Brazil (Seleção): Weggis Beefs Up Security



After yesterday’s ‘pitch invasion’ at Weggis’ Thermoplan Arena, security has been visibly beefed up to avoid any more screeching female fans making a beeline for Ronaldinho Gaúcho for a kiss, hug and autograph while Parreira is trying to get the group to work in prefect synchronicity.

This Saturday morning saw ten walkie-talkied and Ray Banned security guards making sure that there were no more interruptions to the seleção training schedule. On Friday five people managed to get up the courage to leap onto the pitch and grab an idol.

Only one of the overexcited supporters was imprisoned; apparently Dutch courage had been the motoring factor and the offending drunk ended up spending the night in a local holding cell for public drunkenness and insulting the police.

Today was less hectic, with fans having to shiver under the chilly rain for an hour before seeing the whole squad. Those who turned up on time were treated to the soporific spectacle of just seeing the three keepers train whilst the field players pumped iron in the gym for an hour.

Observers were able to see Roberto Carlos, Ricardinho, Juninho and Ronaldinho – Carlos Alberto Parreira’s free kick specialists – honing their accuracy with the new World Cup Adidas ‘Zeitgeist’ ball. Rogério Ceni, the São Paulo keeper with the precision deadball skills, didn’t form part of the exercise leading many to confirm suspicions that he’ll only be used in a penalty shootout scenario.

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Brazil (Seleção): Parreira, Dida & Adriano Awarded IFFHS Prizes



Canarinha Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, seleção keeper Dida and Brazil striker Adriano were awarded prizes today by the IFFHS (International Federation of Football History and Statistics) after the morning training session was over.

Parreira was named the best Coach in 2005, ahead of Van Basten (Holand) and Néstor Pekerman (Argentina). Adriano received the top scorer award for 2005, his 18 goals for the seleção and FIFA competition edging out the rather unknown, yet prolific, Honduran Wilmer Velásquez (Olimpia Tegucigalpa - Honduras), with 15 goals, and Ronaldinho, FC Barcelona, with 14.

"I’m very touched to be awarded this prize, but now my mind’s with the seleção. It’s great to form part of a group where you look forward to getting together with again and again", explained Adriano, whereas Dida – second to Chelsea’s Petr Cech – had it clear. “I’m going to work myself to the bone to become number 1”.

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World Cup: Africa’s Missing Stars



For many Africans, there is nothing more exciting than watching the World Cup. It becomes more thrilling when Africa’s big guns take on their respective opponents in the premier footballing event and make it all the way to the quarter-finals, as happened in 1990 and 2002 with Cameroon and Senegal, respectively. Surely, Africa will again be represented in this summer’s finals and while the traditional powerhouses like Cameroon and Nigeria are absent, we shall see what the young guns have to offer. But in the meantime we turn the spotlight on some of Africa’s top players who will be watching the finals on TV.

Cameroon:

Samuel Eto’o (Barcelona, Spain)
If Eto’o has any deep regret during the last year, then it might be related to the fact that he was unable to achieve the feat of steering the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon to their fifth successive World Cup finals. The reigning African Footballer of the Year has enjoyed success with his club Barcelona since joining them two seasons ago. He has already won two championships with the Catalans as well as the 2006 UEFA Champions League. He also won the “Pichichi”, La Liga’s top scorers’ awar, for the 2005/2006 season. Who would not have liked to see this young prodigy take on opposing defenders in this summer’s World Cup?
(see also Samuel Eto’o Profile )

Pierre Wome (Werder Bremen, Germany)
It was Wome who missed the decisive last minute penalty shot during Cameroon’s final qualifier against Egypt in October 2005, a shot that would have booked their tickets to their fifth successive World Cup finals. The 27-year-old defender who has 67 caps for Cameroon was unfortunate to see his shot hit the post. Ironically, it was Wome who scored the clinching penalty for Cameroon in the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games final against Spain, where they won the Gold medal. The set-piece specialist, who could also have been a threat in the World Cup, will still be wondering why his shot had to rebound off the post.



Egypt:

Ahmed “Mido” Hossam (Tottenham Hotspur, England)
Though temperamental at times, Mido is an Egyptian star. The striker who is on loan to Tottenham Hotspur has been enjoying fine form with his club, which would have been great if he could apply the same with the Pharaohs of Egypt and make a big difference. The North Africans last made an appearance in the 1990 World Cup and a return to the finals after more than a decade would have been a significant achievement for Mido and the squad.

