the spanish media is reporting that Ronaldo together with Roberto Carlos might play in the olympics next summer, whoa, we have to thank these stars because it's gonna be a wonderful tournament with a great player like Ronaldo playing, i can't wait to watch those games, what do you guys think?
The WC qualifying campaign for the Conmebol region will have a recess in July/Aug but do you think Brasil would take the risk playing two of their big assets on a tournament like the Olympics?Admittedly Brasil wants to win it but at what cost?
Re: Re: Ronaldo to play in Athens Well, they devoted two years and their entire senior NT to prepare for Atlantic 1996. If Sydney Olympics were held during the offseason, I would have imagined Brazil would have done the same.
Re: Re: Ronaldo to play in Athens I'm positive they will. The Olympics is the number 1 priority, they even game the u-23 its own manager. Also the Cbf wants badly to erase the memories from Sydney. Back then they together with the coach decided not to take any over age players and ended up coming under heavy fire from the press and public in Brazil for the team's bad performance.
Ever hear of the Dream Team? I'm fairly certain Michael Jordan wasn't an amatuer. I wonder how many actual amatuers there are anymore in the olympics. Probably not many in any of the major sports.
I could be wrong but I believe that the Olympics is an under 23 tourney with an additional 3 over age players. IIRC, the US team has taken Reyna and Freidel in past Olympics.
No. Amateurs and paid professionals are welcome. Each team is to be composed of U-23 players. However, each team is allowed to carry 3 over 23 players.
I'm drawing a blank on the over age players took in 2000, but in 1996 the US teams added Reyna (who really wasn't over 23, but counted that way since he played previously), Keller,and Lalas.
Re: Re: Ronaldo to play in Athens Ronaldo & Roberto take a risk just waking up in the morning. According to your logic, they shouldnt even get out of their house & go to soccer practice.
OK the whole thing with US baseball team sucking has confused me. I totally forgot about the Dream Team.
1992 Barcelona Olympics was the last Olympic games where soccer players had to be amateurs. The oly reason why this carried over so long (amteurism-only for most sports was abolished for the 1988 Olympics) was that the FIFA, who are also responsible for the Olympic tourney, did not want to have the Olympic tourney turn into a smaller version of the World Cup. The Under-23 rule (and the acoompanying "3 overage players for the tourney after the qualifying rule, brought in weeks before Atlanta 1996) was brought in as a compromise with the IOC (and the local Olympic organizers) who wanted as many of the top stars as possible to increase the audience and $$$. As much as it would be great to see Ronaldo and other top stars play in Greece this summer (or any other time), is it logical or fair (not just to other nations, but to the dropped underagers from the qualifying teams) to allow them to compete if the qualifying rounds are only open to the Under-23 players?
I thought the 1984 Olympics were the last Olympics with amateurs. In 1988, each nation is allowed to field players who had never played in a WC Finals. Thus, we had Klinsmann and Romario at the Olympics. The soccer "Third World" were allowed to play their full team. The 1992 Olympics was the first one with U-23 team. No overage player was allowed. They had Bosnich and Vaduka(?) for Australia.... Dino Baggio for Italy.... Cobi Jones, Joe-Max Moore, Lalas, Friedel, Keller and Reyna all played for the USA.
The discussion of the Eastern European countries ... and their semi-professionalism" was an important issue to change this. It gives the football tournament in the Olympics a more competitive level ... thus TV revenues.
First they need to qualify to the Olympic games. Only two countries form South America get to the Olympic games. Obviously Brazil is one of the favorites ... along with Argentina. But .. as in any football tournament ... you got to win that right on the field. So lets wait and see. Don't forget that in South American competitions, Brazil normally struggles as much as they do in the Olympics.
That's going to be really good. However, I heard on the radio that he was fined $10,000 for watching England without Real Madrid's permission.
Brazil's Hopes of Grand Slam Come Crashing Down! No Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto (Carlos) or Romario (or any other R's) set for Athens...they should have had Kaka in Chile first ( I think he is U-23 age, isn't he?). Guess you can never underestimate those pesky Paraguayans, the Davids of so many Goliaths (like Uruguay used to be, and may be again, their senior team is doing some great attacking)... http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/world_football/3429289.stm Just hope they don't send that ugly goaltender as one of their overagers! So, Argentina and Paragauy go onto the Olympics. Wonder if the US or Mexico can be upset at the qualifying tournament starting next week in Guadalajara? Seems unlikely at this point. I hope there is no whining about the "lack" of spaces for South America. They still have a priviledged position in all world tournaments. The Olympics is not like the World Cup, it's about equal participation by all parts of the world by new blood, not the apex of quality and competition.
Now that Brazil haven't qualified for the 2004 Olympics, will we see Brazil & CONMEBOL strong-arming FIFA to lobby the IOC in order to take Oceania's place in the next Olympics ? This should really please Australia who have won the right to represent Oceania at these coming Olympic Games via the officially sanctioned qualification tournament.
Would Real Madrid allow Ronaldo go to the olympics and miss important pre-season training and possibly the opener of their season. Thats is the question. Also would the olympic coach drop an additional 3 players who help qualify in favor of such additions.