his celebration.

After suffering the goal, some Dutch players got their act together and started playing.  Chances were created by the Oranje side, always seeking Arjen Robben along the right side, although never frightening Julio Cesar or the Brazilian defense.

As Holland appeared to have only one side, Brazil tried to pass the ball quickly, to open the Dutch defense. Daniel Alves, playing in the midfield again, crossed a good ball to Juan in the 25th minute, but the defender wasted it.

Another good opportunity came on 30 minutes. Kaká, Robinho and Luis Fabiano exchanged passes, ending with Kaká trying a nicely curled finish.. That was perhaps the best single moment of Brazilian football in the whole competition.  Ironically, it was well saved by Maarten Stekelenburg.

The match turns on Maarten Steklenberg's save of an upper 90 bound curler from Kaka, attempting to cap off Robinho's determined run.

The Dutch players appeared unfocused during the first half – something was off – they almost seemed to be arguing amongst them. Well, that was about to change. The Netherlands found a goal in the beginning of the second half. A dumb foul by Michel Bastos resulted in a free kick.  The cross by Wesley Sneijder went into the box, where Felipe Melo got in the way of Julio Cesar and, apparently, scored an own goal.

Felipe Melo in the way of Julio Cesar's save.

With the Dutch goal, the Brazilians became more nervous. Way more nervous. The Japanese referee didn’t help, delaying so many restarts, lecturing to the players. When the Brazilians thought that this couldn’t get any worse, Arjen Robben crossed a corner, flicked by Dirk Kuyt to Welsey Sneijder, unmarked, and he headed into the net.

While everybody stares, Sneijder scores!

Brazil still had some time to recover, with the go -ahead goal happening in the 67th minute. However, some Brazilian players were just not present. Luis Fabiano was hiding somewhere near the defense. Gilberto Silva’s must have lost his stamina, because he was walking around the pitch.

Don’t even get me started on Michel Bastos and Felipe Melo. The left back was taken off in the 61st minute, as he was just not able to cope with Robben’s skills. The midfielder, Melo, was expelled in the 72nd minute, after a harsh foul when he stepped on Robben unnecessarily.

Robinho reverts back to anger, lecturing Robben for allowing Melo to stomp on him

On the Ducth side, it has to be said that Mark Van Bommel and Nigel De Jong controlled the midfield well enough.

Dunga looked at his bench and found nobody to help. In a desperate move, he trades forwards, putting Nilmar in the place of Luis Fabiano, trying to get some speed on the field. Lucio turned into a striker because he wasn’t seen after the 75th minute doing his job in the defense. Brazil’s desperation got nowhere and helped the Netherlands create some good opportunities in the counter attack, of which they didn’t take full advantage . Near the ens, they could have scored many more goals.

So the heavily favored Brazilians were out. Dunga is also out, as he announced prior to the tournament. What’s left for Brazil? Picking up the pieces and trying to be a good World Cup host in 2014.

The General and his soldiers

As was pointed out in an earlier WFC column, Brazil and Argentina have plenty of differences, but both have somehow managed to keep one thing in common: the know-how to use their strengths.

Maradona and Dunga are not exactly coaches. One of them worked towards restructuring the Brazilian national squad’s core throughout his three and a half years on the bench, whereas the other one took over the Argentine job almost two years ago and has since spent his time testing far too many players. Some experts, here in South America, seem to consider that they have just continued their previous roles, Dunga as a captain, now off the field, almost like a general, Maradona as the “good friend” of the guys, and the one who still can make the nice moves (at least in practice ).

In the end, both left home some big names.

Dunga realised that, while he has some of the best central defenders and right backs in the world, in order to mantain this fortress he would have to give up on some of the “fantasy” players that were regularly seen in yellow. His main problem always seemed to be the left back, maybe Daniel Alves (who would be a first team regular virtually anywhere) can solve that issue, because Gilberto and Michel Bastos are not playing in the left, at least not for their clubs. Another problem for Brazil is the bench.  It’s not exactly Dunga’s fault but the reserve players are not of the same quality as the first team. It may seem as a natural thing, but the downfall is immense from Kaká to Julio Baptista and from Gilberto Silva to Josué, for example.

How does the beard story go?

