Because there are many good South Americans, just as there are many good Europeans. Europe doesn't "need" South Americans to make their leagues good, but South Americans make their leagues better. Look at the CL final just a few days ago - only one South American started. Nor is it fair to say South Americans are the most adaptable - how many of the "next Maradonas" have now failed in Europe? As the game becomes more global, the notion that European leagues would be poor without South Americans really doesn't stand up to merit. They wouldn't be as good as they are today, certainly. But that's not the same thing.
Europe can hold their own, its no doubt but south American players enhance especially Argies and Brazie's who made more of an impact their than their own homeland. Is 1 CL final going to change the impact of SA players? Its like saying England has better football than Brazil because of the last exhibition game. I'm talking about the legacy. Adaptability? Look at the size if Brazil and the travel a team must endure during league play. That's not counting further distances during continental games to then come back and compete in the hone league. Yes a Brazilian player has to go through that rigorous challenge getting meager pay compared to European salaries. Many of the next Maradonas and Peles failed but Europe still buys them. Messi,Rivaldo,Romario,Maradona, Zico,both Ronaldos, Kaka, Batistuta Passarella, etc...proved different... Yet there are players who become more noticed in Europe and haven't reached success at home...Giovanni Elber, Altafini, Pepe, Dante, Europe heavily depends on south American talent whether a next king player or a 2nd tier player. Look at the want list by euro teams...Paulinho,Ralf, Romarinho,Neymar,Damiao,Dede,Scocco, Luciano V, All double digit million euro offers.... Take away Messi, Silva, Levazzi,Falcao,Hulk, etc and see how their teams change.. Send Rooney,Lampard,Gerrard or whomever to see if they would make an impact in the AFA or CBF leagues.
You're badly overreaching. The global game has changed so much that the argument you're making is simply no longer applicable. For instance, Messi might be an Argentine, but as far as his football education, he moved to Barca when, as I recall, he was 11. How much of a South American product is he? There is no question that South America produces a lot of talent. But no, if all of them suddenly went home the European leagues would not suddenly be terrible. As for European clubs buying the next big thing - they'll buy it anywhere! They buy young Africans, Asians and North Americans too. European teams would buy moon men and mole people if they thought it would make them better.
I never said if SA players left it would be terrible ...it wouldn't be enhanced as much is what I stated. Yes you are right it is a world game and it has expanded because you see Russians,Ukrainians, middle eastern and China now importing south American players just as much as Europe does.. Name another player at the moment in Spain that has made an impact as he did. There is nothing Spaniard about his style. Again it shows the dependability of south American talent that they have to get youth from Argentina. That's desperate wouldn't you say.
There's nothing Spaniard about his style? Of course there is. Argentina has had to adopt its team to get the most out of the style he plays at Barcelona! Meanwhile, the rest of the Barcelona side is distinctly European other than Dani Alves, and unsurprisingly he has started playing badly for Brazil after he joined Barcelona due to their fairly unique style. There's nothing desperate about buying foreign talent. Look at what my club (Chelsea) is doing now - they're buying young South Americans, young Belgians, young Dutch players and young English players. There's no desperation - if a club finds a good young player at an affordable price, it'll buy him. That's all. We've built up a nice core of Brazilian players, unusual for an English side. But at the same time, we've also bought the best prospects in Belgium - because for some reason the current Belgian generation is ridiculously talented. All there is to it. When England was dominating Europe about 3 years ago it wasn't due to South Americans, and Germany isn't doing it at the moment due to South Americans either. Real's key players aren't South American either. I see no reason to think that South American players are somehow more adaptable - they're just the ones who HAVE to acclimate abroad. Europeans don't.
So there is nothing about Argentine about Messi's style? Name a Spaniard legend that played similar to his style that gets more recognition than Maradona? Europe has a great talent but history shows they still go to the SA market pool.look at the list of WPOY ..who dominates it? Do you see Argentina or Brazil nationalizing players for their NT? Again Europe has a great talent pool but from my pov SA has 2xs as much with players have been legends inEurope and SA. Then there is still legends that never traveled to Europe and are revered by Europeans. Real is ever changing with players and there isn't a year they don't have SA talent. They have had greats from DiStefano to Roberto Carlos.
This whole time I thought you were a Bayern fan. So much so that I almost congratulated you after Saturday. Good thing I held off till the next time you showed your face here.