Ahmed Hassan (Anderlecht, Belgium)
The 31-year-old midfielder, who has signed a deal with Anderlecht from Turkish side Besiktas, would have taken his wealth of experience to the World Cup finals had Egypt qualified. Hassan was named best player of the tournament at the African Nations Cup in Egypt early this year and while he was 20-years-old when he was first chosen to play in the national team, he has already made 119 international appearances for Egypt. The 2006 World Cup finals would have been a great tournament to play in before the veteran finally hangs up his boots.


Nigeria:

Obafemi Martins (Inter Milan, Italy)
“Obagoal”, as he is fondly called, has never had a taste of the World Cup before. The 22-year-old striker was on target in Nigeria’s last two qualifiers against Algeria and Zimbabwe, scoring a total of five goals. Unfortunately, even if he had notched ten goals, they would have still been insufficient to see Nigeria through for as long as Angola – who had a superior head-to-head record over the Super Eagles – won their final match. Martins’ fans and many others will surely have loved to see the striker’s usual entertaining acrobatic display, which he normally does by somersaulting in celebration of a goal he may have scored.

Austin “Jay-Jay” Okocha (Bolton Wanderers, England)
Unlike Martins, Nigeria skipper Okocha is lucky to have played in a World Cup before. However, the 2006 finals would have been the best to play in before ending his illustrious international playing career. With Nigeria being a popular side whenever they feature in the World Cup, the 33-year-old midfielder would have been on mark to mesmerise his fans and other viewers with his vision and dribbling skills.



Senegal:

El Hadji Diouf (Bolton Wanderers, England)
Maybe it is due to his absence in the squad - while on suspension - during the start of the qualifying campaign that Senegal slipped to Togo, who will make their World Cup debut this summer. Diouf was given a four-match ban by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for bad conduct during the quarter-finals of the 2004 African Nations Cup. The striker is no stranger to a bad-boy attitude but his presence in the Teranga Lions’ squad is always a boost. He will surely miss playing in the World Cup having already had a taste of it in the 2002 finals where the West Africans reached the quarter-finals on their debut.

Henri Camara (Wigan Athletic, England)
Henri Camara is known for his pace and deadly runs along the flanks. He can also be dangerous on counterattacks. He was instrumental in the Senegal squad during the 2002 World Cup finals. The left-footer will find it hard to believe that the World Cup eluded them this time around at the hands of Togo. He will be left with no option but to accept the fact and eventually join many others watching the finals on T.V.



South Africa:

Benni McCarthy (FC Porto, Portugal)
The standard of South Africa’s football has dropped over the last few years but if they had managed to qualify for the World Cup, many eyes would have been on their star striker Benni McCarthy. He has already featured with South Africa in two World Cup final tournaments and would have been a key figure this summer had Bafana Bafana qualified. He should now be thinking about maintaining top form ahead of the 2010 World Cup finals, which his country will host.

Aaron Mokoena (Blackburn Rovers, England)
Mokoena, who made his debut for Blackburn on January 8, 2005, also forms an integral part of the Bafana Bafana line-up. Also known as “The Axe”, the 26-year-old became the youngest player ever to have played for South Africa in 1999 during the qualifiers for the 2000 Summer Olympic finals. He was later seen as a replacement for Lucas Radebe as South Africa captain. Having missed this year’s finals, just like his compatriot McCarthy, his mind will be on the 2010 World Cup finals, which will be the first to be hosted in Africa.



Quick Note:
All the above countries have featured in a World Cup final (s) before.

Cameroon:
Cameroon have made five appearances in the World Cup. The African heavyweights first made an appearance in the 1982 finals where they faced a first round exit. They became the first African team to reach the quarter-finals in 1990 before facing first round exits in the 1994, 1998 and 2002 finals.

Egypt:
Egypt were Africa’s first country to play in the World Cup tournament. dating back to 1934. They also made a second appearance in the 1990 finals where they faced a first round exit.

Nigeria:
The Super Eagles of Nigeria have made three World Cup appearances. They made it to the second round during their first and second attempts in 1994 and 1998. During the 2002 finals, they failed to progress beyond the group stage.

Senegal:
The West Africans have only made one World Cup appearance in 2002 where they became the second African team to reach the quarter-finals of the prestigious sporting event.

South Africa:
They have made two appearances in the World Cup. They featured in the 1998 and 2002 finals where they faced first round exits on both occasions. They will host the 2010 World Cup finals, the first on African soil.

