From the very beginning the only team that has shown consistency in this WC imo is Germany. Brazil won earlier games not because it was a superior team, but because their contenders played horrible. I am very impressed about France. I had discounted them from the start of the tournament. They didn't impress me at beginning but big turn around. otoh, SA is such a hypocrite. A few pages back he was saying how Brazil was "so good" they always had a plan for every game, how they could do no wrong and bla bla bla. And now that they have been shamelessly disqualified , he simply remarks how terrible they have been, how fat and ugly bla bla bla... a complete riot....
. optionpro007: I am very impressed about France. I had discounted them from the start of the tournament. They didn't impress me at beginning but big turn around. otoh, SA is such a hypocrite. A few pages back he was saying how Brazil was "so good" they always had a plan for every game, how they could do no wrong and bla bla bla. And now that they have been shamelessly disqualified , he simply remarks how terrible they have been, how fat and ugly bla bla bla... *********** July 1, 2006 SouthAmerica: I also had discounted the French from the start of the tournament. They didn't impress me at beginning but they had a big turn around starting with the game against Spain. Brazil always have a plan according to the new adversary â I guess Parreira had no plan whatsoever for todayâs game. The Brazilian team played a horrible game â what can I say? I have been saying that the Brazilian defense was very suspected and that the Brazilian attack would have to make up for that weak spot of the Brazilian team. But I did not expect that the entire team would play so badly. Anyway, that is the end of the line for Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Ronaldo, Emerson, Juninho Pernambucano and some other players that participated of this fiasco. Other players such as Robinho, Kaka, Cicinho, Adriano, Ronaldinho, Fred and some other players on this team â they will be back in 2010 in South Africa. Before the world cup started in Germany I thought Brazil had one of the best teams since the 1970 world cup. I was completely wrong!!!!!!!!!! I hope they ask Filipao to take over as the coach of the Brazilian team for the next world cup. By the way, there is another superstar that can be taken off the list of players that the media likes to compare with Pele â his name is Ronaldo. There is only one "Pele." .
"Zinedine Zidane and Thierry Henry helped clinch the first all-European World Cup final four since 1982." http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/20...006/07/01/france.brazil.ap/index.html?cnn=yes
. SouthAmerica: Zinedine Zidane has proved one more time that he still is a top soccer superstar. And he will retire after the world cup still playing superb world-class soccer. .
There was sure lots of hype about certain players being as good as historic legends... Yet not much was mentioned about Zidane. Watching him play, his vision his connecting with Henry, knowing this will be his last cup, it's just something special. I'd generally never support France in a sporting event, but with Zidane and Henry out there, they are playing with much heart, and they seem to improve every match For me Zidane has done much better then was ever expected, and much better then the likes of current superstars like Ronaldinho, etc.. I was hoping for a matchup between Brazil and Argentina, but both teams didn't play up to their expectations, and didn't get the job done when needed. It's nice to see an old school legend still kick some major ass. Say what you will about Maradona, but he was a brilliant player. You always need a little luck in any sport you play, so I'm sure you are refering to the hand of god ball, when you call him a cheater. Well that 1st goal may have been a hand ball, but can you discount his 2nd goal? Argueably (and considered by many polls and fifa) one of if not the best goals of world cup history? I'd say things are so far progressing as one would expect a world cup taking place in Europe. Europe powerhouses squaring off in Europe. Right now I'm loving Portugal. That coach is something special. To kick Englands ass AGAIN on penalty kicks and to turn down a job for the headcoach is one helluva bitch slap. Deco will be back.. Joga Bonito!
. Dollar Hegemony: You always need a little luck in any sport you play, so I'm sure you are refering to the hand of god ball, when you call him a cheater. Well that 1st goal may have been a hand ball, but can you discount his 2nd goal? Argueably (and considered by many polls and fifa) one of if not the best goals of world cup history? ******************** July 2, 2006 SouthAmerica: Two memorable things happened so far on this world cup that I will remember for many years to come. In my opinion one of the most spectacular goals I ever saw in world cup history â was the goal that Rodrigues (from the Argentinean team) did score against Mexico on this world cup. Sorin crossed the ball from the other side of the field and Rodrigues away from the box stopped the ball with his chest and when the ball still in the air he kicked with his left foot right into the left corner of the goal â right at the top corner were the goalkeeper had no chance to defend it. That goal it will be a highlight every time anyone compiles an example of the greatest goals in the history of soccer. That was a masterpiece of a goal. The other thing that I will remember from this world cup â it is how much I enjoyed watching the Ivory Coast team play â that team played 3 beautiful games, but they were unlucky with their shots at goal. But the Ivory Coast did play really well and they deserved to be at least in the 4-finals. If they improve just a notch in the coming years they could rise to the top of the soccer world and be ranked among the best teams in the world. The third thing that will complete this world cup it is if Portugal wins it. I like Felipao a lot and I think he is the best soccer coach in Brazil. I am sorry that he left the Brazilian national team after winning the world cup of 2002. Good luck to Filipao and to the Portuguese national team â even if you guys have to kick ass to win â as you guys did in the last 2 games. I donât have a feeling on how the French team matches up with the Portuguese team. But the difference that might put them over the top is that Filipao and the Portuguese team are hungry to win the tournament. The other game between the Germans and the Italians I believe that the Germans are playing better soccer than the Italians â and the Italians have been lucky in surviving to the semi-finals. It will be interesting a final between Germany X Portugal â with Portugal winning. It will be nice to add Portugal to the exclusive club of world cup winners. .
