Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Brazil speeds up World Cup preparation

The Brazilian government announced measures on Monday to speed up preparations to host the soccer World Cup in 2014, boosting spending and cutting red tape for public works projects.

The move follows growing concern in recent weeks, including by the soccer world governing body FIFA, that preparations for the sporting event were seriously delayed.

The debate put the spotlight on numerous obstacles to investment in Brazil's fast-growing economy and angered President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who has been touting the tournament as an accomplishment of his government ahead of October's presidential election.

Brazil will also host the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

In a signing ceremony arranged at short notice, Lula pledged 5.5 billion reais to revamp airports in the 12 cities that will host the soccer tournament.

He also lifted restrictions on the ability of cities to raise debt to pay for infrastructure such as roads, stadiums and trains.

Lula, who called some of the concerns senseless, said the latest measures would avoid problems Brazil had with funding the 2007 Pan-American Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The federal government also donated real estate and earmarked 740 million reais on Monday to allow seven cities, including Rio de Janeiro, to overhaul their ports and facilitate docking of large cruise ships.

"Certainly it will be an alternative to the lack of hotels," said Pedro Brito, the ports minister.

Lula blamed the Sao Paulo state government, which until April was run by the opposition presidential candidate Jose Serra, for failing to provide an adequate stadium to host the World Cup.

"Frankly, I can't imagine a World Cup in Brazil without Sao Paulo as one of the corners for athletes to play ball," Lula said during the ceremony in the capital Brasilia.

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Wednesday, July 14, 2010

Stemsport - soon to be available in Brazil?

StemSport

The StemSPORT regime is the latest Stem Cell Nutrition offering coming out of California's STEMTech HealthSciences, the Stem Cell Nutrition company. STEMTech and its Chief Science Officer Christian Drapeau have been increasingly in the news over the last two years for their breakthrough work in the field of Adult Stem Cells.

The STEMTech mantra, supported by double blind scientific studies, is that Adult Stem Cells made by a person's own bone marrow are nothing less than the body's natural renewal system. The STEMTech product line increases the release and circulation of Adult Stem Cells by some 25% with some extraordinary results. StemSPORT is their first entry into the Sport's Nutrition market.

Sports guru and STEMTech V.P. Heather Livingston said the NBA All Star Weekend venue for launching the sports Stem Cell Nutrition product is symbolic.

"With StemSPORT we're empowering distributors to proactively impact the performance of all athletes, amateur and professional, by assisting in reducing muscle recovery time. What more visible start than with the Legends of Basketball?"

Scientist and author Christian Drapeau explains how the Stem Cell enhancers function to maximize human performance: "Supporting the release of stem cells from the bone marrow and increasing the number of circulating stem cells improves various aspects of human health. For very active and sports focused people, Stem Cells are the raw materials to repair micro-tears and micro-injuries created during training."

The results, according to Drapeau, are that active people, whether former NBA stars or amateur weekenders, can exercise more intensely at each training session with the ultimate consequence of greater performance.

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Monday, July 5, 2010

Stubborn Dunga dug own grave

The ghosts of his stoic and at times arrogant selection blunders will surely come to haunt Carlos Dunga long after he has been delegated to what now seems a certain Brazilian coaching grave.

In a soccer-mad country where failure to win the World Cup is little short of a tragedy and invariably a non-negotiable commodity for any coach, Dunga went out on a limb when he inexplicably refused to include charismatic soccer genius Ronaldinho in his 2010 World Cup squad.

But almost as though fate took a hand in knocking the nails into Dunga’s coffin as Brazil slithered to a 2-1 defeat against Holland at Port Elizabeth’s Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Friday, it was Dunga’s controversially selected Felipe Melo that precipitated the jarring second-half decline of the five-time champions.

Although a talented player, Melo has experienced an alarming decline in form over the past 12 months so much that he has regularly been booed by supporters of Juventus, in Italy, where he is now based after a series of blunders not dissimilar to those he committed against The Netherlands.

In the first instance it was Melo’s header that deflected the Jabulani ball into the net past bemused goalkeeper Julio Cesar for The Netherlands’ second-half equaliser.

Then again it was the hapless Melo who was responsible for Brazil being reduced to 10 men in the 68th minute when he needlessly stomped all over Arjen Robben.

And Dunga’s world – or should that be World Cup – fell apart after he had also stuck by a combination he had pieced together 12 months earlier while stubbornly disregarding the loss of form of a number of other players apart from Melo.

He resorted to utilising three defensive midfielders following the injury to Elano and playing Dani Alves, one of the world’s leading full-backs, out-of-position in a role where his talents are largely negated.

