Tuesday, January 29, 2008

Soccer-Kaka (the Brazilian) named Italian players' player of the year

Mon Jan 28, 2008

AC Milan playmaker Kaka was named the Italian players' association player of the year on Monday for leading his side to European Cup glory last May with 10 goals.

The Brazilian was also named best foreign player of 2007 with AS Roma striker Francesco Totti winning the best Italian player award after claiming the European golden boot last season with 26 Serie A goals.

Roma coach Luciano Spalletti took home the manager of the year award for guiding his side to second place last season. Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini was not even nominated even though his side romped to the title last term.

Former Lazio number one Angelo Peruzzi, who retired in May, was named best goalkeeper with Inter's Marco Materazzi winning the best defender gong and Riccardo Montolivo of Fiorentina scooping the best young player award.

AC Milan striker Ronaldo, who has struggled with injury this term, received a special champion of champions award for his displays for both Milan and Inter during the last 10 years.

The awards ceremony, known as the soccer Oscars, was held in Milan following a mid-season meeting between coaches, captains and referees to discuss recent controversial on-field incidents.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldFootballNews/idUKL2874060120080128

Monday, January 28, 2008

Soccer-Milan make up ground

AC Milan's creep up the Serie A table could be given more impetus on Wednesday when they visit struggling Reggina in the first of their two games in hand.

The European champions, who endured a poor first half of the season, are now up to seventh following Sunday's 2-0 win over Genoa when new Brazilian striker Pato scored twice.

The 18-year-old played upfront on his own at the San Siro and may be called upon to do so again at Reggina with injury-plagued Ronaldo struggling with a muscle problem.

"Pato has been fundamental. He is starting to get to know Italian football better," team mate Kaka told reporters.

Australian Zeljko Kalac is likely to deputise for the tired Dida again as Milan play a match rearranged from when they won the Club World Cup in Japan in December. They host Livorno in their last game in hand on Feb. 13.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldFootballNews/idUKL2859625620080128?sp=true

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

Soccer-Brazil's Dunga looks to youth for Ireland friendly

Brazil will take a new generation of players to Dublin next month to meet Ireland in a friendly, coach Dunga said on Tuesday.

Ten of the 22-man squad are in the under-23 category, forming the core of the team that Dunga hopes will win gold at the Beijing Olympics later this year.

Alexandre Pato, the highly-rated 18-year-old who scored on his debut for AC Milan this month, gets a first call-up while Manchester United's Anderson and Liverpool's Lucas Leiva are also in the squad.

Sao Paulo midfielder Richarlyson also wins a first call-up to the senior squad.

Dunga told a news conference the game would serve as vital preparation for the Olympics.

"(The Olympic team) won't be able to play friendly matches as such so it is important for these players to earn some experience with the first team," he said.

The squad also included experienced players in Kaka, Robinho, Chelsea defender Alex and Real Madrid midfielder Julio Batista.

Ronaldo did not earn a recall and Ronaldinho would be given more time to recover from a knee injury, Dunga said.

Brazil will face the Republic of Ireland on Feb. 6 then meet Sweden on at Arsenal's Emirates Stadium on March 26. Squad:

Renan (Internacional), Julio Cesar (Inter Milan), Maicon (Inter Milan), Rafinha (Schalke 04), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Lucio (Bayern Munich), Luisao (Benfica), Breno (Bayern Munich), Alex (Chelsea), Gilberto Silva (Arsenal), Hernanes (Sao Paulo), Josue (Wolfsburg), Lucas (Liverpool), Richarlyson (Sao Paulo), Anderson (Manchester United), Thiago Neves (Fluminense), Kaka (Milan), Julio Baptista (Real Madrid), Alexandre Pato (AC Milan), Robinho (Real Madrid), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla), Rafael Sobis (Betis)

http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldFootballNews/idUKSP29838220080122?sp=true

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Dunga calls Pato, nine other U23s for Brazil-Ireland friendly in Dublin

AC Milan midfielder Alexandre Pato and nine of his under-23 teammates were selected Tuesday by Dunga for Brazil's friendly match against Ireland on Feb. 6 in Dublin.

Goalkeeper Renan; defenders Rafinha, Breno, Marcelo, Hernanes and Lucas; fellow midfielders Anderson and Thiago Neves; and striker Rafael Sobis will join Pato, who earlier this month made his Italian league debut.

Dunga has said he intends to test several newcomers in preparation for the Beijing Olympics in August.

"It is important for these players to acquire experience in the national team,'' the Brazilian soccer confederation said in a statement. "There are more games ahead us during which we will be able to observe players that may chosen to go to Beijing.''

Roster:

Goalkeepers: Renan (Internacional), Maicon (Internazionale), Julio Cesar (Internazionale).

