Brazil’s performance against Switzerland, until the winning goal was scored, was very similar to that against Serbia, until the first goal was scored. In both matches, Brazil, most of the time, was very predictable, straightforward, without changing positions, which made marking easier, except when the ball landed at Vinicius Junior’s feet. It looked like the drawing on the clipboard. That is, until the midfielder Casemiro messed up the bandstand, improvised, advanced like a midfielder and scored the goal.
The same thing happened against Serbia, with Richarlison’s surprising and beautiful volley goal.
Brazil, in both matches, as in the last four years, was better in the defensive system than in the offensive one. Thiago Silva, Marquinhos and Casemiro, in addition to Vinicius Junior, were the highlights throughout the two games.
Brazil has problems and difficulties, like all the other favorite teams for the title, but it is possible to be champion, even without enchanting. It is a safe and consistent team. With the return of Neymar, the team will be able to evolve, win and fascinate.
Netherlands v United States and England v Senegal will make two of the round of 16. The Netherlands look better than they are, and the United States are better than they look, even without great players. England have tactical organization and good players. Against Wales, the coach finally selected the best (Rashford and Foden). Kane hasn’t scored yet in the Cup, but he shows lucidity, creativity and great passes for goals. The English, favorites, will have difficulties against Senegal, the best African team.
In the previous column, I exaggerated, with irony, when I said that Giroud, France’s center forward, is null when he doesn’t score a goal, because he doesn’t catch the ball. He didn’t want to despise the strikers who were just scorers. They are important, although sometimes it is better not to have a fixed center forward and to have more players who score goals. The ideal is to have strikers who score and create moves for teammates. There are few stars like Benzema and Kane.
Portugal has alternated good and bad times. There are excellent midfield players. Coach Fernando Santos prefers to include João Félix, who almost always plays poorly for the national team and Atlético de Madrid, and leave out Rafael Leão, who almost always performs very well for Milan and the national team when he enters. The Portuguese coach also gives me the image, during the game –I could be wrong– of melancholy and pessimism.
The performances in the Cup are very important, but we cannot create definitive concepts, much less for just one game, of the quality of the players, even though it is a World Cup. The hasty and inconsequential are concerned with creating heroes and villains.
Messi will not stop being one of the three greatest in history if Argentina does not qualify this Wednesday (30th) against Poland. If they win, Argentina can rise in the competition, as has happened with other teams that started badly.
Time passes, and some countries that, decades ago, made big plans to become world powers in soccer, like the United States and Japan, are unable, even if they improve, to approach the strong national teams. This despite the very high investments in the structure and training of athletes. There isn’t a formula, a model that guarantees the production of good players in series, as if it were a screw factory, which reminds me of the unforgettable film “Modern Times”, by Charles Chaplin.
The ace is not made in school.
As a seasoned news journalist, I bring a wealth of experience to the field. I’ve worked with world-renowned news organizations, honing my skills as a writer and reporter. Currently, I write for the sports section at News Bulletin 247, where I bring a unique perspective to every story.