And, apart from the non-selection of Ronaldinho, the implacable Dunga had also turned his back on brilliant AC Milan striker Pato and a host of dynamic, emerging young Brazilian stars.

That is how Dunga dug his own grave.

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Thursday, July 1, 2010

Brazil’s Beautiful Game Now Has Tougher Edge

By whatever means the Dutch think they can knock Brazil out of the World Cup, getting physical would not be a good idea. This is a big Brazilian team, the tallest, strongest and most physical in memory.

Its defenders will be taller and clearly bigger man to man than their Dutch counterparts in Friday’s quarterfinal game in Port Elizabeth. And if Mark van Bommel has notions of roughing up Kaká the way he did little Leo Messi in the Champions League last year, he might consider two things: the referees in this World Cup have been consistently hard on that kind of play, and Kaká is one of eight Brazilian starters (and 13 on the 23-man roster) who stand above 6 feet.

Indeed, Kaká has already been forced to miss a game during this tournament for what might euphemistically be termed getting his retaliation in first. A man of silky skills, Kaká has added steel, as anyone playing under Coach Carlos Dunga must.

Dunga was tough as a player. As a coach, he is unequivocal: stand up and fight for the right to play or he will select someone who will.

Brazil’s muscle has been growing for more than 40 years. Some might ascribe this to Dunga, 46, but he is a mere disciple — an extreme one perhaps — of a toughening-up process that dates to 1966. It was then that Pelé, the greatest player of them all, was battered out of the World Cup in England. First the Bulgarians kicked him, then the Portuguese. The Brazilians never forgot that in the Portugal game it was a British referee, George McCabe, who allowed the rough play that hobbled Pelé and led to Brazil’s being eliminated in the group stage.

Long before Dunga was a player, Brazil dispatched trainers and coaches to study physical preparation at the German sports institute in Leipzig. The Beautiful Game that fans know and love — and hope for from Brazil from time to time — gives way to emulating Europeans, sacrificing flair for method.

Dunga was the anchor of perhaps the most structured Brazilian team to be world champion, in 1994. He watched Brazil win the trophy again in 2002, but lose in the quarterfinals in Germany four years later.

That was when he came in as coach. His work is evident in the way Brazil performs now, a style that is so athletic that many former Brazilian players are Dunga’s foremost critics. The former star Socrates has called the new Brazil “an affront to our culture.”

Socrates was a tall, thin midfielder who appeared to walk on stilts when he played in the 1980s. He was elegant and languid in his movements, but his type would never get near the Brazil of Dunga.

It is not simply a question of height. The members of Dunga’s team — with the exception of the recently repatriated winger Robinho and the reserve defender Gilberto Melo — play for clubs in the rugged leagues of Europe. Goalkeeper Júlio César, right back Maicon and central defender Lúcio, the team’s captain, helped Inter Milan win the Italian League, the Italian Cup and the Champions League in May.

César, playing at this World Cup in a back brace to protect a recent injury, is game-tested and among the few first-rate goalkeepers Brazil has produced. Boys in Brazil prefer to play offense. Even some defenders, like Lúcio and Maicon, love nothing better than to stride out of their defensive positions and counterattack.

Dunga does not deny them the right, provided they observe the safety-first ethic of his game plan. This, moreover, must be the first Brazil seleção, the national team, that strives to win matches on set plays like corner kicks rather than simply off the flow of the game.

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Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Brazil 3, Chile 0

Rhythmic or Ruthless, Beauty Is in Eye of Brazil

Let others complain about a lack of beauty. Dunga, Brazil’s coach, is concerned only about winning. The World Cup is, after all, a soccer tournament. The goal is to put another trophy in the case, not to hang a picture on the wall.

With its usual pragmatic reliance on set pieces and rampaging counterattacks, Brazil routed Chile, 3-0, on Monday night at Ellis Park. Seeking a sixth World Cup title, it advanced to the quarterfinals, where it will face the Netherlands on Friday.

If Brazil no longer plays samba soccer, sometimes seeming disjointed and desultory in attack, it remains formidable with an athletic and remorseless defense and enough moments of individual brilliance to summon the beautiful game and to lament its absence.

Monday’s victory was Brazil’s most impressive of its three so far. It featured glimpses of ostentation and fluidity that recalled a more elegant past. But mostly the match was one of dogged hustle and incessant running to intercept Chile’s florid attack, strip it and boomerang it in the opposite direction.

“We already said in these World Cup games, we have to go forward and play open football,” Dunga said. “That’s what everybody wants to see.”

