Opinion – Juca Kfouri: Calling Daniel Alves is unnecessary noise

There was a time when each list of players called up for the Brazilian team caused endless controversy, either because of neighborhoodism, or because of clubism, or because, in fact, more than presences, certain absences were even criminal.

Paulo Roberto Falcão not being called by Claudio Coutinho to compete in the 1978 World Cup, in Argentina, was one of those cases, until today inexplicable.

If the fifth championship didn’t come in 2002, Felipão would also be criticized to this day for not having taken Romário. As it came, it turned right.

Neto, in 1990, Neymar and Ganso in 2010, are also mistakes mourned by many, but incomparably less serious than the one committed against the one who, in 1982/83, ended up proclaimed King of Rome, for leading the team to the title that the Italian capital hadn’t celebrated in 40 years.

It is true that for a long time the criticism was motivated by minor reasons and that currently almost no one claims to be the third goalkeeper from Palmeiras Weverton and not the Corinthians player Cássio.

With only three players who work in Brazil among 26 players, both neighborhoodism and clubism have lost their raison d’être.

Hence the widespread, general and unrestricted disagreement with the call-up of Daniel Alves, a slap in the face to all the right-backs born in the country, from Marcos Rocha, from Palmeiras, to Emerson Royal, from Tottenham, far from being brilliant in a needy position, but incomparably more reliable.

Tite argues with the restoration of the 39-year-old athlete’s physical form and his ability to articulate, apparently forgetting that the tournament in Qatar will not be about bodybuilding and that Dani Alves has failed to present his best qualities for years, without saying that inactive for two months. In addition, he has already played in two World Cups without the brilliance he promised.

He can be great company, be excellent at the tambourine and exercise positive leadership – characteristics that would justify his going as a special guest, never to play in the competition that will be played at very high intensity. It’s even scary to think about a duel with Mbappé.

Defender Thiago Silva is also vulnerable, with unquestionable technical quality and emotional imbalance, although in this case Tostāo’s approval makes the squad credible.

Besides, the rare reader and the rare reader may like So-and-so more than Beltrano or even Sicrano, who many mistakenly call Cyclano.

Critics are also entitled to prefer Gabigol to Gabriel Martinelli, or Roberto Firmino to Gabriel Jesus. Each with their favourites.

Walter Casagrande Júnior, for example, would take Cássio – and the choice has nothing to do with Corinthianism, but the number of titles of the white-white goalkeeper and the fact that he always partnered with the national team coach, in addition to already having a World Cup World in the back.

Everything is very good, everything is very good, but, let’s face it, none of this will be decisive for winning or losing the Cup.

The only thing that was unnecessary was the fuss caused by the call-up of Daniel Alves, which seems to be a provocation, or a tactic to take the spotlight away from Neymar and preserve him from criticism of his youthful behavior.

Left-back Nilton Santos played in the Copa de Chile, in 1962, at the age of 37, and helped to win the championship.

But it was Nilton Santos, the Football Encyclopedia.

And he only won the bi because he had been champion in 1958.