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Hiddink Wants Control And Power



With Australia arriving in the Netherlands for a June 4 friendly against the host nation in Rotterdam, Guus Hiddink is reinforcing the message to his players that control and physical fitness are the key to World Cup success.

"I like us to have control of the ball, to have control of the situation, both offensively and defensively, I like us to have control of the tempo," he said.

The Dutchman, who is preparing his players for Group F clashes with Japan, Brazil and Croatia was satisfied with the Socceroos’ 1-0 victory over Greece in Melbourne on Thursday evening.

"Our organisation was good. As a coach, you are always looking how it's organised in a tactical way offensively and defensively so that you don't get caught. I think we did well.

"But we have still to work a lot. When you want to be very competitive on the World Cup level, you must retain your control during the whole game. I don't want to be pessimistic, but I am always looking at what needs to be improved."

There are plenty of issues to work on according to Hiddink who is preparing to start his third consecutive World Cup.

"We have to get more physical depth and strength in the upcoming days. When you are playing three games in a short time, you have to be physically top, top, top. We have to improve against Japan. It seems a bit pessimistic but I am full on details, on which games are decided at high international level. We lost the ball too early with straight not diagonal passes.

"Losing possession means you have to work a lot defensively when you give the ball away. We made some stray passes. We were overdoing it in possession in our own danger zone, doing sloppy things, maybe due to lack of top physical shape. But these are details, nothing more."

"If we don't go deep in our training session physically, we lose later on a lot of the power we need. The pay-off time is in the upcoming week in gathering more physical strength."

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Huth Twists Ankle In German Romp



Chelsea defender Robert Huth twisted an ankle in Germany's 7-0 friendly win over Luxembourg in Freiburg on Saturday.

The "Berlin Wall" was substituted by Hannover 96's Per Mertesacker at half-time. The player will undergo tests in Switzerland this evening as the World Cup hosts return to their pre-tournament base.

No further update on the giant stopper is available at this time.

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Japan Find Warm Welcome In Germany



Known as the birthplace of Beethoven and the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990, the German city of Bonn will become a Japanese enclave for the World Cup.

The city was delighted to welcome its guests on a wet and windy Friday evening and will be doing everything possible to make the Group F team feel at home.

The local museum will be resplendent in ‘Samurai Blue’, the World Cup motto of the Asian champions and will feature Japanese exhibitions and events. Japanese phrasebooks have been handed out to the locals in an attempt to make the visitors feel welcome.

"We want to make the visit of our Japanese guests as pleasant as possible and show them what Bonn has to offer," said Hedi Boll of the city's information center to the Asahi Shimbun.

"They will keep Bonn in a good memory and hopefully recommend it back home."

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Bosnian Coach Not Impressed With Korea After All



Despite singing South Korea’s praises in the post-match press conference after watching his Bosnia-Herzegovina team lose 2-0 in Seoul, Bosnian coach Blaz Sliskovic was singing a different tune when he spoke to leading Swiss newspaper ‘Blick’ the morning after.

On Friday night, the 46 year-old told reporters that the team had a good chance of defeating Switzerland saying: “I think that the match will satisfy everyone present, especially the hosts who played very well. The win was deserved by Korea.

“Korea showed their desire to win even though it was a friendly game. They played very well technically, they were very quick. They have the speed and desire to succeed in Germany.”

He was less complimentary the next day:

“I was impressed by the physical side of the Korean team but technically, they are not impressive. Lee Chun-soo was outstanding but he was the only one.

"This team is not as good as the team in 2002 and it is 90% certain that Switzerland will qualify from the group."

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'Sushi Bomber' Looking To Banish 2002 Ghosts



Japan’s German-based striker Naohiro Takahara is ready to put the agony of missing the 2002 World Cup behind him and star for his homeland in the country which he earns his living.

The ‘Sushi Bomber’, who was ruled out four years ago with deep vein thrombosis, spent four years at Hamburg but will leave the club and join Eintracht Frankfurt after the World Cup.

'I'm delighted to be here,'' Takahara told reporters from Japan’s World Cup base in Bonn.

''Obviously I was very sad to have missed the last World Cup in my home country and it's great that I can play in Germany, my second home. I want to score goals.''

Takahara will meet some familiar faces as the Asian Champions take on Germany on Tuesday.

''Germany will provide us with a good test for our first game against Australia and we will have to play very aggressively.