Defenders: Rafinha (Schalke), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Lucio (Bayern), Luisao (Benfica), Breno(Bayern), Alex (Chelsea), Gilberto Silva (Arsenal), Hernanes (Sao Paulo), Josue (Wolfsburg), Lucas (Liverpool).

Midfielders: Richarlyson (Sao Paulo), Anderson (Manchester), Thiago Neves (Fluminense), Kaka(Milan), Julio Baptista(Real Madrid, Alexandre Pato(Milan), Robinho (Real Madrid).

Strikers: Luis Fabiano(Sevilla), Rafael Sobis (Real Betis).

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/soccer/wires/01/22/2080.ap.la.spt.soc.brazil.squad.0260/

The everlasting Joy of the People

Thousands upon thousands of people lined the streets of Rio de Janeiro one summer's day in 1983. Fuelled by a outpouring of emotion, the masses also perched themselves on tree branches and frantically jostled for position atop of bridges, the focus of their attention a large, red vehicle which was crawling from the heart of the city.

This was not, however, carnival time in Brazil and although the vehicle was not carrying a performing act, as it does during Rio's esteemed annual parade, it was channeling another legendary source of entertainment. That source was Manoel Francisco dos Santos, or Garrincha, whose deceased body was being transported from the Maracana stadium to Pau Grande, the small, nearby town in which he was born.

Fans had traveled from afar to pay their last respects to the man who inspired Brazil to the FIFA World Cup™ titles of 1958 and 1962, and due to their influx, traffic had come to a standstill on the roads leading into Rio de Janeiro. Such was the magnitude of this occasion that some had even abandoned their cars and ran miles to catch the proceedings.

Garrincha's funeral was every bit as eccentric as his life and career had been. This was Brazil's incomparable farewell to one of its most-loved performers.

On his epitaph read the words: 'Here rests in peace the one who was the Joy of the People - Mane Garrincha.' And today, exactly 25 years on from his death, aged just 49, the former winger's popularity remains singular, even to those born after his passing who have since marveled at footage of his playful terrorization of opponents or bizarre tales of his lifestyle.

Popularity

Several off-the-field factors contributed to his popularity, but there is no doubt that Garrincha's inimitable, enthralling style of play catapulted him into the hearts of his compatriots. Hypersonic changes of pace, hypnotising body swerves, cheeky flicks and menacing dribbles - they rendered him a terrace idol and a nightmare for adversaries, whom he mischievously nicknamed 'Joao' (John).

Garrincha's markers would sometimes ask to be substituted and in the deciding game of the 1957 Carioca Championship, when Botafogo overwhelmed an all-star Fluminense side 6-2 to seize the title, Tele Santana famously begged Nilton Santos: "You are already the champions. Please tell Garrincha to stop embarrassing our players."

Improbably, Garrincha overcame physical handicap (he was born with badly distorted legs and his mother was told he may never be able to walk) to become an incomparable creator of goals, but he also possessed an accurate, fierce shot and in 579 matches for Botafogo, he was on target 249 times - an incredible statistic for a right winger. He also finished as the joint-leading scorer at the 1962 FIFA World Cup in Chile, where he propelled the Seleção to glory in the absence of Pele, who had been injured in their second outing.

The pair did not spend much of their spare time together when on international duty. Garrincha was a practical joker who indulged in women and alcohol. Pele, on the other hand, was a model professional. What they did have in common was an exceptional footballing talent and when they were on the field of play together, Brazil never lost a match.

"Pele was an athlete and Garrincha was an artist," remarked journalist Armando Nogueira. "Put them together and you had a perfect, unstoppable combination."

Outside of Brazil, Pele is recognised by a large majority as the greatest footballer in history. Inside of the South America's vastest country, debate rages on as to whether he or Garrincha was the best ever.

O Rei himself is one of his former team-mates biggest admirers. "Garrincha was an incredible player, one of the best there has ever been," he said. "He could do things with the ball that no other player could do. Without Garrincha, I would have never been a three-times world champion."

Pele and Garrincha got on famously and they met up for the last time in late-1982, reminiscing and joking before embracing affectionately and vowing to meet up the following year. Fate dictated otherwise.

Nevertheless, A Alegria do Povo (The Joy of the People) remains entrenched in the souls of his people. Brazilians not only pride themselves on success but also on boasting a peerless capacity to excite. No player has ever - or perhaps will ever - thrill in the way that Garrincha did.

Twenty-five years on from his death, mention of his name continues to bring that unmistakable smile to their faces, to provoke pride in their hearts and enthusiasm in their voices.