Calling Maradona a head coach is merely a figure of speech.  I firmly believe that his only function as a coach is to sign the sheet, Veron seems to be the leader on the pitch. With a pack of good forwards, most of them on the top scoring tables in the main European leagues, and a lack of trustworthy defenders and goalies, the Argentines seem only to have a mind for attacking their opponents. Messi, Tevez and Higuain (with Aguero, Milito and Palermo in the bench) comprise one of the most talented groups of attacking midfielders/forwards in the world; how to best use them is the key to Argentina’s sucess.

There is a famous saying in the game of American Football:  “Offense wins games, defense wins championships.”  Which  will prevail in true football, we will find out during the World Cup.

No, you’re not being punk’d.

If you’ve ever seen The Butterfly Effect, starring Ashton Kutcher, or are familiar with the chaos theory concept for which the film is named, you might have an idea of how nearly half the populace of South America feels as the World Cup approaches.

Essentially, the theory posits that even the slightest change in detail at the beginning of an experiment can produce a hugely different outcome. Based on the work of mathematician and meteorologist, Edwin Lorenz, the idea is that a butterfly flapping its wings in one particular place, or not at all, might, through a series of consequent reactions affect the direction or severity of a hurricane an ocean away.

I remember , as a young whippersnapper, reading a science fiction story about a man who travels back in time to see dinosaurs and accidentally steps on a butterfly or caterpillar or some such.  When he returns home, his world is in ruin.  Of course, Ashton Kutcher only travelled back to his own childhood. No hurricanes. No dinosaurs. Still, each change he made, attempting to improve his present life, brought drastic and unintended consequences.

Victory party

Holiday party

Now, as far as I know, no football fan in Brazil or Argentina has discovered time travel.  Still, there have been some radical changes in the makeup of the two national teams recently.  Like a work exchange program, Brazil is adopting a more staid Argentinish approach in preparing for South Africa, while Argentina is, a la Brazil, trying to add a little color and panache to their game.

If you play word association with a group of people, first mentioning Brazil, the reply will probably be either soccer or Carnival. The colors of the flag and the national team kit are a vivid gold, green and blue. Music, dance, laughter, creativity and  celebration are all words that describe the Brazilian people; they pursue happiness with their heart and souls.

Communist Party

Socialist Party

Conversely, the Argentines seek satisfaction. They are very political animals. Continuing the game of word association, next ask for the name of a famous Argentine and for every Diego Maradona mentioned, you are equally likely to get one answer of Che Guevara and  another voting for Evita Peron.  Pride , power and politics are cultural bywords in Buenos Aires.  Or they would be, if English was the language spoken.

So why are the Selecao eschewing individual talent for team cohesion and defensive discipline and why did the Albiceleste give the reins of the national team to a man famous for his excesses, who took charge with a rash promise to not only bring his country victory but to do it in style?

A plan coming together

The simple answer would be that it is down to the two managers. Dunga is a former center back, Brazilian born but of conservative German stock, a heritage which has always shown in his game and management philosophy. Maradona, on the other hand, has lived and almost died, not for the glory of the game, but the drama.  This reversal of polarized philosophies is like George W. Bush hosting the Oscars while Ellen DeGeneres sits in the Oval Office. It’s like the BBC airing Debbie Does Dallas while the Daily Mail runs a five part series on global warming. It’s like Roy Hodgson out on the town with Cheryl Cole on one arm and Victoria Beckham on the other while Ashley, Becks and John Terry enjoy a nice quiet evening at home playing Scrabble.

I can just hear Golden Balls exclaiming, “Monogamy is too a word, you prat!”  (and don’t forget the 50 point bonus for using seven letters)

For Brazil, the new methodology has borne positive fruit. The team is hardly boring, still showing frequent flashes of artistry but it has drastically reduced the foolish defensive lapses that have tripped them up in the past. While the media and fans may cry for the likes of Ronaldinho and Adriano to satisfy their appetite for theatrics, qualification went smoothly and, ever so slowly, outsiders are starting to buy into Dunga’s system.  The team is healthy, to boot, and have regained their number one FIFA World Ranking from the Spaniards.  Things are looking up.

Another falling to pieces?

For Argentina, not so much. The team struggled through the CONMEBOL qualifications with the raw, inexperienced Maradona showing no consistency in his roster selections, starting line-ups or tactics. After the side secured an invitation to the finals, in their very last match, the manager gave such a profanity laced hairdryer treatment to the media, which had delighted in pillorying him at every turn,that he earned a 60 day ban from FIFA and allegedly received a request for tutelage from the awestruck star of the Batman movies and fellow connoisseur of cuss, Christian Bale.