In the 35th minute, Maicon’s corner kick found center back Juan, who was challenged only by other teammates seeking to score, not by any Chilean defenders. Juan headed the ball sharply from 10 yards, and Chile goalkeeper Claudio Bravo raised his right hand too late as Brazil went ahead, 1-0.

Three minutes later, Brazil scored on a quick counterattack. Maicon whipped a long pass to midfield, and Kaká headed the ball to Robinho, who was streaming down the left flank. Robinho crossed back to Kaká, who slid the ball perfectly forward to Luís Fabiano in the penalty area.

Chile’s offside trap failed, and Luís Fabiano stepped around the charging Bravo and tapped the ball into an empty net, scoring his third goal in four games and giving Brazil a 2-0 lead.

Kaká no longer has the commanding presence that made him the world player of the year in 2007, but he is slowly building in this World Cup after an injury-thwarted season at Real Madrid. After sitting out the final group match with a suspension, Kaká returned with graceful passing to fuel Brazil’s potent counterattacks.

He does, however, have to remain careful after drawing his third yellow card in four matches.

“Yes, it is a problem,” an irritated Dunga said. “Technical players are punished, and those who always commit fouls aren’t. This is lamentable.”

Brazil’s final goal came in the 59th minute, when midfielder Ramires stole a pass at midfield, dribbled through acres of open space and passed at the top of the penalty area to Robinho. His one-touch shot curled around Bravo and inside the right post, putting Brazil ahead, 3-0.

If Brazil is not always brilliant, it does possess remarkable depth and resourcefulness. Elano, who had two goals and an assist in group play, and Felipe Melo were absent from midfield with injury. They were hardly missed.

Ramires had played only 15 minutes in Brazil’s first three games, but he was ruthlessly efficient on Monday’s third goal. The other replacement midfielder was the kinetic Dani Alves, who happens to be the right back for Barcelona.

Before Monday’s game, Dunga defended his team’s style. This is becoming a daily occurrence, like shaving. Brazil’s World Cup titlists from 1958, 1962 and 1970 are remembered fondly because of the polishing of time and the enhancing of their artistry through edited video remnants, Dunga suggested.

“They just show the good parts,” Dunga said. “If we take the current Brazilian team and just show the best bits, fans will think it is a spectacular team. But today, they show as many negative moments as good ones.”

He continually reminds reporters that soccer today is different in terms of fitness and tactics and pressure. But he also concedes that it is human nature to think fondly of the past, knowing that his team also has the possibility to grow in affection with the passage of time.

“My grandfather always told my father football was better in his day, and my father told me the same,” Dunga said. “I tell my son it was better in my day, and my son will in turn tell his boy that football during his time was the most beautiful.”

For now, beauty can take a back seat to mercilessness.

Chile has developed a swarming attack under Coach Marcelo Bielsa, who is known as El Loco. It plays a style that sits on the razor’s edge between self-assuredness and self-immolation. On Monday, Chile experienced the same futility as it had against Spain, charging forward but leaving itself vulnerable to whiplash counterattacks.

Forward Humberto Suazo, who led South America with 10 goals during World Cup qualifying but played little over the last two months because of injuries, started and grew sharper as the game went on.

But neither he nor his teammates could do more than threaten. Chile has now lost eight consecutive times to Brazil, conceding 29 goals.

“The superiority of Brazil was too much for us,” Bielsa said. “We were unable to slow them down. They were quick to take advantage of every crack we had in our defense.”

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Saturday, June 26, 2010

Soccer - Brazil not losing any sleep over goalless draw

Brazil's stalemate with Portugal was the first World Cup group game since 1978 they have failed to score in and the first in 12 years they have not won although coach Dunga is unlikely to lose any sleep over it.

Already assured of a place in the last 16, Brazil were on Friday without suspended playmaker Kaka, rested Robinho who had complained of muscle fatigue and were also missing the injured Elano, who scored in each of their first two games.

Even so, they dominated an often petulant, bad-tempered match against their former colonial masters, who themselves needed a point to absolutely guarantee they would qualify from Group G and showed little appetite for adventure.

Robinho, who forgets the problems that have dogged his club career when he puts on a Brazil shirt, has been one of their liveliest players here but Nilmar proved an able replacement.

The Villarreal striker, who has the impressive tally of eight goals in 15 internationals, was twice close to opening the scoring in the first half and his close control and speed made him a constant nuisance for the Portuguese rearguard.

The absence of Kaka was more keenly felt, especially after he set up two goals in the 3-1 win over Ivory Coast last Sunday when he appeared close to returning to his best.