Garrincha, quite simply, is an infinite Joy of the People.

http://www.fifa.com/worldfootball/news/newsid=674278.html

Monday, January 21, 2008

Carlos Alberto Parreira prepares World Cup trial run

South Africa’s Brazilian coach will put youth to the fore at the African Cup of Nations as he builds towards the 2010 showpiece

razilian coach Carlos Alberto Parreira celebrates with his team

Ian Hawkey

THE FIRST time Carlos Alberto Parreira went to Ghana, he fell ill with malaria and then fell for the place. It was 1968, he was 24 and nobody beyond the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro had heard much about him. The Brazilian Football Federation received a request from Ghana to send one of their young coaches to help strengthen the game and manage the national team. Brazil dispatched an intelligent student. Parriera loved it, and his recall of that time seems as sharp as his memories of more recent, more famous, excursions.

After Brazil got him back, Parreira went far: on the staff who served the 1970 world champions, rising to head coach of the next Brazil World Cup winners, in 1994, and recalled to that post for the part of the difficulty comes from South Africa’s wealth. Its Premier Soccer League has become to Africa rather like the Premier League is to Europe: big wages, fancy stadiums, but not too clever over the past 10 years at winning continental trophies. “This league does have good money,” he says, “but they prefer to buy players from abroad. It’s not expensive for them to bring in a player from Zambia. The problem is they don’t bring in the very best African players because they are already in Europe.”

Parreira has dared his employers to back youth at the Nations Cup, and more than half of his squad have less than 10 caps. South Africa’s best player, the Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy, is not in the party, Parreira knowing that even into his early 30s, McCarthy should be a shoo-in for 2010, the coach’s priority date. McCarthy’s club colleague Aaron Mokoena will captain the Nations Cup side, and Parreira has been encouraged by the impression made at Everton by the midfielder Steven Pienaar.

But nobody at the Nations Cup will indulge South Africa for looking long-term. They are billeted in Tamale, the most remote of the venues in Ghana, with Angola, who made their World Cup debuts in Germany; with Senegal, who have a global pedigree from beating France in Seoul at the 2002 World Cup; and with Tunisia, who have turned up at every World Cup since 1998.

We should watch out, Parreira says, for Teko Modise, who plays for the Soweto club, Orlando Pirates: “He is the rising star, with many qualities,” he says. 2006 tournament. His next destination would be Africa, but an Africa unlike the Ghana of the late 1960s. He has to make South Africa a team that looks like it not only belongs at a World Cup, but can be the centrepiece at the jamboree. He has less than 2½ years to turn the 2010 hosts into contenders for a place in at least the last 16 if the party is not to go too flat too early. The South Africans, alias Bafana Bafana, are ranked 78th - well below Haiti - by Fifa.

South Africa pay Parreira about £125,000 a month, a sum raising controversy even before he arrived. The African Cup of Nations will reveal whether the Brazilian has made Bafana any better. They qualified, which was not to be taken for granted for a team who scored no goals in their 270 minutes at the tournament in 2006. Parreira thinks

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/football/article3216747.ece

Brazil defeats Uruguay to win South American beach soccer

The Brazilian national beach soccer team on Sunday beat Uruguay 4-3 in the final of the South American beach soccer championships.

Buru, the top scorer of the tournament with four goals, scored three in Sunday's game. Junior Negao added a goal to the Brazilian scoreboard. For Uruguay, Parrillo scored twice while Coco scored once.

Apart from Buru's award for scoring the most goals in the tournament, two other Brazilians received individual awards: Mao was voted as the best goalie and Bruno Malias was chosen as the MVP of this year's competition.

"We had played against the Uruguayan team and we were aware of the difficulties. The heavy sand also made it a difficult game," said the Brazilian team captain, Junior Negao, who has scored 321 goals for the team in his career.

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-01/21/content_7460951.htm

Saturday, January 19, 2008

Pelé or Maradona: Who is the Greatest Soccer Player of All Time?

When talking about footballing greats, few others come close to being mentioned in the same breath as Pelé and Diego Maradona.

But that leads us to the much-debated question—who is the better of the two? Who is the greatest of them all?

Personally, I would say it is Maradona. The highlight of his career came in the summer of 1986, when the squat little man from Buenos Aires temporarily suspended physics and gravity. In ten seconds of pure magic, he danced past six English defenders, sidestepped the keeper and slotted home what is widely regarded as "the goal of the century."

And this came minutes after scoring the most controversial goal in history.

Pelé scored a record 1283 goals and won the World Cup thrice. But he played in probably the best football lineup ever—the 1960s Brazilian squad. Their victorious campaign of 1962, wherein Pelé was injured for the majority of the campaign, proves that they were capable without him. Moreover, Pelé was an out-and-out striker. His purpose was to finish and score goals. And for this reason, he was monotonous and boring.

Maradona lifted the World Cup only once, but he did it single-handedly. He led a team of not-so-gifted players to victory, and it is said that any of the eight teams in the ’86 quarterfinals with Maradona playing for them would have won the Cup. Such was his presence and contribution. He followed up his England match with two dazzling goals against Belgium and an assist that decided the final. At club level, he led Napoli to their only two Serie A titles and their sole UEFA Cup win.