Under past Argentine managers, petty differences were set aside for the greater glory and national pride.  The new regime, however, has permitted personality to become a major part of the selection process. One of the most sublime midfielders in the modern game, Juan Roman Riquelme refuses to play for Maradona, and the manager himself has largely ignored Inter midfielder Esteban Cambiasso since taking charge. Also absent from a final squad including 6 strikers is Inter fullback Javier Zanetti. The two Inter men, both well capped internationals, have played a huge part in their club side’s successful journey to Madrid for the Champions League Final. Only Diego Milito, taken as the 6th forward, was included from the trio of Argentines featuring for the two time Serie A champions. Perhaps the overabundance of strikers chosen reflects their manager’s opinion of his own historical importance.

To be fair, a hard fought one-nil away victory in a friendly over Germany has given some hope that such a talented team may be able to overcome the ineptitude of their little Napoleon.  It seems a slim hope at best, however.   Meanwhile, the outcome for either team, be it stunning success or epic failure, is subject matter for days yet to come.  More appealing–to me anyway– is the social subtext of the strange new world that is emerging in South American football.

Moreover , being satisfied with the simple answer of laying blame at the feet of Dunga and Maradona is too easy. It doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface.  After all, someone had to hire the managers.  It then follows that whoever does the hiring also signs the paychecks and tends to have deep pockets and powerful connections.  Therefore, economics and politics had to have a lot to do with this unexpected transformation. Interestingly, the political and economic landscape in both nations has also undergone significant change in the last decade.

Luis Inacia has the Brazilian economy rocking!

Brazil, in the ’70’s and ’80’s, was a country in shambles. Inflation was rampant, crime high and the government was rife with scandal. The Cartolas (top hats) who ran the Brazilian clubs were as corrupt as the politicians they were in bed with. Then, in 1994, the Plano Real was enacted, curbing inflation and bringing the national deficit under control.  Brazil’s currency, the real, stabilized and foreign investors began to do business there. In 2002, leftist Luis Inacia Lula da Silva was elected President and the country has continued to prosper, leading to FIFA awarding Brazil the 2014 World Cup.

...while Cristina Kirchner attempts to hold off another economic landslide

Soccer clubs have not been exempt from the crisis. The opening of the 2009 fall season was threatened as it was revealed that almost every club, including giants Boca Juniors and River Plate, were mired in massive debt. It is now Argentina that is home to emotional, reactionary policies and greed with Brazil cautiously looking forward to a prosperous future.

Valencia's Villa tests the wind before sailing for Barca...

...while ex partner Silva looks to flag a taxi to Madrid

While the situation in the two countries is one of the more stark and sudden changes in football’s landscape, it is far from the only one. Football is a major part of the global community, a place that is rapidly transforming .

The butterfly’s winds of change are blowing through stadiums all over the world.

Television has brought a wider audience and much more revenue to European leagues.  While some clubs are thriving, others have incurred huge debt.  Many small clubs, eager for a piece of the pie, have mortgaged their futures and, in the face of a sudden economic downturn, cannot honor their debts.  In England, Portsmouth are going through administration and have been relegated.  In Spain, Valencia have at last been forced to sell their best players, the Davids Silva and Villa, to pay their bills.  Those are just two of many top flight clubs in dire straits.

Outside of the game, changes in the global economy have also seen the creation and expansion of the European Union, the NAFTA Trade Agreement in North America, and Australia realigning itself in the Asian market.   These new political and commercial relationships, as well as the boom in internet and communications technologies, are quickly bringing the world  much closer together.

As a result, the lines between cultures are blurring.  Football is, of course, affected.  Despite the relative disinterest of their home markets, there is an ever increasing proliferation of American and Aussie players throughout Europe.  The roster of the current German national side, a country that, sadly, still lives in the shadow of the atrocities committed by the most fervent nationalist in history, features a virtual rainbow of German born players of Ghanian, Turkish, Tunisian, Spanish and Polish descent. Players like Mesut Ozil, with their very un-Germanic creativity, are even changing Fussball from probably the most efficient team oriented style of play into a more intricate and risky attacking game.

faces of the new Germany

and Jerome Boateng,

Mesut Ozil,

Cacau,

Sami Khedira,

FIFA itself, under the direction of Sepp Blatter has had a major part in this evolution, bringing the World Cup to Africa for the first time this year, it having recently made its debut in North America and Asia, as well. The next step may be integrating the Islamic nations into the World Cup village.  Qatar , with the encouragement of the FIFA chief has made a very innovative bid for either the 2018 or 2022 tournament.

