Reinventing the beautiful game It is hard to come up with a one-paragraph definition of “the Beautiful Game.” But aficionados of Brazilian football will agree that samba soccer at its best comprised these ingredients — players interchanging positions fluidly; passes zinging to all corners of the field, connecting one blue and gold figure to another as if the whole team was in a state of mystical union; ball touches getting more intricate with steadily accelerating exchanges; and then t he crescendo directed at the opponent’s goal.
This is one of the best writings I've seen for a long time! Thank you for posting and sharing it here... We are getting back steadily to the beautiful game mode!
Great article! Here's another by Tim Vickery of the BBC yesterday about the change in the Beautiful Game due to the rise of European influence: http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/timvickery/2009/06/brazil.html#more
Just a note of warning! Despite all that is said, all the smiles and happy faces... We are playing well so far, but.... we have won absolutely nothing! - we have not won the Confederatons Cup - we have not yet classified for the World Cup 2010.. Yes, we are "almost" there, but lets not celebrate until Lucio raises the WC Trophy above his head, like Cafu in 2002, and Dunga in 1994 (on TV here, I clearly heard Dunga say "PORRA!!!" as he lifted to trophy above his head then...
Honestly ... we are just playing a very European style of football with Robinho being the only representative of the "old Brazil".
I was actually going to post a new thread asking everyone if we will ever see Brazil go back to it's roots and play a more fluid passing game. Many experts will argue that today's physical play does not allow for that style to succeed. But Spain and Barcelona are showing us that it can be done. Argentina, like it or not, has also played the most attractive game in this decade although they weren't able to win a single title. That's not to say they weren't competitive. Another "issue" that I see is that it has been a long time since we have groomed a good classic 10 creative midfielder. Rivaldo and Kaka', while they are excellent attacking midfielders, are not classic 10s. The last great one we've had is Zico. After that we've unsuccessfully tried players like Rai, Alex, and Diego. Ronaldinho had the potential to be that player, and while he had the right technical skillset, he never had the mindset to fulfill that role. Since the 80s we've been more successful at breeding forwards, full backs, and even defenders. I am not really complaining because I have been able to see Brazil win 2 World Cups and many Copa Americas in the last 20 years. But it's interesting that given the size of our talent pool, we haven't seen a great classic midfielder in the last 20 years.
Don't forget Lucio!!!! heheeheh Well, if people wanted to see jogo bonito they should have not invited the Colorado Dunga to be the coach. After all he was well schooled. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJjeDLmmxeg"]YouTube - INTER - RAÇA GAÚCHA[/ame]
Actually Dunga just gave an interview saying he is proud of the way the team is playing with a compact style, cutting down spaces, but playing clean. And I have to agree, the team is not playing dirty. And as I've mentioned before, raca is not the same thing as violence. That video illustrates plays that are in majority of violent nature. So I don't really get it why you promote that video saying it represents raca.
Intentionally stepping and kicking a player on the ground, knee high tackles with the studs up, intentionally kicking players from behind without intent to get the ball, voadora com dois pes no peito, yeah .... it's not violence, it's just a different view ...
I was raised playing against castelhanos so they play a real dirty game. People will spit on you, punch your kidneys on corners kicks, elbows are going on nose and throat (all intentionally) etc etc So to me everything that doesn't involve fists is pretty much ok.
Good text. To add, maybe some of you have already seen this video, but it's worthy to re-watch. For those who didn't watch yet, stay calm, take a deep breath and sigh... [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZxvYy5-ekI"]YouTube - Brasil 1982 - The 11 Greatest Goals of Brasil 1982's Magic 11[/ame] This was the last consistent beautiful game play we've seen. After that, it was only few flashes, far between. And it's good enough to be used as an inspiration.
Is there any commentary, article, book, that talks about why we lost the World Cup in 1982? Or - it was just "bad luck" ? Or - as it happens - being too optimistic - "we already won" syndrome -Brasil 1950 -Holland 1974 -Brasil 1982 -Colombia 1994 -Germany 2002 (?) -Brasil 2006 (?) http://www.v-brazil.com/culture/sports/world-cup/1982-Spain.html
Lot's of people (press and fans) say that Spain has 2010 in the bag. I don't think they will win. So they will be the next.
Note- I should have included Hungary 1954 in my previous post... Colorado irmao!!! Yes- it is not a good thing to be the favorite! LOL
I don't think there is a single explanation as to why we lost that WC. IMO, there was a combination of factors and there's an interesting discussion about it here in BS (https://www.bigsoccer.com/forum/showthread.php?t=810324). In the end, this Seleção joined Hungary 54 and Holland 74 as the ones that enchanted but didn't win, just to prove football is not just a matter of victories and achievements... Moreover, there's a book by João Saldanha (which I didn't read yet, but want to) about that WC campaign: O Trauma da Bola - A Copa de 82 Autor: João Saldanha ISBN: 8575031244 Língua: Português Editora: Cosac & Naify Ano: 2002 Resenha: Reunião de crônicas publicadas entre março e agosto de 1982 no Jornal do Brasil pelo ex-técnico da Seleção Brasileira, resgatando um momento sui generis de nossa história futebolística: uma derrota histórica. O livro cobre desde os amistosos, antes do embarque para a Europa, até o exame de consciência nacional que se seguiu ao terrível jogo contra a Itália, no estádio de Sarriá, em 5 de julho de 1982. If the histories of the last 2 pre-WCs repeat, they won't win. Remember how favourites Argentina in 2002 and Brazil in 2006 were before the tourament started? Now, remember what happened... I don't blame Cerezo for that upset, as much of the press has done since then. IMO, he made a, let's say, 'displeasing' pass, but the ball went to a region occupied by 3 other brazilian players, who were undecided of who should take it.
Here you go. This is the best thing I've seen on youtube. [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_yNHxSfIZE&feature=related"]YouTube - Itália 3 X Brasil 2 - 1982 - 25 anos - Parte 1/3[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Fu_6uT0jDc&feature=related"]YouTube - Itália 3 X Brasil 2 - 1982 - 25 anos - Parte 2/3[/ame] [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BJ425aa2h8&feature=related"]YouTube - Itália 3 X Brasil 2 - 1982 - 25 anos - Parte 3/3[/ame] As you probably know all we needed was a tie against Italy to go thorugh to the semis. In summary it was a combination of bad luck and bad defending. Basically we didn't know how to play for the tie. But interestingly enough, the 3rd Italian goal came off a corner where all 11 Brazilian players were in the box. Go figure ...
well, i'd say the laterais are not european. i mean no other national team really uses our particular attacking full-back formation. no one has a maicon or dani alves. but i guess maybe they are more "new brazil," the "laterais" shift that we've seen in the past 20 years or so.