Maradona was a more complete player than Pelé. Starting his runs deep in the midfield, he would weave past defenders and deliver dangerously precise passes or finish himself. His freekicks were also lethal. He rarely touched the ball with his right foot, except for balance. A magical left foot was all that took him to work his wizardry.

He courted controversy with the same enthusiasm that he reserved for his spectacular goals. His notorious "Hand of God" goal, and the bans owing to substance abuse, bear testimony to that fact.

His creativity and flair, coupled with technical brilliance and outstanding vision, led to many a wondrous goals. In moments of inspiration, he achieved on a football field what might be difficult to impersonate on canvas. Writing poetry with his feet, he conspired and executed moments of motion—outrageously brilliant and impossible in its beauty.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/6784--Pel_or_Maradona_Who_is_the_Greatest_Soccer_Player_of_All_Time_-170108

Adriano scores two in Sao Paulo's 2-1 victory in state championship

Inter Milan striker Adriano returned in grand style to Brazilian soccer by leading Sao Paulo to a 2-1 comeback victory over Guaretingueta in the opening round of the Sao Paulo state championship on Thursday.

Adriano, on loan from Inter until December, scored both second-half goals.

He took the field to a standing ovation and made a brilliant debut for the five-time Brazilian champion _ on solo runs, shooting free kicks, scrapping for loose balls, and constantly buzzing the Guaretingueta goal.

After Guaretingueta took a surprise 1-0 lead after 22 minutes on a free kick by Renato, Adriano took over.

In the opening minute of the second half, he recovered a lost ball at the top of the penalty area and fired home to equalize.

Then, in the 75th minute, Adriano sent a seeing-eye free kick through the defensive wall and past diving goalkeeper Faber.

http://www.pr-inside.com/adriano-scores-two-in-sao-paulo-s-r392959.htm

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Spotlight on Adriano, Romario at start of season

The 2008 Brazil soccer season begins Wednesday with the spotlight on striker Adriano and coach Romario.

Adriano is making a much anticipated return from European soccer to lead Brazilian champion Sao Paulo, while Romario - unable to play because of a doping suspension - will coach Vasco.

Adriano was signed by Sao Paulo in December on a loan from Italy's Inter Milan until June. This allows him to play during the Copa Libertadores and the traditional Sao Paulo state championship, which begins Wednesday with Sao Paulo as one of the favorites for the title.

Adriano has played sparingly since he was a starter in the 2006 World Cup, but has practiced with Sao Paulo starters. He is likely to debut in Sao Paulo's opener against Guaratingueta on Thursday.

"I'm focused and ready to play," Adriano said last week. "I'm very happy to be in a club like this."

In addition to Adriano, Sao Paulo also will count on former Lyon midfielder Fabio Santos.

The other teams expected to contend for the regional championship's title are powerhouses Palmeiras, Corinthians and defending champion Santos.

Palmeiras, seeking its first significant title in nearly a decade, will be boosted by the arrival of coach Vanderlei Luxemburgo from Santos. Luxemburgo, who coached Real Madrid for a year before being fired in December 2005, led Palmeiras to Brazilian league titles in 1993 and 1994.

Luxemburgo's team will be highlighted by Chilean midfielder Jorge Valdivia, but he won't be able to count on World Cup veteran Edmundo, who was released by the club after last year's season.

"We are not 100 percent ready, of course, but that is natural this time of the year," Luxemburgo said.

Titleholder Santos replaced Luxemburgo with former Brazil goalkeeper Emerson Leao, the coach who led the club to its national championship in 2002. The team hasn't signed any major players for the season, however.

Corinthians, relegated to the second division in the Brazilian league, also will have a new man in charge - former Gremio coach Mano Menezes. The club signed Argentine striker German Herrera, Chilean defender Cristian Suarez and Uruguayan midfielder Alberto Martin Acosta.

In Rio de Janeiro, Romario will remain the man to watch even though he is serving a 120-day doping suspension after using a medicine to prevent hair loss.

The 41-year-old veteran striker, who led Brazil to the 1994 World Cup title in the United States, took over Vasco's coaching job last year after Valdir Espinosa left the club.

Romario's debut will be Sunday against Madureira, the team's opener in the Rio de Janeiro state championship.

Vasco's acquisitions for the season include Nigerian striker Abubakar Bello-Osagie and Chilean forward Jose Luis Villanueva Ahumada, but even Romario has admitted the team will have a hard time contending with rivals Flamengo and Fluminense, which have added several high-profile players to their rosters.

"Vasco is the weakest team right now," Romario said.

Flamengo, Brazil's most popular club, made several additions looking ahead to the Copa Libertadores, Latin America's most important club competition. Among the new signings are World Cup veteran Kleberson and Paraguayan defender Diego Gavilan. The team also tried to bring striker Ronaldo from AC Milan but the deal did not go through.

