Opinion – Tostão: Football has changed for the better

Neurologist and scientist Miguel Nicolelis, author of the book “Far Beyond Our Self”, highlighted in an interview with CNN the importance of technological resources for knowledge and, at the same time, warned of the tendency of these tools to diminish human intelligence, since the structure of computers is binary, that is, it is this or that, right or wrong, deletion or not deletion.

The human being also needs to question, invent, digress, diverge. It’s not one thing or the other. There is a risk that this binary structure will be increasingly incorporated by humans and encourage polarization, radicalization and violence, such as the absurd and criminal invasions and destruction of public property that took place in Brasília. People, increasingly biased, lose their sense of reality.

In recent days, three great strikers have died: Pelé, the greatest player in history, the Italian Vialli and Roberto Dinamite, Vasco’s greatest idol, with whom I lived, for a very short time, when he, as a young man, moved to the main team.

When I remember Pelé, I think of the conquests of 1958, 1962 and 1970. In 1958 and 1962, left winger Zagallo retreated to form a trio in midfield, with Zito and Didi. In 1970, coach Zagallo moved Rivellino from midfield to wing to form, with Gerson and Clodoaldo, the trio of midfielders.

Over time, the midfield trio with a deep winger was replaced by three classic midfielders. The advance by the sides became the authentic winger or the winger or the winger, in the scheme with three defenders. In the Qatar Cup, this trio in the middle was the most used scheme. Argentina used several tactical schemes, but always had three players in the midfielder, Enzo Fernández in the center, De Paul on the right and Mac Allister on the left.

What draws my attention in the analyzes is the constant concern with the link midfielder and the absence of comments about the midfielders who play from one intermediary to the other, still called second defensive midfielders, as if the midfield were divided, as in past, between the first midfielder, the second midfielder and the link midfielder or offensive midfielder. Football has changed, at least in the big teams.

In winning the 1994 World Cup, Brazil used the classic English formation, with two lines of four and two forwards, Romário and Bebeto. Raí, who was an excellent attacking midfielder at São Paulo, played on the right, at the back, scoring alongside the midfielder, which he didn’t know how to do. He was replaced by steering wheel Mazinho. In the 2002 conquest, Felipão followed the model of Argentina, led by Bielsa, with three defenders, two wingers, a defensive midfielder, a midfielder and three more in attack (Ronaldo, Ronaldinho and Rivaldo).

Today, there are many variations on the way to play. Manchester City is the most innovative team, as it operates with five forwards, one open end on each side, a center forward and two midfielders, who are always close to the opposing area, as the team scores under pressure and passes most of the time. of the game with the ball in attack. One or both full-backs are usually supporters, alongside the only defensive midfielder, or rather the midfielder, who is also forward, Rodrigo. It looks like the 2-3-5 formation, when football started.

Things come and go, with new names, new details, new ways of looking at the game, and new scientific knowledge. The encounter is almost always a reunion with what we live or with what we imagine.