The 26 year-old, who also spent time with Boca Juniors, isn’t out to show Hamburg that they made a mistake in letting him go.

''I had a good time at Hamburg but I am looking forward to a fresh start.''

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Gerrard Could Play Anywhere, Says Owen



Michael Owen has hailed former Liverpool team-mate Steven Gerrard and believes the midfielder could work alongside him as a second striker in England's team.

The option of playing Gerrard in a more attacking role has been talked about at length following Wayne Rooney's injury blow, which at the very least will see him miss the group stage of the World Cup, which kick off in 12 days time.

Owen said: "Can Steven Gerrard be used as a second striker? It's being brought to light now because he had a great game in the FA Cup final against West Ham. But everyone has always known you could play him up front. Everyone has also known you could play him at right-back, left-back, or even centre-half."

He added: "If you want to look for a perfect footballer just look at Steven Gerrard. He's got great athleticism, he's quick. In fact, he's about just got everything. He could play in any position and do it well."

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Beckham's Place Is Safe, Insists Sven



Sven-Goran Eriksson has insisted David Beckham's place on England's right-wing is safe despite the emergence of Aaron Lennon in the same position.

The Tottenham teenager made a sensational impact on the international stage when he started England's 'B' International defeat to Belarus on Thursday.

However, it seems unlikely that the 19-year-old will be used as anything more than a substitute in the forthcoming World Cup as Eriksson retains 100% faith in his captain.

Eriksson said: "If you are a football fan then you like to see that, players who can beat defenders.

"Lennon does his damage on the right but Beckham also does his damage on the right. How many crosses does he put in?

"I think everybody agrees with the starting 11. I know the team and you would pick the same team.

"If Beckham is fit, if Lampard is fit, if Gerrard is fit and if Joe Cole is fit, they should start.

"The fact is that all four midfielders are in great form and they are all in excellent condition.

"It's not like before Japan when Beckham was 70 per cent, half-injured. They are all 100 per cent fit. They all did the fitness tests and were much better than two years ago and there was a huge difference to four years ago."

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World Cup Profiles: Brazil (The Legend)



The name Pelé has long been synonymous with the very word football for decades now, the only challenger to a throne most people acknowledge belongs to ‘O Rei’ (The King) coming from Maradona. Most people don’t realise that Pelé is, in fact, an unwanted nickname given in place of his preferred ‘Dico’ by schoolmates in rural Minas Gerais.

Football must have run in the veins of Pelé’s family as his father was a semi-professional player who once boasted of scoring five goals – all headers – in one game. Pelé’s own highly successful journey took place at Bauru Athletic Club. The youngster’s charm with the ball was noticed by former World Cup player Valdemar de Brito, and Santos soon snapped the 11 year-old up.

Four years later he played his first official match against Corinthians in September 1956, also scoring his first professional goal against the Timão. In his first full season with the Peixe’s adult first team, Pelé – the catchy nickname stuck – scored a league-topping 32 goals. The 17-year-old was selected for his seleção debut in what would turn out to be the competition that he’ll always be closely associated with: The World Cup, this time the 1958 edition up in Sweden.

Pelé made his World Cup debut in Scandinavia during Brazil’s third match against Russia – the two previous fixtures being missed due to a knee injury. He also netted the crucial winner in a closely-fought 1-0 victory over Wales. Against favourites France in the semi-final, the Santos star rose to the occasion and scored a memorable second half hat trick. In grand finale, Pelé etched two goals into football’s collective memory against Sweden.

His first came as he tamed a cross with his thigh, chipped it over a shocked rival defender and walloped the ball past Svensson. The Swedish keeper hurriedly tried to narrow down the angle, but the Brazilian bobbed a header past the Swede to seal a brace in Brazil’s 5-2 win over the Swedish hosts.

Fast on the rise in a Seleção that counted on legends such as Djalma Santos, Nilton Santos, Garrincha, Vavá and current Parreira assistant Zagallo, Pelé returned to brazil with a typical piece of ‘Malandragem’ (Malandro being slang for wide boy / wise guy) by getting Botafogo legend Mané Garrincha to give him the radio he bought in Sweden because “back in Brazil it’ll only pick up programmes in Swedish.”

Back in Brazil he became an idol with the classic Santos that hit even higher registers than Di Stefano and Puskas’ Madrid. He won two Libertadores Cups (1961 & 1962), two intercontinental cups (1962 & 1963), and nine São Paulo state championships (Paulistão). The 1962 World Cup rolled up with Pelé being the buzzword on everybody’s lips.

