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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Tuesday, June 29, 2010
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.
Read original:
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.
Read more:
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:
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.
Original Story:
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.
Original Story:
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
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.
Read Original:
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.
Read Original:
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