Kaka's explosive bursts from deep in the midfield, vision and clinical finishing, often from long distance, make him one of Brazil's most feared players, even when he is not fully fit.

DUNGA FRUSTRATED

After Brazil's sixth goalless draw of his nearly four years in charge, coach Dunga again expressed frustration at the way opponents shut up their defence when they play his side.

"All teams take extra care when they face Brazil, there was nothing unusual about Portugal's tactics," he said.

It was a rather odd complaint from Dunga, who is himself much more comfortable when Brazil -- who had scored in every World Cup group match since their 0-0 draw with Spain in 1978 -- can play on the counter-attack.

Under Dunga, Brazil's best results have come away from home, where their opponents are forced to come out and attack.

Their World Cup qualifying campaign included 4-0 wins in Venezuela and Uruguay, a 3-0 win in Chile and a 3-1 win in Argentina while home results included goalless draws against Venezuela, Argentina, Bolivia and Colombia.

For all their lack of imagination, Brazil at least proved they are difficult to break down and only once looked in danger but were let off when Raul Meireles fluffed a chance. They have won 18 of their last 21 games and are unbeaten in nine.

Portugal never looked like a team who won their last game 7-0 and their performance had fear written all over it. But they are in the last 16 for the second World Cup in a row even if a chorus of jeers drowned out the vuvuzelas at the end.

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Monday, June 21, 2010

Mulling Kaka replacement

With progress to the FIFA World Cup™ last 16 already assured, Brazil's reserves have the chance to shine in their final group match against Portugal.

Monday was a rest day for the most part for the first eleven, as coach Dunga instead put the remainder of the squad through their paces in the knowledge that he now has two reasons to shuffle his pack and investigate his men's strength in depth. That is because wins over Korea DPR and Côte d'Ivoire have propelled Brazil through the opening phase but also because star midfielder Kaka has inadvertently done Dunga a favour.

By getting himself a red card against Côte d'Ivoire, the Real Madrid superstar will have to sit out the Portugal encounter come what may. His opening showing against the North Koreans in a fairly hard-fought 2-1 win was not quite what fans have come to expect of a former FIFA World Player of the Year and there had been indications that he would not necessarily keep his place with some players talking up the skills of the likes of Julio Baptista.

Kaka did improve against Côte d'Ivoire with a neat assist, but his sending off for pushing Abdelkader Keita means Dunga must shake things up anyway - though with six points in the bag, he can afford to do so. "We are not sure who will replace Kaka for the next game, we will think about it over the next few days," Dunga said.

Although Dunga - to the horror of some former players and many fans - has reined in the samba style in his four-year tenure, to date he has nonetheless been handsomely rewarded both in the CONMEBOL Copa America and the FIFA Confederations Cup here last year.

Former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, currently in charge of Côte d'Ivoire, feels Brazil look like champions. "You need to be almost perfect to beat Brazil. In every way they are good, they are very good," opined Eriksson.

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Wednesday, June 16, 2010

Dunga expects better from Brazil

Brazil open their World Cup campaign with victory over North Korea

Brazil boss Dunga expects his team to improve considerably following their 2-1 win over North Korea in their opening Group G match in Johannesburg.

Second-half goals from Maicon and Elano gave Brazil a 2-0 lead before Ji Yun-nam's 88th-minute strike set up a nervous final few minutes.

"The start is the most difficult match, you have a long wait for this and the anxiety builds up," said Dunga.

"I'm not entirely happy but this is common in football."

The five-time world champions were frustrated by a resilient first-half defensive display by the unheralded North Koreans, 104 places below their opponents in Fifa's rankings.

Robinho posed a constant threat with the ball at his feet but, despite a number of promising attacking moves, Brazil could not penetrate North Korea's three central defenders until after the interval.

"When we come across a team that is also offensive it creates the necessary space but it is very difficult against some teams to develop a counter-attack," added Dunga.

"North Korea passed extremely well and defended extremely well but nevertheless Brazil were able to create a number of opportunities."

It took a moment of inspiration in the 50th minute from full-back Maicon to break the deadlock, firing a superb goal with the outside of his right boot from an acute angle to beat goalkeeper

"I thought of everything which I went through to get to this moment," reflected the Inter Milan defender.

"It was my first World Cup match, I didn't cry but I was very happy with the goal I scored.

"It is important to start with a victory and we did it. It was a good step toward our goal of being in the final on 11 July."

Maicon's goal at first seemed a touch fortuitous but Dunga insisted it was no fluke.