Fluminense, which also will play in this year's Copa Libertadores, signed Argentine midfielder Dario Conca from Vasco, striker Dodo from Botafogo, and forward Washington from Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds.

Botafogo will begin the season with three international players - Argentine striker Luis Miguel Escalada, Argentine defender Alexis Ferrero and Uruguayan goalkeeper Juan Castillo.

http://msn.foxsports.com/soccer/story/7678940

Soccer-Roundup-Brazil line up Sweden friendly in London

Brazil are to face Sweden in a friendly international in London on March 26, the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on its Web site (cbfnews.uol.com.br).

The match will be played at Arsenal's Emirates stadium where Brazil have played twice in the last 18 months, beating Argentina 3-0 and losing 2-0 to Portugal.

Brazil and Sweden last met in 1995 during a tournament in England when the South Americans won 1-0.

Brazil's first match of the year is away to Ireland on Feb 6. Their next competitive games are the World Cup qualifiers away to Paraguay and at home to Argentina in June.

Ronaldinho will miss his fifth game in a row for Barcelona after failing to make the squad for Tuesday's King's Cup last-16 tie against Sevilla at the Nou Camp because of tendinitis in his left knee.

Fellow Brazilian Edmilson also misses out because of injury, but Portugal midfielder Deco returns after recovering from the muscle pain sustained in the league match against Real Mallorca on Jan. 5.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/footballNews/idUKSP3183820080115

Saturday, January 12, 2008

Brazil Soccer: Pelé launches 'Goals for Life'

When Pelé scored his one thousandth goal, in November 1969, he dedicated it ‘to the children of Brazil’. Now, thirty years after his retirement from football, he is the patron of Goals for Life, a project raising funds for the Pequeno Príncipe (Little Prince) children’s hospital complex in the city of Curitiba in southern Brazil. Pequeno Príncipe is the largest hospital of its kind in Brazil, treating almost 250,000 patients a year and conducting internationally important research into serious diseases affecting children.

The principal fundraising initiative is the sale of gold, silver and bronze medals representing each of the 1,283 goals Pelé scored during his career. For José Álvaro Carneiro, the co-ordinator of Goals for Life, Pelé’s participation is vital as it gives the project ‘the chance to attract both Brazilian and international funding in the cause of children’s health’.

The project was launched today at a press conference at the Embassy of Brazil in London, attended by Pelé himself. During the event, Pelé used a chisel to break the moulds used to make the medals, therefore publicly guaranteeing their uniqueness. Describing his commitment to Goals for Life, Pelé said that sees it as a means of ‘giving something back’.

Specially produced by the Brazilian national mint, each medal has been individually laser-inscribed with the number of the goal it represents. Buyers of the medals will also receive a personalised certificate bearing the date of the goal, and the game in which it was scored. The medals can be viewed and bought on the website www.golspelavida.org.br: the gold ones have a price of around 830 pounds (3,000 Brazilian reais), the silver 415, and the bronze 195.

Given that Pelé scored 77 goals in international matches for Brazil, and many others for Santos and New York Cosmos in friendlies against foreign clubs, lots of the medals have a connection with football in other countries. In the case of England, not only are there medals representing the single goal Pelé scored for Brazil against the English national team (in May 1964 in the Maracanã stadium, Rio de Janeiro), but also goals in friendlies for Santos against Coventry City, Fulham, Newcastle United, Plymouth Argyle, Sheffield Wednesday, Stoke City and West Ham United between 1962 and 1973.

Some of the medals representing particularly important goals in Pelé’s career – including his one thousandth, and those he scored in World Cup matches – will be auctioned by Christie’s in the United Arab Emirates in April 2008.

For further information:

José Álvaro Carneiro, Co-ordinator, Goals for Life

carneiro@hpp.org.br

Thursday, January 10, 2008

Soccer chief wants to 'adopt' poor Brazilian team

Norway’s national soccer coach Åge Hareide, currently on a visit to South America, thinks Norway’s national team should "adopt" a youth team from the slums of Rio de Janeiro.

Norway soccer chief Åge Hareide thinks Norwegians should be more humble and take some lessons from the Brazilians.

Hareide, a long-time fan of Brazilian soccer, says the Europeans have a lot to learn from the kids playing on the beaches of Brazil.

He complains that Norwegian soccer players lack much of the technique and speed found in their Brazilian counterparts.

The coach says he's fed up with the Norwegian attitude that Norwegians are always best. "We have to get out there and learn, not least, how to be a little humbler, and perhaps admit that we are not the world champions," Hareide told Aftenposten.

His idea to adopt a Brazilian team from the slums is not only aimed at helping the Brazilians, but also at learning from them, he says.

"We can learn something all the time," he said. "And soccer today demands an unbelievable amount from both the players and the leaders."

