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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Sunday, May 23, 2010
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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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.
Read more:
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.
Read more
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.
Read more
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.
Read more
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.
Read more
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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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.
Read more
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.
Read More
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.
Read More
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.
Read it here
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.
Read it here
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