The world is becoming more intimate and football is playing a role. As wonderful as that may be, one hopes that the changes in how the game is played in places like Brazil and Germany, caused by this globalization don’t ever evolve to the point where nations are indistinguishable from each other, all embracing similar  types of players and utilizing one bland style.  While that seems to work for the NFL, soccer’s charm is in its ability to bridge the gaps between and appeal to vastly different cultural and political environments.

Some of the greatest fights in boxing history, Ali/Frazier or Leonard/Duran, for example, were compelling due to the clash of opposite styles; power punchers trying to break down skilled boxers. That principal holds true in soccer when Italy meets Brazil, Argentina clashes with England or even when the Ivory Coast meets South Korea.

The diversity of the game is what makes it thrive. To lose that would be a grievous blow.

Author’s note:

I am far from the first to notice or remark on these changes in the game. As you can easily see if you check out my blog (insert shameless plug here) or just look at the title of this article, two of my favorite books on football are:   How Soccer Explains The World by Franklin Foerr and Soccernomics by Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski. I heartily recommend them. The authors know much more than I do about the butterfly effect now happening in the beautiful game.

Please read their work.

Martin Palazzotto

Martin Palazzotto’s day job is in the yachting industry.  Having to live in close quarters with Brits, Scots, Kiwis, Aussies, Saffers and various Europeans for much of his adult life has irreversibly encoded the culture of football into his DNA.  He currently lives in Fort Lauderdale, where, unfortunately for you, his access to soccer is limited to cable and the internet.

His motives may be easy to understand, the surge of Ronaldinho Gaúcho in Milan threatens his spot in the Brazilian National team that is going to South Africa. Reportedly, coach Dunga told him that he needs to play somewhere to justify his presence in the squad. However, he is not even performing enough to prove he can be in the Brazilian bench. Mancini compared Robinho to Adriano: when he was back in Internazionale, the forward came back to Brazil to play for half a season for São Paulo, and then came for good to play for Flamengo and clearly improved his football. Adriano is now considered a no brainer for a spot in South Africa. Now all four forwards that were in the Seleção in 2006 are playing in Brazil, with Ronaldo in Corinthians and Fred in good shape in Fluminense.

One thing Robinho will surely have in Brazil is weaker opponents. Santos first half of the season brings two challenges: the Campeonato Paulista, a local tournament that runs until May, mostly with teams that are not even in the national championship, and some big clubs, like São Paulo and Corinthians, with their eye on another crown, the Copa Libertadores. Santos will also play the Brazilian Cup with teams that do not get a spot in the Libertadores, the Cup is always a good place to show off and win a title after just 12 games.

So now, at an age where he should be peaking in performance, Robinho chooses to surrender for a spot in a Premier League contender to come back to Brazil, a good measure to understand how his career got off track is a really common coparison that brazilian media makes everytime that Robinho is not playing well, watch Tevez! They were born just two weeks apart 26 years ago, in poor neighborhoods near big cities. In 2003, they first met when Tevez helped Boca win the Libertadores final against Robinho and Santos in São Paulo. Then in 2005 Tevez accepted the shady MSI offer to come to Corinthians and they won that year’s Brazilian Championship. Robinho went to Real Madrid and Tevez managed to save West Ham from relegation prior to two good seasons with United, they met again in the City of Manchester Stadium, and it is easy to assume why the supporters like the Argentinian so much.

Dunga probably will call Robinho up to the team for South Africa, but this will be make or bust for him, a really good player that has an enourmous ego and was labeled as a flop in the UK.

During his first game back in Brazil today, Robinho came off the bench and capped a cross magically, giving Santos the win over São Paulo. In a much anticipated game by the brazilian media, Robinho was exactly… Robinho.

Fluminense is considered the club of aristocracy in Rio, mainly because some big shots that rule the game in Brazil are supporters of the “Tricolor”, including João Havelange. The club from Rio was having a bad season, with a last place stand on the table. When October came, Fred’s game started to show up in Maracanã, and Fluminense is now two points behind rival Botafogo, in a fight against relegation, with consecutive wins, some of them against some top placers like Cruzeiro, Atlético Mineiro and Palmeiras.