Norway’s national soccer team is next scheduled to play against Wales on February 6.

http://www.aftenposten.no/english/sports/article2189598.ece

Lorain nets international youth soccer tournament

The international passion for soccer is coming to Lorain in August, when young talent from around the world will be invited to play at the inaugural PSA World Youth Tournament at Brad Friedel's Premier Soccer Academies.

Craig Umland, chief operating officer for the soccer academy, said six teams, from countries including Mexico, Germany, Slovenia and Brazil, have been invited to take part in the tournament. The Blackburn Rovers Academy Team from the United Kingdom has committed to participate, along with the PSA academy team.

Players will compete in two matches a day from Aug. 10 to 17. Reduced-rate tickets will be made available to members of the Ohio North Soccer Association and their families, and remaining tickets will go on sale April 1, Umland said.

''I'm very excited by the prospect of having the best talent in the world on display at our facility,'' said Brad Friedel, co-founder of Premier Soccer Academies, in a prepared statement. ''It truly will be the most competitive youth tournament in the United States.''

Umland said a stadium for 4,000 to 5,000 spectators will begin construction this spring on the grounds of the academy in Lorain. Closing ceremonies will be held at the PSA campus immediately following the championship game.

''This event is going to provide significant exposure for Lorain worldwide, and significant impact for our area,'' Umland said. The tournament will draw citizens of the countries taking part to travel to Lorain for the competition.

''That's what they do overseas,'' Umland said. ''Soccer is a passionate sport outside of our borders. That's why we're inviting international teams. The talent level of the teams will be something special to watch for all soccer fans in northeast Ohio.''

Sponsorship and volunteer opportunities will also be available, Umland said. Broadcast rights are still being researched, and could include either traditional transmission or over the Internet, he said.

Brad Friedel's Premier Soccer Academies, a non-profit organization, is the first residential soccer academy of its kind to offer full scholarships to athletes regardless of their economic or social background. Players at the academy have been recruited from around the globe.

http://www.morningjournal.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=19180261&BRD=1699&PAG=461&dept_id=46371&rfi=6

Olympics: Brazil hoping to host Games

Olympic Games

Brazil are to put in a bid for the 2016 Olympic Games, on the back of their confirmed role as host of the 2014 World Cup soccer finals.

Officials in Rio de Janeiro say the city will lay much of the groundwork for the Olympics when it prepares for the global soccer extravanganza.

The city will spend just US$508 million ($672.8 million) to get ready for the Olympics -- far less than the US$1.5 billion that London is projected to spend on sports venues for the 2012 Games.

The Brazilian Olympic delegation will present Rio's bid to the International Olympic Committee on Friday at its headquarters Lausanne, Switzerland.

The IOC will announce the host city in October 2009 at a ceremony in Copenhagen, Denmark.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/4/story.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=10485908

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Culture Shock

Moves abroad aren't for all insular Brazilian phenoms

In the summer of 1988, Brazilian striker Müller left São Paulo to join Torino of Italy. Some 19 years later, in the middle of 2007, Corinthians attacking midfielder Willian embarked on his own European adventure, moving to Ukrainian club Shakhtar Donetsk.

Last week, the pair were together in a roundtable debate on Brazilian TV, and it made for a fascinating contrast of what has happened to soccer and society over the past two decades.

Müller was 22 when he crossed the Atlantic. At the time, he was considered relatively young for such a move, but he was taking plenty of baggage with him. He was a senior international, had appeared in the '86 World Cup and had won the Brazilian Championship with São Paulo.

Willian was nearly 19 when he received the call, and whereas Müller was already proven, Willian had little more than potential. He played for Brazil last January in the South American Under-20 Championships, and while he showed flashes of promise, it was clear he was well short of being a finished product. And after scoring just two goals in senior Brazilian soccer, he was on his way.

This, though, is the trend of globalization. The concentration of talent in a small number of top European clubs has consequences at both ends; the clubs want to buy and mould the South American players at an ever earlier age. And the players, who used to dream of playing for Flamengo and Corinthians, now have their sights set on a move abroad. I have spoken to promising 8-year-old Brazilian kids who couldn't find Europe -- let alone Spain -- on a map, but know they want to play for Real Madrid or Barcelona.

The fact is, though, is that living abroad isn't for everyone. In the '80s, when British players were still tempted abroad, the great Scottish writer Hugh McIlvanney commented that the average one was "more tourist than emigrant, a man so reluctant to immerse himself in the ways of his adopted country that he might be expected to take the field with a return ticket tucked into his sock."

Nowadays, with the rivers of money flowing through the Premiership, British players are more inclined to stay home. Their footballing education may well suffer as a result -- in Brazilian soccer there are those, such as Carlos Alberto Parreira, who argue that their players develop in tactical terms from playing abroad. Current national-team coach Dunga prefers to emphasize the opportunities to grow as an adult and a professional that arise from leaving Brazil's paternalistic culture.