"We have training drills and I can tell you it's not the first goal that Maicon has scored in this fashion," stated Dunga.

"It's not so much an error by the goalkeeper but creativity on the part of Maicon. Yes, the goalkeeper could have stayed [on his line] but he anticipated that the ball was going to be crossed."

While Robinho impressed, Galatico Kaka was less influential and was replaced by Villarreal striker Nilmar in the 78th minute."

The Real Madrid star has been restricted by a series of injuries this season, although Dunga insisted his plan was to replace the midfielder during the second half.

"We had already anticipated that Kaka would be substituted - he wasn't going to play the full 90 minutes because he hasn't played a full game in five months," commented Dunga.

"We wanted to increase the rhythm and speed of our team so at 2-0 up we wanted to replace him."

Robinho is confident that the three points will allow his team to improve in their next two group matches against the Ivory Coast and Portugal.

"It wasn't our best match but at least we got the win, that's what matters now," he said.

Original Story:

Monday, June 14, 2010

Soccer will trump all when Brazil is playing

Their fanaticism a little dampened, Brazilians will nevertheless still duck out of work, close businesses and bring the country to a virtual halt during soccer's World Cup.

In Brazil, where everything from the national Congress to the currency market stops in its tracks for Brazil games, it is safest to assume that nothing will be working as normal during the month-long tournament it has won a record five times.

On the days Brazil's yellow-and-green shirted players take to the pitch in South Africa, banks have permission from the central bank to close early, the currency market will operate on shortened hours, and most government agencies will shut down.

Many companies will allow staff to go home early on those days, the first of which comes tomorrow when Brazil's team, known simply here as the "sele231227o", faces North Korea.

Others install big screens at the office.

Investors breathed a sigh of relief this week when Brazil's Senate passed the key points of an overhaul of the country's oil laws seen as a vital reform step ahead of national elections in October.

Analysts had been warning for months that a delay in the approval past the start of the World Cup could have dashed hopes for getting the bill passed for months. Congress will shut down on Brazil game days and many legislators treat the tournament as an unofficial recess period.


As banks and companies close, the slack in economic activity is taken up by fans flocking to buy big televisions and, on game days, beer and food in restaurants where the best tables have been booked long in advance.

Sales of televisions at the Eletroshopping retail chain in northeast Brazil were up about 30 percent in the past month, its vice-president Fernando Freitas said.

"The Cup-related consumption is really big, especially of the latest generation digital televisions because this World Cup is seen as the most hi-tech so far," he said.

The boost is a timely one for retailers, coming shortly after the government withdrew tax breaks on home appliances that have helped fuel a frothing recovery in Latin America's biggest economy.

The party spirit could quickly be doused by a poor Brazilian showing, however. Expectations of a sixth World Cup triumph are high, but they are mixed with misgivings over a team coached by 1994 World Cup winner Dunga that is seen by many as betraying the beautiful, samba style that long defined Brazilian football.

Brazilians took longer to warm up for this year's tournament than in the past, when expectations of victory and flamboyant football were higher, said 45-year-old factory worker Antenor Assis.

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Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Ranking all 32 World Cup squads

Good times are ahead for Kaka and Brazil.

Every nation in the World Cup has now made its way to South Africa, with final preparations in full flow.

All the conjecture and all the speculation is coming to a close; all the squad lists have been submitted; and the time is fast approaching when the planet can stop talking about this tournament and get on with the job of watching it unfold.

The merits of every squad have been pored over and analyzed for months, leaving us with assumptions of respective strength which – if history is anything to go by – will soon be blown out of the water.

The World Cup wouldn't be the World Cup without a healthy dose of surprises, with underdog teams and unheralded players grasping their moment in the South African sun. That's why ranking the finalists from 1 to 32 could be best described as a fool's errand that is certain to prompt its fair share of sneering I-told-you-so's before the group stage has even ended.

That said, here's our rundown of the teams which clinched their place in soccer's greatest showcase.

1. Brazil – Dunga's squad is packed with quality but, thanks to a tough draw, faces a rocky road to the final.

Read complete story and the rest of the rankings

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Goals Champions in the World Cup Soccer History

It might surprise you to find out that almost every culture and civilization in the world has always been connected to football.soccer in one way or another. Ancient Greeks, Persians, Vikings, The Chinese, Japanese alike had a sport very similar to today’s soccer. For instance, the Chinese played “footballer”, about 3000 years before we made soccer a world championship.

With an English birth certificate, soccer rapidly spread and became popular; today is considered the king of all sports and has millions of fans all over the world.