Last thing I'll say on the subject, since we're going in circles (and since I'm hoping to go to Brazil again for the World Cup next season and don't want to get attacked by angry Brasileiro fans ). There is no question that both Argentina and Brazil have a deep pool of players, and there's no question they produce some spectacular players. All that is taken as a given. But, Europe produces an equal share of such players, as witnessed by World Cup records. Perhaps Europe has never had its Pele, but I'm not sure players like Cruyff, Platini and others are such a step down. Currently, for example, other than Neymar (who I don't think should have gone to Barca), which Portuguese player would you claim as among the greatest in the world? I like Chelsea's Brazilian contingent.....but they're not quite *that* good. Whereas Europe is, currently, producing a lot of those players. These things shift generationally, but it's simply not accurate to argue that South America has a bigger talent pool or that its players are more adaptable. And, really, it's becoming very much a moot point anyway because of how global the game is. What's the point of arguing whether Messi is the product of South American football or Spanish football? The edges are getting blurred, and he's unique. As more and more South American players are leaving to go to Europe earlier, that distinction gets even blurrier, to the point where it's not even a useful question. As to your specific questions: For a Spanish legend that played a style similar to Messi, I would have thought the answer was obvious - it's Cruyff. Messi's game and Barca's football are all a partial product of Cruyff's veneration in Catalonia. (Yes, I realize Cruyff isn't actually Spanish, but Barcelona is built in many ways in his image.) As far as nationalizing players - this happens very infrequently and generally because the player isn't being given a chance by Brazil/Argentina, who have large populations. For instance, how can it be a surprise when Portugal nationalizes some Brazilians? There are more people living in the municipality of Sao Paulo than in all of Portugal!
First thing is first, I agree with you. But I have a few questions for you.... You confused me here.... How would you explain Italy and Germany, who have fairly large populations and are football powerhouses naturalizing Brazilians and Argentines? For Germany, you have Cacau and Kuranyi... Italy, you have Thiago Motta and Amauri from Brazil and then from Argentina, Camaronesi, Schelotto, Osvaldo, etc. Italy has a larger population than Argentina. Then you have countries like France who plunder Africa for players for their NT, but that gets into a whole different issue.
Err, sorry, meant Brazilian there. It happened infrequently and generally for depth. Kuranyi had German citizenship at birth, I thought - his farther was part German (and his mother was Panamanian, too). I don't consider that naturalization, really, anymore than Rossi playing for Italy. I agree on Cacau and the Italian players, though they are usually called up as depth rather than starters. Of the one mentioned, Camoranesi is the only one who was influential, and even then was hardly a star for Italy. But that being said, since top foreigners don't play in Brazil, it's hard to know if someone who moved to Corinthians at 18 might not be naturalized by Brazil too.
Still not sure if I understood your question. Which Brazilian is the greatest in the world? At their position? Thiago Silva is arguably the best CB in the game. Many people (NOT me) argue that Dani Alves is the best RB. Fair enough on his Kurayni. His dad was "German-Hungarian." As for Camoranesi, it depends what your definition of a star is. He was a regular fixture and starter for a couple of years on the NT and he was a starter for several years at their top club Juventus. 55 caps and 2 WCs. Even when he was on the decline, he still made the 2010 WC side. As far as a foreign being naturalized Brazilian, that's really hard to say. I think there would be quite a bit of resistance against the idea of doing that. Heck, we haven't even had a foreign coach, nevermind a foreigner actually playing for us.
Fernando's transfer from Gremio to Napoli has been reportedly all but inevitable. I couldn't find a transfer fee but I read that Gremio only owns 40% of his rights. What da'fuq is wrong with our clubs???!!! Marketting companies are taking all the dough! Anyway, Gremio are looking to bring back Rafael Carioca into the mix.
Have you heard of ESPN Dos, Espn deportes, ESPN3, Univision deportes, fox deportes, Gol tv you can watch brasilerao games and even some state competition games on some of these channels. If they expanded their coverage people would easily watch them over an MLS game I know i do. []__[]
There is an indifference of adaptation. Sorry but I don't see Cryuff as a Spaniard and he was amazing in Ajax. Platini, Baggio, Best, Cryuff, Mueller are all legends of their time but none of those names are in the same sentence with Messi. I have yet to hear him be called as the new Cryuff more than Maradona. Europe produces great players especially in Spain and Italy where most of the WPOY came out of. I agree Neymar should of stayed in Brazil but Santos sold him for financial gain. The game is globalizing but its just in the financial aspect at the moment. Europe is still the standard for all players. On going to Brazil for the world cup...good luck and be safe. Id rather walk through Compton than during a WC in Brazil..lol
Your opinion is not generally shared in the United States. The US has access to a staggering amount of football coverage. I can watch some Scottish League matches as well, and Russian and Ukranian league matches too. However, given the other options, generally the people interested in those are ones who're already fans - like you. Trying to get people to watch Brazilian football over English, Spanish or Italian would be very difficult; that's why no one's trying. No, I think going to Europe is the right move for Neymar. I just don't think Barcelona was the right place for him. Ironically, Real play a system that's much more suited to his style; Barcelona's system is much more specific. Compton's not so dangerous these days, you know