Disaster struck in Chile, the 21-year old playing just two games. His debut against Mexico augured very well as he left four defenders for dead before smacking the ball between Carbajal and his right-hand post. The injury was sustained in the match against Czechoslovakia and it seemed like Brazil had been hamstrung. Nevertheless there was still Garrincha, and the ‘little bird’ provided both entertainment and pinpoint passes as he and Amarildo saved the day and landed the trophy.

The 1966 world cup was supposed to be another chance to see ‘O Rei’ in action, and Pelé did score with a free-kick in Brazil’s debut, but was hacked badly by the Bulgarian defenders that he missed the next match and Brazil lost to Hungary. He rushed himself back to try to save Brazil from an early bath, but was overshadowed by a sizzling Eusébio and was kicked to pieces by Portuguese full-back Morais. Brazil were out in the group phase.

Returning to the World Cup in 1970, ‘O Rei’ was then 29 – the same age as Ronaldo is now – and at the peak of his footballing glory. Against Uruguay he caused a virtual earthquake in the football world as he dummied the famous goalkeeper Mazurkiewicz but shot just wide of his left post as the entire stadium split between awed silence and a delayed roar.

This was a balm for the player, coming from a Brazil fraught with speculation about when Pelé would be injured and how long it would last. "I wanted to put to rest once and for all, the idea that I couldn't enter a World Cup series without getting hurt," he wrote in his autobiography. Luckily, this time the injuries would respect him and Pelé went on to create more memories.

In the match against Romania, he took a potshot from the centre circle after seeing goalkeeper off his line, the ball going just wide in another visceral image of the World Cup. One-eyed keeper Gordon Banks also pulled off what is often referred to as the world’s best save – defending the England sticks from a Pelé header.

With Pelé on top form – and in the amazing company of Carlos Alberto, Gérson, Rivellino Jairzinho and Tostão – Brazil bagged seven consecutive wins over Czechoslovakia, England, Romania, Peru, Uruguay and Italy. In the 4-1 final against Italy, Pelé scored the opening goal – fittingly enough, Brazil’s 100th in World Cup history.

Tarcisio Burgnich, the Italian centre-back who marked Pelé in the final, is reported to have said "I told myself before the game, he's made of skin and bones just like everyone else. But I was wrong."
Brazil's win, their third, entitled the seleção to keep the Jules Rimet Trophy home for good, which they did. Until somebody stole it, as ‘recreated’ in the spoof film ‘A Taça Do Mundo é Nossa’.

The 1974 edition was made poorer by news that Pelé had retired from international football. The team tried to replace him with Palmeiras legend Ademir da Guia, but it was one of those ‘transition years’ and Brazil returned home outshone by Holland’s total football and the sheer bulldozing efficiency of Beckenbauer’s West Germany.

It was the end of an era that people have often prophesised will come again: the time when Brazil will be led by a new King. Years have passed and pretenders have come and made their mark –Falcão, Sócrates and particularly Zico coming close but never attaining the heights of football glory that Edson reached. Will Ronaldinho add to his 2002 debut with the ‘Hexa’ (sixth World Cup) and start a new legend: ‘O Rei Gaúcho”?

Name: Edson Arantes do Nascimento
Nicknames: Pelé, ‘O Rei’
Number: 10
Birth Date: 23/10/1940; Tres Corações, Minas Gerais, Brazil
Nationality: Brazilian
Height: 172 cm / 5 feet 7 inches
Weight: 67 kg / 150 pounds
Teams Santos (Brazil), New York Cosmos (USA)

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World Cup Profiles: Brazil (Prediction)



As predictions have probably been one of the most erratic things in the post-Nostradamus world, we shall all be able to make equally valid predictions which can be shared below. It’s safe to say that Brazil will land in Germany will the tag ‘favourites’ hanging like an albatross around their collective neck, and this usually leads to one of two things....
A) They go out in the first round group stage after being humiliated by one of worst campaigns in living memory (e.g. Argentina 2002)

B) They soar beyond best expectations and beat all-comers to hoist the World Cup trophy in front of an audience who’ll always remember the campaign (e.g. Brazil 1970)

In the group stage Brazil are top seeds In Group H, alongside Croatia, Japan and Australia. The Croats recently showed Argentina why they may be about to equal or better the stunning 1998 tournament where Davo Suker showed his elegant yet efficient marksmanship. Japan count on the services of “o Galinho’ (The Rooster); Zico – the Brazilian idol having a good idea as to the seleção he used to star in, whereas Hiddink showed with South Korea that an underdog can be given bite.

