La Liga Weekly

Anyone who has been following since the beginning, might think that I have something against Brazil, I’ve criticized them enough in these columns I think to warrant that, but actually I love Brasil. There’s a difference. I remember that 1982 squad with Zico, Falcao and Socrates and that is my reference point. I was 16 years old at the time and they were brilliant but the last 30 years or so have been brutal for a fan the joga bonito, the kind of football they played when I was a kid.

It’s not their fault really, that squad that lost to Italy in the final in Barcelona (curiously at the Sarria Stadium where RCD Espanyol played), nor even coach Tele Santana, who was blamed for playing an attacking formation needing only a draw to advance beyond the second group stages allowing Paolo Rossi’s Italy the space to come back on them and advance to a final that saw them beat West Germany; just victims of cruel circumstance, honorable losers they were.

Since then though, it has been a systemic attack on that brand of attacking football that Brazil were known for. Sure, Santana got another chance in Mexico 86 and Maradona’s Argentina were too much for them, but no real magic quadrilaterals have appeared in the squad since.

They were dour in 1990, god-awful despite winning in the United States in 1994, and since then it has been an up-and-down experience. Ronaldo’s seizures in France ’98 were blamed for giving the title away to the French and yet, his heroics made them pentacampeones in 2002. In 2006 it was the out-of-control stars Roberto Carlos and Ronaldinho that were blamed for the loss and not the quality of the opponents. It’s a measure of Brazil’s love-hate relationship with its stars that has come through time and time again.

Now Dunga, hero of 1994′s clod-hoppers, has released his squad for the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and it looks like another in a long-line of disappointing selections, a testament to his unfailing disdain for the expansiveness of that 1982 squad and his ambivalence shows for some of the more creative influences that exist in Brazilian football today. He leaves out Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos, Adriano, and Ronaldo as expected, they are a bit past their sale date, but incredibly the guy also leaves some of his country’s best young talent (Alexandre Pato, Diego, Anderson, Neymar, and Hernanes) out of the squad as well.

Goalkeepers: Julio Cesar (Inter), Heurelho Gomes (Spurs), Alexandre Doni (Roma). One great keeper, arguably the best in the world right now, and frankly some dross. They’d better not suffer any injuries.

Defenders: Maicon (Inter), Dani Alves (Barcelona), Gilberto (Cruzeiro), Michel Bastos (Lyon), Lucio (Inter Milan), Juan (Roma), Luisao (Benfica), Thiago Silva (Milan). No arguments here, these are some of the best defenders in the world, a mix of young talent and steely veterans. Lucio is a rock and Maicon is spectacular.

Midfielders: Gilberto Silva (Pana), Felipe Melo (Juve), Kaka (Real Madrid), Julio Baptista (Roma), Josue (Wolf), Kleberson (Fla), Elano (Galatasaray), Ramires (Por). Here’s where his squad starts disintegrating for me.I know, as long as Dunga is coach, he will pick Gilberto Silva and Elano, but really, Kleberson over another creative mid? Julio Baptista who isn’t even a midfielder anymore and I’m sorry, what if Kaka isn’t 100%? Do they have enough for a plan B? I know Dunga likes to play on the counter and wait for his chances, he likes big athletic midfielders, too, but could they not have found space for Diego or Hernanes here, maybe for a plan B if clubs mirror them in their approach and they need a creative spark to unlock the defense?

Forwards: Robinho (Santos), Luis Fabiano (Sevilla), Nilmar (Villareal), Grafite (Wolf). Solid, but ultimately unspectacular. Luis Fabiano has had an off-year in Spain, so has Grafite in Germany and Robinho is a complete bust unfortunately. Could they not have afforded a slot for the game-changing skill of Alexandre Pato and if you decide that the Duck has had an off-year as well, how is it that you choose Robinho over his more talented teammate Neymar?

In the end, it’s just frustrating for a fan of good football. Dunga will quit after this World Cup and go back to work in Snow White’s mines for all I care, and they’ll get a real coach with a real respect for Brazilian talent, but until then we’ll be stuck with another Dopey selecao.