. July 2, 2006 SouthAmerica: An article published today by âA Folha de Sao Pauloâ a major Brazilian newspaper said that Pele criticized the Brazilian defense regarding the French goal. After reviewing the tape of the game Pele said that there were 3 Brazilian defenders doing nothing including Roberto Carlos who was fixing his socks away from the defense at the time of the French goal. Pele said that he has no idea why all these Brazilian defenders were doing nothing instead of being on top of the French offensive players. Pele also said that Zidame was pure magic. Pele was very criticized by the Brazilian press and also by the Brazilian players when last Thursday he mentioned during an interview to the German press that he had a bad feeling about todayâs game and he expected the French team to win. Pele also said that in his opinion Ronaldinho has not proved himself as yet â as the great player in a world cup. ********************* July 1, 2006 âPelé vê brasileiros "à toa" em lance do gol francêsâ A Folha de Sao Paulo Pelé viu falhas na defesa brasileira no gol que deu à França a classificação para as semifinais da Copa do Mundo, e eliminou o Brasil do Mundial. "Esses erros não podem ser cometidos. Não sei o que os jogadores tinham na cabeça. O jogo era muito importante para que houvesse três jogadores sem fazer nada", disse, referindo-se ao lance do gol --no qual, por exemplo, o lateral Roberto Carlos ajeitava a meia em vez de marcar um rival. O ex-jogador disse que reviu o lance e que notou três brasileiros "à toa" na jogada concluÃda com sucesso pelo atacante Henry. Pelé disse que Zidane foi "mágico" na partida. Previsão Muito criticado pelos torcedores e por alguns jogadores da seleção brasileira por suas declarações, Pelé havia previsto na última quinta-feira que o Brasil não passaria pela França nas quartas-de-final. Em entrevista à agência alemã DPA, o "rei do futebol" e tricampeão mundial disse que estava com um "mau pressentimento" e que acreditava em uma vitória da seleção francesa. "A França ganhou as últimas duas partidas de Copa contra o Brasil. Além disso, só uma vez uma seleção sul-americana conseguiu ganhar uma Copa na Europa", disse o ex-jogador da seleção. Antes do começo do torneio, Pelé havia comentado que "o favorito nunca vence", em clara alusão à superioridade da seleção brasileira com relação aos rivais. As previsões de Pelé não costumam ser levadas a sério, mas neste ano ele tem mais acertado do que errado. Primeiro, disse que Ronaldinho "ainda não é fato", dizendo não acreditar que o brasileiro "arrebentaria na Copa". .
. July 2, 2006 SouthAmerica: In a poll taken by A Folha de Sao Paulo after Brazilâs loss at the world cup â 51 percent of the people who participated of this poll think that coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, made a mistake regarding his strategy and choice of the Brazilian players who played the game against France. 36 percent of the people who participated of this poll said that it was the fault of the Brazilian players who played badly most of the games and they deserved to lose during this world cup. ************ Copa do Mundo De quem é a culpa pela eliminação da seleção brasileira? Dos jogadores. Como um todo, o time não jogou bem a Copa e mereceu perder. 36% - 4386 votos Do técnico Carlos Alberto Parreira, que escalou mal o time. 51% - 6121 votos De Ronaldinho. Eleito duas vezes o melhor do mundo, fez um Mundial pÃfio e ficou devendo. 5% - 581 votos Da torcida. Houve muito oba-oba em cima do Brasil, como se o tÃtulo já estivesse garantido. 3% - 423 votos Dos cartolas da CBF, que não souberam blindar a equipe e deixaram o clima de otimismo contagiar o grupo. 5% - 585 votos Total 12096 votos You can vote at: http://polls.folha.com.br/poll/0618201/ .