FIFA World Cup Soccer has been from the very beginning the most appropriate chance for soccer players to become real stars because of their prolific activity in the soccer field, measured in the number of goals they have scored so far. Thus, world soccer records holders appeared, for instance the player who has scored the most goals in world cup soccer history.

The first position of this ranking is occupied by the Brazilian professional footballer Ronaldo Nazario de Lima (known all over the world simply as Ronaldo), the player that has scored the moest goals in the history of the world soccer championship. He was born in September 18, 1976 and in 1993, he began his professional soccer/footballer career with the Cruzeiro soccer team.

During his Cruzeiro year he score 12 goals in 14 soccer games played; thus, having the lead of his team, he won the Copa do Brasil championship (for the team he was playing this was the first time to win such an important title). In 1994, Ronaldo became a PSV player in Holland and in 1996, just as he had done with his previous team in 1993, he had lead the PSV to winning the Dutch Cup.

As an established national footballer for Brazil, Ronaldo has played in 97 international games, scoring a total number of 62 goals. When Brazil won the 1994 and 2002 World Cups, he was playing for the Brazilian team. With his participation at the 2006 World Cup, where he scored his fifteenth goal, Ronaldo became officially the highest goal scorer in the history of the World Cup.

‘O Fenômeno’ (meaning “The Phenomenon” in English), how the entire world calls him, became synonym with Ronaldo, with the number 9 on the T-shirt and the center forward soccer position in the playing field. His European career brought him to the top of the world’s best ’strikers’ list after being granted the Ballon d’Or as the European Footballer of the Year in 1997, and again in 2002.

Ronaldo also won the FIFA Player of the Year award three times (only two players in the world have a similar performance, one of them being him), and in 2007 the France Football placed him among the best starting eleven of all-time and named him to the FIFA 100 (this is a list with the greatest football players of all times, which is lead by the Brazilian Pelé).

Ronaldo played a very important part in increasing the marketing interest in soccer throughout the world due to his relationship with Nike, a company that concentrated their resources exclusively on basketball before.

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Sunday, May 30, 2010

Picking World Cup Squads in the Dark

The World Cup in South Africa is one month away, but the 32 national team coaches are obliged to name at least provisional squads right now.

Some will need the judgment of Solomon to know which players are ready to peak. Some are already clinging to medical opinions about the recovery of long-injured stars. And, with Europe’s club season not yet finished, some are having to pencil in players who might yet break a leg before they even reach training camp.

It is ever thus in the global picture of overlapping calendars. But as public expectations rise, from Australia to Brazil, from Honduras to Japan, some national coaches are placing almost spiritual trust in players whose fitness or form have long been suspect.

Brazil, of course, is most people’s choice to push it to the limits because Brazil, the first country to hire whole phalanxes of mind and body specialists around its national team, has the experience of winning five World Cups.

Brazil’s coach, Dunga, has 190 million countrymen telling him whom to pick and whom to discard. He dares to tell Brazilians that flair alone will no longer beat the world. His methods are more pragmatic, more based on physical fitness than many would like.

Dunga has what may prove to be his only opportunity to win the World Cup as a coach, as he did in 1994 as a player. He decided to name his definitive 23 players this week, rather than allow the national debate to continue to June.

On Tuesday, Dunga did what those who know him expected him to do — he stuck to his principles. He resisted the clamor to recall Ronaldinho and Adriano. He ignored the popular appeal to promote Neymar and Paulo Henrique Ganso, the exciting rising stars of Pelé’s old club. He stuck solidly to players he has tried and trusted over the past two years.

Complete article here:

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Brazil to play friendly against Tanzania on June 7

The Brazilian Confederation of Soccer (CBF) announced on Tuesday that the country's national team will face Tanzania on June 7 in a friendly.

It will be the team's last warmup before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa.

The friendly will be held in Tanzania's capital city Dar Es Sallam.

With the friendly confirmed, the CBF is attempting to finalize one more friendly to take place on June 2 or June 3, possibly against Zimbabwe.

However, timing and negotiations have dragged, preventing an agreement to be finalized.

The CBF has avoided the possibility of facing any of the other 31 national soccer teams that will play in the 2010 World Cup. The entity denied an invitation from the host nation, South Africa for this reason.

Brazil will debut in the 2010 World Cup against DPR Korea on June 15 at the Ellis Park stadium in Johannesburg.

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Sunday, May 23, 2010

World Cup 2010: Brazil must deal with favorites label

Having been a part of three World Cup teams himself, Brazil manager Dunga knows all too well the expectations that come with being a member of Brazil's national team.