As far as Palmeiras is concerned, they also are having a year to remember. During half the championship they held on to the first place, and as a consequence, looked like an easy pick to win it all at the end. However, a single win out of the last seven games, plus losses to all four teams currently at the bottom of the table, simply shattered the dream of the “palestrinos” that now have got to see São Paulo and Flamengo battle for the title, with just three rounds before a champion is crowned.

In the same manner that Fred is currently one of the main reasons for Fluminense’s surge, Vágner Love’s poor performance is always mentioned by Palmeiras fans. Midfielders Diego Souza and Cleiton Xavier are being accused by teammates of focusing exclusively upon transfers to European clubs by the end of the year. Nonetheless, Palmeiras’ bad moment can be credited mainly to the defensive players’ performance. Also, the inconsistency of the team managed by Muricy Ramalho hurt their chances beyond recovery. At the other end, Fluminense’s sub-20 star Maicon is proving he is worth all the hype and talented midfielder Dario Conca is the ‘maestro’ of this year’s cast.

In common, these teams have only one thing: ups and downs. This means that now Palmeiras has to pick up the pieces and try to stay among the top four by the end of the Championship to get a place in next years’ Copa Libertadores. Meanwhile, Fluminense is still battling relegation; they will play the finals of the Copa Sudamericana, on a vengeful match against Ecuatorians’ LDU, which beat Fluminense last year in a thrilling Libertadores’ final at Maracanã.

2009’s Campeonato Brasileiro has been an emotional roller coaster ride. Some fans are disappointed, some are relieved, some are hoping for the best: São Paulo’s fans are pretty chatty these days as they look forward to getting one more trophy added to their gallery. Or not. Adriano’s Flamengo may grab the title after all. As someone else has already said, “The game isn’t over until it’s over”.

Photo by www.fluminensefc.com.br.

A couple of reasons “helped” the competition along the way. São Paulo’s change in management and slow start gave the chance that rivals were waiting for over the last three years to finally end their winning streak.

Almost all teams changed coaches during the competition, giving some clubs the opportunity to regroup halfway through the tournament. Some clubs, like Palmeiras, Internacional and Grêmio learned São Paulos’s lesson and maintained the majority of their players from last year, with some important arrivals such as Vágner Love and D´Alessandro.

Palmeiras is at the top of the table. They hired Muricy after his dismissal from São Paulo, they have the best midfielders in Brazil (Cleiton Xavier and Diego Souza), a fierce defense and a couple of good strikers, not to mention their captain and most important player of all time protecting the goal: Marcos. Palmeiras is managing to get points even through the most difficult games, like some weeks ago when they got a victory in Santos and at Mineirão, over Cruzeiro.

Internacional had great expectations for this year. The Colorado side is having a season to forget though. And yet, they managed to hold a top 5 place at the table all year long.
This season surprises are Goiás and Atlético Mineiro (from the state of Minas Gerais), both teams were considered candidates for relegation and are fighting for a top 4 spot, a place that could give the club the classification to Libertadores next year.

Last decade’s downside has got to be the clubs from Rio de Janeiro. Fluminense and Botafogo are in the relegation zone, or real close to it, with Vasco already in the second division, comfortable to come back next year, and Flamengo always struggling politically. Maybe we will never see again rooters like the ones they had in the 80s, competing head to head with the greatest clubs in the country.

Nonetheless, this year’s championship remains one of the all-time greatest. Some intense rivalries, rallies for all important places and a fair amount of good players in the league.
Here are some games to keep an eye on, should you be able to catch them on TV or over the internet be aware that those dates can change:
17/10 – São Paulo x Atlético Mineiro
18/10 – Palmeiras x Flamengo
25/10 – Santos x São Paulo
25/10 – Internacional x Grêmio
25/10 – Botafogo x Flamengo
28/10 – São Paulo x Internacional
29/10 – Palmeiras x Goiás
31/10 – Flamengo x Santos
01/11 – Palmeiras x Corinthians
01/11 – Náutico x Sport
04/11 – Grêmio x São Paulo
08/11 – Atlético Mineiro x Flamengo
08/11 – Fluminense x Palmeiras
14/11 – Cruzeiro x Grêmio
14/11 – São Paulo x Vitória
22/11 – Grêmio x Palmeiras
22/11 – Flamengo x Goiás
22/11 – Botafogo x São Paulo
22/11 – Flamengo x Goiás
29/11 – Corinthians x Flamengo
29/11 – Palmeiras x Atlético Mineiro
29/11 – Goiás x São Paulo
06/12 – Flamengo x Grêmio

Picture by Rubens Chiri

The two South American powerhouses will take their rivalry to Rosario, an industrial city around 150km from the capital Buenos Aires, to play in the Rosario Central venue “Gigante de Arroyito” (literal translation is “Giant from the little river”), a very intimidating stadium for the Brazilians – and one with a history in this confrontation as well.