But whatever the potential gains, they come at a cost of dealing with the inevitable culture shock. The Brazilians can be every bit as insular as those British players McIlvanney was describing -- the difference is that these days, to fulfil their earning potential and be considered world-class players, Brazilians are obliged to move overseas.

I have two Brazilian stepdaughters. Last year, one of them spent a few months putting on samba shows in Spain. She was struck by the behavior of the group. On days off they would organize Brazilian barbecues. On free nights they went to a Brazilian nightclub. There was not the slightest curiosity to learn about their new surroundings.

In an activity such as samba, this insularity causes no harm. But this kind of behavior is clearly harmful to a footballer playing abroad, who must find some kind of common denominator with his teammates.

This is not always easy for Brazilians. The image of happy, outgoing people is something of a myth, the conscious creation of '30s and '40s Brazilian fascism, which sponsored and censored Carnaval to disseminate the idea of a contented population.

In reality, Brazilians can be somewhat shy. And as Brazilian sports psychologist Regina Brandão has researched, they can be very prone to negative thinking, especially in unfamiliar surroundings.

During the TV roundtable debate, Müller recalled that after he had spent a while with Torino, he was taken aside and asked to show more willingness to integrate with the group. He said it was wise counsel, which opened up new possibilities for him, and he advised Willian to do the same.

The youngster joined a Shakhtar team which already contains a strong contingent of Brazilians, such as Ilsinho, Brandão and Fernandinho. And it isn't only with his teammates that Willian is in touch with his native culture. He said he's in regular contact with former Corinthians teammates over e-mail, and that his TV is permanently tuned in to Brazil's Globo international channel.

None of this existed when Müller joined Torino. As he said, it was even before the era of the cell phone. The other participants of the roundtable debate concluded that this technological development makes it easier for Brazilian players to adapt. I'm not so sure.

To laughs of agreement from the rest of the panel, Willian commented that there was no point in switching his TV to a Ukrainian channel. I think he's making a big mistake. As someone who taught himself another language while living abroad, I can testify that local TV is a magnificent aid -- especially the news.

First, the news is usually spoken in clear language that is much, much easier to understand than street speak. Secondly, it supplies a glimpse of the issues that are considered important in the country. A few months' effort watching the news would only help the youngster's integration.

But like no generation before, Willian can live in Ukraine with his head in Brazil. The march of technology allows the individual to inhabit his own little world. But that isn't necessarily an advantage in a collective sport such as soccer.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008/writers/tim_vickery/01/08/brazilians.abroad/

Soccer-Milan's Pato (from Brazil) targets immediate starting spot

New AC Milan forward Pato has set his sights on starting Sunday's Serie A match at home to Napoli after arriving in Italy.

The 18-year-old, a sensation at the 2007 World Youth Cup, signed for the European champions in August from Brazil's Internacional but has had to wait until January to become eligible.

A late bureaucratic hitch threatened to rob Pato of the chance to make his debut but the Italian league said last week that his registration had been completed and barring any more red tape he now looks poised to link up with compatriot Kaka.

"I feel ready to start. Certainly there is a bit of emotion but I'm calm. I don't feel any pressure," Pato told reporters after arriving in Milan at the weekend.

"I have a week of training in front of me. I have to work hard and then I will hope to be on the field from the start."

Noises from Milan's mid-season training camp in Dubai have suggested Pato could well be thrown in at the deep end when their stuttering Serie A season resumes on Sunday.

Milan have failed to win at the San Siro against Italian opposition this season and are languishing in mid-table.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti is under pressure and despite saying in August that Pato was one for the future, he looks ready to put his faith in the youngster straight away, especially as Ronaldo and Filippo Inzaghi are not fully fit.

"He will definitely give us something more in terms of quality and we are not scared of giving the lad too much responsibility," Ancelotti said last week.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/worldFootballNews/idUKL0773411620080107

Sunday, January 6, 2008

Brazilians take different paths to top of soccer world

Marta, Kaka regularly show why they are best players in world

You may not recognize the name Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, even though he is officially the best soccer player on the planet. The same may be true of Marta Viera da Silva, although her name does include a giveaway.

On Dec. 17, the world's leading soccer organization, FIFA, brought these two Brazilians to the Zurich Opera House so they could sing their praises as the best male and female players on the planet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iba7RiOuvEQ&feature=related

It is very difficult to argue with the results of this competition, which relies on votes from the coaches and captains of 165 nations whose choices were so overwhelming. The male champion collected more than double the vote of second-place Lionel Messi and the best female was close to twice as popular as German Birgit Prinz.

Allow me let you in on a few secrets about Kaka and Marta. Ladies first.

Anyone who saw the two goals Marta scored to help crush the United States in last year's World Cup semi-finals will understand why she is considered the best player in the women's game. For the first goal she beat six -- yes, six -- players before scoring low and hard. For the second, she picked up the ball wide left, cut inside, beat a defender by back-heeling the ball to the right, raced round the player to pick up her own pass, beat another transfixed defender, took two strides and crashed the ball into the corner of the net. Unstoppable, both times.