They are expected to win every time they take the field, and when it comes to the World Cup for the five-time champions, anything less than winning the tournament is viewed as a failure.

"We have to learn to live with the favorites' tag," Brazil midfielder Kaka told FIFA.com. "We must not let it turn into something negative, as it has done in previous years."

In fact, Brazil nearly lived up to its own lofty expectations over the past four World Cups, reaching the final three times and winning the competition twice.

They were beaten by France in the 1998 final on French soil, but they will be out to redeem themselves after a poor showing in 2006 saw them eliminated at the quarterfinal stage, again by France.

Dunga came under some pressure for an inconsistent showing in the CONMEBOL region of World Cup qualifying that saw his team win just nine of its 18 matches.

However, they still managed to finish on top of the group, with Chile and Paraguay close behind, and they are now focused on getting back to where they belong, the final of the World Cup.

Like any other year, Brazil is one of the favorites on paper with a talent- laden roster that includes world-class goalkeeper Julio Cesar, as well as talented fullbacks Daniel Alves and Maicon.

Ronaldinho was a surprise omission from Dunga's roster, which will leave the role of creative midfield playmaker to Kaka, while gritty veteran Gilberto Silva brings a physical presence to the midfield.

Luis Fabiano has established himself as the team's top scoring threat up top, and he will get help from the talented but seemingly inconsistent Robinho.

Brazil will feel it's the better team against anyone it lines up against, and rightfully so. But the big question that always must be answered is how well they handle their own expectations.

After all, anything less than a sixth title is unacceptable.

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Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Chelsea Lining Up a Massive Summer Bid for AC Milan "Wonderkid" Pato

It has been in news recently that striker Alexander Pato may make a summer move from AC Milan. A spate of injuries this season have given him little action for the team.

Moreover, the inconsistent form of Milan has sparked speculation that Pato might consider lucrative offers in the summer.

Chelsea, who had made a failed bid for the highly-rated Pato the previous summer, is making plans to launch an ambitious bid of over £45million this summer to secure the signing of the Brazilian "Wonderkid."

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti, who had previously coached the 20-year-old striker while in charge at AC Milan, is a long term admirer of Pato.

Alex the "Duck", as Pato is lovingly called, is known for his quick pace, skillful dribbling, and powerful shot. He is regarded as one of the most promising young prospects of world football along the same lines of Messi or Bojan.


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Sunday, March 7, 2010

World Cup favourites Brazil

THERE was a moment in the second half of Brazil’s game against the Republic of Ireland, at the Emirates stadium on Tuesday, that showed what the team have become under their pragmatic coach Dunga. By then, Brazil were in control and when centre-back Juan won another challenge with Kevin Doyle, it seemed nothing more than a routine moment.

In challenging for possession Doyle lost a boot and after the ball had been cleared, he turned to retrieve it. Juan noticed the forlorn footwear and smashed it out into touch. Doyle couldn’t quite believe what he had seen.

Dunga’s Brazil are strong and committed, they work hard and defend well. As Juan crassly reminded us, making friends is not a priority. He took as much notice of Doyle’s annoyance as the coach did of the fan with the ‘Dunga, why not Ronaldinho?’ banner. They aim to win.

The feeling is that Dunga won’t take Ronaldinho to the World Cup, preferring the team-orientated creator, Kaka, and Dunga is in a Brazilian minority that believes a team can have too much creativity. Not only Ronaldinho but even Pato and Diego may not make Dunga’s World Cup squad. Brazil are not overloaded with brilliance but in Dunga’s scheme, the more prosaic qualities are valued.

They were well matched by the Republic in the first half but once the Irish began to tire, Brazil’s strength and skill began to tell and a two-goal victory could have been four or five.

With Spain, Brazil deserve to be World Cup favourites. What is certain is that they will be a very difficult side to beat. Equally certain is that Dunga’s way will not meet with unanimous approval, certainly not in his home country.

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Friday, February 26, 2010

World Cup Shirts to Be Made Out of Recycled Plastic Bottles

The best way to highlight your company's environmental commitments is to bring them into the spotlight. We're guessing that's the motive behind Nike's move to make this summer's World Cup shirts out of recycled plastic bottles. The shirts will be worn by all nine Nike-sponsored teams, including England, Brazil, Portugal, and the Netherlands.