Back in the 1978 World Cup, which Argentina hosted and eventually won, an almost all South American semifinal took place: Polland, Peru and the two giants played for a place in the final. The game between Brazil and Argentina took place in the mid-June- Argentine’s winter, with a high dose of intensity from the local players, really rough at times, and especially from the fans. One famous tale that is told about on that game is: the Brazilians’ bus was not allowed to enter the stadium, leaving the players across the street from it, so they had to walk some meters surrounded with local passionate fans screaming “nice” things in their ears. Maradona hand-picked this place to face Brazil beacuse he knows the power of 40,000 + Argentinian fans rooting against Brazil.

Fast forwarding 30 years into time, we have two really technical teams that most likely will be playing for the title next year. However, while Dunga maintained a style of game that gave Brazilians hope and a Confederations’ Cup this summer, Maradona looks a bit lost on how to give room to some really skillful players, like Messi and Aguero, and – at the same time – cut the spaces from the opponent. My bet is on a draw. Mainly because the defensive system of the Argentinians is not working well, to a point where even the people there think Brazil’s defense is better. Bear in mind: last time Brazil won in Argentinian soil was in 1995. The last two games there finished with normal wins for the local side.

After some good results, Brazil is leading the way to South Africa with 27 points, they can clinch their place there with a draw in Rosario or a win at their next game with Chile in Salvador. Argentina, on the other hand, is 5 points behind, and with Ecuador and Uruguay in its neck to get to the top four that have guaranteed places, and after Brazil they have to face another tough match in Paraguay. On the first encounter for these World Cup Qualifying Round, they drew without goals in Brazil.

Trash talk, passionate crowds, great players on both sides. That’s pretty much the best anyone can hope for a fine soccer match. Saturday night’s gonna be a special one, certainly to be remembered for years to come. It doesn’t matter if it makes into the world record of all times: Argentina and Brazil have a a rivalry of its own and seeing both countries fighting for. “whatever” is always good. Watch out!

Falling from grace and coming back, just like the Phoenix; One could certainly say these words describe the trajectory of a player that has again reborn to football, now in his native land: Ronaldo.

Ronaldo’s history is well known worldwide: the great football player that Cruzeiro introduced to the world as well as the man with many injuries and controversial headlines.

After almost 15 years playing in Dutch, Spanish and Italian leagues – and three severe knee injuries, he came back to Brazil in 2008 to treat his knee, be with his family and, maybe, put an end to his career, that made him a global superstar and and an idol in Brazil, where he is a role model for those young football players. At first, he was training at Flamengo’s facilities (his favourite club) and they thought of siginig him, but never made an offer.

That’s when a club came up with a plan to have a strong performance in 2009, and prepare for its centennial celebration, in 2010. Corinthians signed Ronaldo with a salary that no other club in Brazil could match. Revenues also come from the sponsors advertising on the team’s shirt: 80% of such revenues go to Ronaldo. All added up, he makes as much money as he would in a top European club, and made Corinthians’ shirt look like a billboard.

Presented with a hype that the Brazilian football doesn’t see very often, soon enough all things related to Ronaldo were in the news, and yet, Brazilians seem not to get enough of him. Everything became a headline: his home, his new-born daughter, the women that keep him company, and – most of all – his weight. Ronaldo clearly has been having weight issues for a long time now. Whenever he’s not playing constantly, he puts on more weight. He reached a reportedly maximum of 105kg in the beginning of this year, and lost a portion of that in training with Corinthians.

Completing his recovery from a banged up knee and getting a place on the squad would be the next logical moves. However, Ronaldo’s weight proved again to be a serious problem, affecting his mobility on the pitch. Corinthians’ coach Mano Menezes had to even pull togheter a physical department that the club had never had, and a plan to make Ronaldo play an incresingly number of minutes at each match, so that he could be in his prime at the end of the regional “Paulistão” (São Paulo State Championship) and the “Copa do Brasil” (Brazilian Cup).