. July 2, 2006 SouthAmerica: The Financial Times had an article yesterday about the Brazilian team that gives a good summary of what has transpired during this world cup. ******************* âSomeone must do running for Ronaldinhoâ By Simon Kuper Published: June 29, 2006 The Financial Times - UK Itâs strange to think back to Brazilâs first game of the World Cup, only 17 days ago. Seventy-two thousand pilgrims from all over the world packed into Hitlerâs Olympic Stadium on the promise of seeing the Brazilians demolish Croatia with the best football ever. Fairly typical was a Finnish friend of mine who flew in from Beijing and paid a tout â¬300 ($376)(£208) for his match ticket. We should all have known better. Brazil remain the most likely world champions, but to expect them to play âjogo bonitoâ â the âbeautiful gameâ â is to misunderstand this team. Blaming their cautious football on their coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, is simplistic. The coach of Brazil is not an omnipotent being, but merely a guy who sits in the dugout and watches his players along with the rest of us. The Brazilians who meet France in tomorrowâs quarter-final are probably the most experienced football team ever. Five starters have played in at least one World Cup final. Their greenest regular, Adriano, still has 35 caps. The Brazilians of 1966 had about as much experience of World Cups, but the current side trump them with decades of employment at Europeâs biggest clubs. This lot know how trophies are won, and it isnât with dribbles or five-man forward lines. Roberto Carlos complains: âThe âjoga bonitoâ slogan was invented by a sports brand. Itâs not our fault.â Itâs true that Nike came up with âjoga bonitoâ â âplay beautifullyâ â but the original phrase âjogo bonitoâ is Peléâs. Sadly, all this is irrelevant. The Brazilians know that you win World Cups by conserving energy for the last few matches, or at least for the party afterwards. That is why they havenât been putting their full weight into tackles. For any Brazilian starter, the biggest risk to his winnerâs medal is not defeat but injury. Brazilâs bench is so strong that anyone getting hurt may never regain his place. The Brazilians therefore seldom tussle for loose balls with clumsy opponents. Together with Japan, they have averaged the fewest fouls per game in the tournament. Brazilâs defensive midfielders rarely press the opposition. Any shots they permit are eaten up by their goalkeeper, Dida, probably their best player so far. In the energy-saving mode of this team, Dida positions himself so well that he rarely has to dive. This is not the football Parreira wants to see. But he doesnât aspire to âjoga bonitoâ either. Instead he wants Brazil to pass the ball around for long stretches. âWhen we put the ball on the ground, we have a technical advantage that is superior to any opponent,â he says. But to pass, you need players willing to run into space to receive the ball. Ronaldinho ran in 2002, when he was the teamâs junior member. This year only Robinho â currently injured â has budged much. Ronaldinho has grown so frustrated that against Ghana on Tuesday he actually stopped smiling. Several times after passing into nothingness, he turned to the intended recipient (usually Adriano) and demonstrated with his hands how the player should have run: hook sideways, then sprint deep. Once, after crossing a ball that Adriano could have headed in had he but moved, Ronaldinho made an even simpler gesture: he nodded an imitation header. Presumably Adriano understood. Ronaldinho excels at Barcelona where Samuel Etoâo and Ludovic Giuly chase his passes, but with Brazil he is helpless. This is not a team. When asked about Brazilâs strengths, Juninho Pernambucano didnât give the ritual answer of âthe collectiveâ, but said: âOur individuals.â Brilliant players will score. Their first half against Ghana said it all: a minority share of possession, four shots, two goals. After scoring, Brazil can play their favourite game: not âjogo bonitoâ, but the counter-attack. They abandoned it only against Japan. The Japanese made the mistake of scoring first, thus waking the beast and earning themselves a 4-1 caning. Brazil now have eleven consecutive victories at World Cups, three more than the previous record. Their toughest opponents in that sequence were Belgium and Turkey. The World Cup rarely tests footballâs lone superpower. A German observer of their 3-0 victory over Ghana described the Brazilians as âHarlem Globetrotters who have forgotten to go to Weight Watchersâ. But the Brazilians knew they didnât need to cut down on the cakes to beat Ghana. They are resigned to having to work in their last three matches. They may even need to ditch their passengers. Adriano has been outpaced by every defender. Cafu is 36, seldom reaches the byline any longer, was repeatedly bamboozled by Croatiaâs Dado Prso, and after a sprint in the last minute against Ghana lay down on the grass as if to nap. The 33-year-old Roberto Carlos springs to life only when Brazil get a free-kick â the old manâs refuge â which he ritually blasts into space. But he is a luxury Brazil can afford. .