Nike's bottles-to-T-shirts operation is fairly straightforward. Recycled polyester comes from a Taiwanese supplier that cuts up, melts, and spins plastic bottles into a yarn for the shirts. Each shirt will consist of 100% recycled polyester and approximately eight plastic bottles. The shirts are slightly more expensive to produce than standard jerseys, but Nike claims that the costs ultimately even out because less material is needed for production. And on the outside, players and fans won't be able to tell the difference between the bottle-filled jerseys and the regular polyester shirts worn by non-Nike teams.

Environmentally savvy soccer lovers will also have the chance to check out Nike's shirts--the brand is using 13 million plastic bottles to produce jerseys for fans. All in all, Nike's initiative will stop 254,000 kg of polyester waste from being dumped in landfills.

Nike isn't the only company to manufacture shirts out of plastic bottles. Coca-Cola's Drink2Wear shirts are also made out of recycled bottles, and Patagonia started manufacturing fleece out of post-consumer bottles in 1993 with little fanfare. But by featuring the technology at sporting events watched by millions, Nike is letting the world know that the technology is worth our attention.

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Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Brazil's Alexandre Pato Banking on Milan Performances to Alert Dunga

Only time will tell if his performance against Manchester United will have persuaded Dunga he is ripe for a comeback but Ronaldinho wasn't the only Brazilian in the Milan side hoping for a World Cup lifeline.

Alexandre Pato, another third of Milan's three-man attack in the first leg of their Champions League meeting in the San Siro, is also hoping for a plane ticket to South Africa.

The 20-year-old is enduring an injury-prone season and at one stage his club ordered dental treatment in a bid to solve the muscle problems that had kept him on the sidelines for two months.

"'Dinho and myself are here to play for Milan but a possible call-up to the national side depends on how we play in the red and black shirts," he admitted.

"If I play well with Milan, especially in the big games, then I can hope for a call up to the national team. I want to do my best for Milan and win things with this team but I also want to get back into the national team. It has always been my aim."

Pato's fitness problems meant he did not feature in the 22-man squad called up for next month's London friendly with the Republic of Ireland.

And that will be especially poignant for him as Arsenal's Emirates Stadium was where he made his senior debut, against Sweden in March 2008. He did so in some style too, needing just a few seconds to mark it with a goal, just as Pele had more than 50 years previously.

Another Italian-based player who was also left disappointed by Dunga's selection policy was Diego, the Juventus midfielder, but he too is reluctant to give up on the dream.

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Sunday, February 21, 2010

World Cup Kaká and Brazil

Five-time winners will face a tough start to their 2010 World Cup campaign against Portugal and Ivory Coast

Is this an omen of sorts? Brazil, the five-times winners of the World Cup, will start their 2010 finals campaign at Ellis Park in Johannesburg, where the historic climax of the Rugby World Cup took place in 1995. Back then, it was South Africa's most imposing stadium. Next summer it will probably be overshadowed by a new generation of spectacular purpose-built or reconditioned arenas, but it seems an appropriate location for the heirs of Pelé, Jairzinho, Romario, Ronaldo and the rest to begin their challenge.

Brazil may need all the omens they can get, since they occupy the closest thing in the 2010 draw to a group of death, but they may count themselves fortunate to be kicking off with a match against North Korea, whose only previous appearance in the finals came in 1966, when they achieved a stunning elimination of Italy in their final group game before making a quarter-final exit after losing 5-3 to Eusébio's Portugal.

Next for Brazil in Group G come Ivory Coast, complete with Didier Drogba, Salomon Kalou and YaYa and Kolo Touré, on paper the strongest of the African contenders, full of experience at the highest level of European club football and certain to be highly motivated by the thought of carrying the flag for the host continent. And finally Brazil will meet Portugal, who only scraped into the finals by way of the play-offs but, barring further injuries, will have Cristiano Ronaldo back in the team and, despite the question marks over Carlos Queiroz's qualities as a head coach, will be pushing hard for a place in the last 16.

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Tuesday, January 5, 2010

Madrid offer €63 million for Pato

Real Madrid are reportedly ready to put in a €63 Million bid for AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato.

According to reports in La Repubblica, Madrid have singled out Pato as a top transfer target with Manuel Pellegrini keen to boost his attacking options to challenge for honours on all fronts.

Milan have already indicated that they are not interested in selling their young star, but this represents a similar scenario to Kaka's situation when Madrid came calling.

Pato moved to Milan in 2007 and is widely regarded as one of the upcoming superstars of the sport.

Nicknamed ‘The Duck', Pato was instrumental in helping Leonardo's side to a stunning 3-2 Champions League victory against his suitors at the Bernabeu earlier in the season.

Madrid currently have Raul, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain in attack but Pellegrini seems adamant that he needs an additional option.

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