Dazzling onlookers, terrifying opponents and winning difficult battles is what Marta has been doing ever since she decided she wanted to be a professional player in a country that barely recognized female players. She was seven.

Brazilian women were banned from playing the game by law until 1979 and the game was barely open to them 14 years later when Marta was fighting to play with boys.

Typical of so many rags-to-riches soccer stories that come out of Brazil, Marta came from an impoverished family. Her father, a barber, abandoned the family when Marta was young, so the fruitless effort to stop her playing with boys was left to her brother.

But her passion for the game was beginning to show. Simply put, she was better than the boys and would not be denied.

She was the best when she played on the streets with rolled-up plastic bags for a ball. She was the best when she played on a boy's indoor team. That's why one opponent refused to play against a girl and she was asked to leave.

From there, she played with a girl's team until it was disbanded and any soccer future looked bleak for this 14-year-old. It was then that a local soccer organizer persuaded her to take a three-day bus trip to Rio de Janeiro to try out for a team there. A tough decision for a backwoods girl. She came, they saw and she conquered.

Three years later, she was picked for the 2003 World Cup. Brazil did not shine that time. But Marta did.

Among those startled at her skills, her strength and her speed was Roland Arnquist, coach of Umea IK, a Swedish women's pro team. Marta was about to earn her first soccer paycheque.

Even that was a tough transition.

She had never seen snow before and Umea is just 240 kilometres from the Arctic Circle. She had never trained seriously, but now it was 10 practices a week. She had never seen the inside of a gym but when she was asked for 10 pushups she did double, when official practice stopped, she continued. And she couldn't understand a word of Swedish.

Today she is Umea IK's star, one of those very few players, man or woman, who has fans on the edge of their seats whenever they get the ball. When Marta has it, something is about to set us gasping.

Last summer came the ultimate Brazilian accolade. Marta became the first woman to imprint her foot in wet concrete on the Soccer Walk of Fame at Maracana Stadium, the Mecca of Brazilian soccer.

Here is a young man who had all the advantages of a comfortable middle-class Brazilian life. No poverty struggles for this young man. However, there was little to suggest he would be the world's best player, despite his remarkable skill levels. There are hatfuls of exquisitely skilful Brazilian soccer stars.

Kaka was a scrawny kid - thin as a rake you might say. So much so he needed hormone treatments to help his growth. He was unsure whether or not he wanted to make soccer his career until he was 15. Three years later he fractured a vertebra in his spine in a pool accident. He was lucky to recover.

His career was now travelling at great speed. In 2001, he was playing for Sao Paulo youth team. A year later he was with the seniors and in the same year he won a spot on the Brazilian squad.

Then it was off to Milan with his family in tow. He has already won a Serie A title and a Champions League medal.

So here they are, two Brazilians with totally different backgrounds

capable of electrifying fans with their twists and turns, there extraordinary talent. They make the game worth watching.

http://www.canada.com/ottawacitizen/news/sports/story.html?id=5e003f40-c859-4eac-a262-da02b9c50932&p=2

Soccer coach returns to Iraq to provide expertise

BRAZIL OF THE MIDDLE EAST

"I've always said that Iraq is the Brazil of the Middle East. We have beautiful skill in this country, we have treasures walking on the ground that we must develop, not just below the ground in the form of oil," he said.

"More focus has to be put on this sport but Iraqi soccer needs organisation that begins at grass-roots level."

Iraq's national team shocked the sporting world last July when they won their first Asian Cup in emphatic fashion despite a lack of time to train, poor facilities and violence affecting squad members and their relatives.
The wildly celebrated victory became an inspiration for a country struggling to quell bloodshed and sectarian violence, encouraging youths seeking to emulate their heroes.
Jasim Hasan coaches an under-15s team in Baghdad's northwestern Shi'ite slum of Shula. He says Wohali's qualities are experience and his effective communication with children.
"The course was very good and he brings good experience with him from England. In Iraq, we are born to play soccer but we need to learn more of the technical side of the game," he said.
The daily 4-hour sessions involve children performing dribbles, as well as other physical exercises.

Youngster Hamza Hasan from Sadr City's under-13s said the new methods were a lot of fun.
"We've really enjoyed the training. He's a good coach and he makes us understand the game more with his encouragement, unlike the coaches here who are aggressive," he said, shortly before running off to join his team-mates running around cones.

Wohali, who holds a Football Association coaching licence and FA certificates, says he will return to England in two weeks and hopes to return again for a broader, more extensive course.
"A few days is not enough to qualify a coach. He needs to go into many courses to learn more. It's not enough but at least it's a start." (Writing by Mussab Al-Khairalla)

http://football.guardian.co.uk/breakingnews/feedstory/0,,-7202555,00.html