The plan worked well and Ronaldo scored his first goal with Corinthians in the last minutes of a derby against Palmeiras, equalising that game in its very final minutes. Bear in mind that Palmeiras versus Corinthians is one of the most fierce rivalries in Brazilian football and for the fans of Corinthians, having a goal scored by Ronaldo to avoid losing to its rival was like an honorable act performed by a martyr. That goal was the single most showed one of all time on Brazilian TV to the date.

Following some routine muscular stress-related injuries, Ronaldo proved his importance with an astonishing rate of shoots and goals, scoring in almost every match and being key on the winnings of both championships: Brazilian Cup and São Paulo State.

Coach Menezes’ efforts to make Ronaldo play also include different tactics scheme; different from all other clubs in Brazil. Corinthians plays with two midfielders marking, one loose to make the plays and one forward open on each side, with Ronaldo in the middle, always the last touch in front of the goal, so that he doesn´t need to move that much. Besides, he is the only one on the team that does not have a defensive role. It’s safe to say that Ronaldo’s role in the team has been so key that without him, the team is kind of lost all over the pitch, mainly because Corinthians does not have a forward that can replace Ronaldo with his level of quality: hold the ball and kick it to the goal.

What’s going on with him at the moment? Just a little while ago, in another match against Palmeiras, Ronaldo fell over his own hand, breaking some hand bones. After getting a prognosis for recovery, he chose to put pins in his hand so that the healing process could be faster. Since he was already going to undergo a procedure, he also got a cosmectical liposuction surgery, to get rid of some extra weigth he could not lose with hard work.

After some weeks celebrating the titles, and with the team having to sell some important players to pay its debts, Corinthians is curently midtable in the Brazilian Championship. Current games will probably be used to form a squad for “Copa Libertadores” next year, with Ronaldo, Corinthians’ biggest dream, as they are the only big club in São Paulo that has never won this Continental trophy.

His playing style had to be changed because of his figure, but he is still a great player. No matter where he is, he gets to keep crowds entertained: either with his talent in the fields or his own life.

The current Barcelona team exemplifies this. Guardiola allows all 10 outfield players to participate in the game – give the ball and make runs into spaces. Iniesta and Messi are experts at this simple play despite their abilities on the ball, a true testament of a great footballer.

It is a former Barcelona player that brought this play to Barcelona under Frank Rijkaard. Football is currently missing him, especially AC Milan in the permanent absence of Kaka. Ronaldinho was one of the best players at bringing his teammates into the game – purposely to draw away attention from his own game so he could also find space in which to hurt the opposition.

It’s been a torrid two years for Ronaldinho. The 2006 World Player of the Year has come under heavy criticism as he continues to drop off the radar. Some may blame his off the pitch lifestyle but others are simply angry that they have been robbed of one of the most dazzling players ever to play the game. His spell at Milan has been much of the same as the last season at Barcelona. Unfit and in turn slower and less able to pull off that miraculous skill we were treated to week in week out. There’s also the other element of Ronaldinho. He’ll take the ball, control it perfectly and then lay it off to a team member. Watching him lately though he seems once he’s made that first pass it is job done. The fitness really is key here – a drive to get on the end of a pass and to find space – Ronaldinho has lost this.

Milan medical staff has received high praise – if anyone can get him fit then it’s Milan. At the end of last season however, we were still stuck with the same Ronaldinho – one who is not only unwilling to track back, but sometimes incapable of doing so, much to the misfortune of his teammates, even the smile had disappeared.

People have often wondered if his time was up and he was past his best. His attitude showed signs of nonchalance, instead flying back to Barcelona seemed to be the reason he played football in the first place – for the lifestyle.

You can imagine the excitement then that built up inside of me then in a recent pre-season friendly against Boca Juniors when I saw Ronaldinho receive the ball in the middle of the pitch, turn and the proceed to sprint towards the goal – a quick turn of pace, immaculate ball control skills and then a one-two with Pato unfortunately ending up with the move breaking down.

Regardless of the end result, it’s about the ‘Give and Go’ – it’s about Ronaldinho finishing the same move he starts. Now that Kaka has moved on the role down the middle of the pitch for him is all but set up for him – this is Ronaldinho’s last chance to shine. I may be jumping the gun here and Ronaldinho may just fade into the background, but I am, at times, a purist. In the Boca game I saw not only the drive to ‘Give and Go’ but the disappointment rather than frustration that he didn’t do better. More importantly though I also saw a smile. The same one as I saw in Cataluña? Let’s hope so.