Most pundits place Brazil as first in the Group; second place going to either Croatia or Japan, but it may well be a closer run thing if the Seleção rearguard continues to expose its tender areas to rival strikers. Brazil’s Achilles heel does, indeed, lie down at heel with no centre-back escaping criticism.

Cris is seen as clumsy and not too professional in his tactical fouling; often harvesting an elevated number of yellow cards. Lúcio has a reputation for getting caught out of synch with his team-mates, whereas Juan is seen as reliable but hardly eye-popping.

The danger here is the possibility of sloppy penalties being given away. All three candidates – the latter two seeming to be the current first choice – aren’t flight of foot and have previously crumbled otherwise rock-solid results with careless & over-zealous lunges, flapping handballs or shirt-stretching that leaves rival attackers with dri-fit comet tails. Benfica’s Luisão is another option; the towering presence reassuring in the deadball threats and crosses that often vex the Brazilian rearguard.

At each side Cafú and Roberto Carlos are feeling the weight of a combined 70 years, and both have come in for criticism at club level. Many question if the vital hunger for success is still burning strongly inside the veterans who’ve won the very same Cup twice before. Others affirm that this is their World Cup swansong and they’ll put their very souls into winning it.

The goal is no longer as safe as it seemed to be; Parreira’s favourite son – Dida – going through difficulties at an AC Milan where he regularly alternates jaw-dropping saves with eye-boggling howlers. This sort of unreliability tends to make a defense edgy and more likely to fall apart, but Júlio César has hardly excelled him on the same San Siro stage and Rogério Ceni (São Paulo) is seen as largely along for the ride to make up numbers.

If Brazil’s rivals feel that both the defense and the goalie are wobbly, then they’ll be positively goaded on into adopting a really offensive formation on the basis that Brazil are vulnerable to all-out attacks. This matter of confidence is highly infectious, and with the score against them the stars up front may be too pressurised to pull off their best work.

If, on the other hand, the defense pulls off a repeat of the 2002 solidity that Lúcio and Edmílson gave combined with the handy support of the Kléberson-Gilberto Silva midfield, allied to a crowning glory performance by the numbers 2 and 6 then the attack will be deadly: assuming that certain issues are sorted out in time.

These are right at the front: Ronaldo and Adriano. Some pundits claim that both players have peaked too early; that they’ve metaphorically emptied their scoring tanks and are flying on vapours. This view seems to find support in the waning number of goals scored by both as the 2005-6 season has progressed. Then again, both have been caught up in club politics as things went wary during the season and have both more than hinted at exits – nothing better than a great World Cup to add another digit onto the numbers in their next contracts. Powerful motivation as R9 has already shown.

If not Parreira may be forced to turn to Lyon’s Fred – rocketing in status in La Ligue – and Madrid’s Robinho. The ex-Santos number 7 showed that Parreira can, and does, trust in him during the Confederations Cup and that he can respond with good play, but bench-warming the Bernabéu isn’t exactly the best calling card for a World Cup. On the other hand, with Nilmar left at home, the ‘boy wonder’ is Parreira’s ‘atom ant’ up front – a useful ace up his Canarinha sleeve.

Sincerely speaking, there isn’t a single nation in the world that possesses the quality that Brazil can field with eleven men – on their day. After all you can (if you’ve sufficient money to burn) try making a dish out of caviar, foie gras pate, oysters, fillet mignon, truffles, Jamón de Bellota, Toró, crème Brulé, pastel de Belém, Belgian chocolates and Cornish fudge. But if these eleven elements aren’t combined perfectly correctly it’ll be a mess. A gourmet mess, but still a mess.

Brazil may well lift their sixth World Cup trophy in Germany: only their second on European soil after succeeding in Sweden and failing in England (1966), Germany (1974), Spain (1982) and France (1998). All the ingredients are top notch, and the chef, Parreira, despite not known for producing spicy dishes is a reliable guarantee of success. Whether Brazil have the winning recipe or not is something we’ll see on the fields of Germany.

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World Cup Profiles: Brazil (Key Players)



When Brazil is mentioned, ’O Jogo Bonito’ and attractive attacking football are still seen as synonymous with the Canarinha (canary yellow) jersey. With the emblematic yellow shirt about to take to the World Cup field once more, the names that most easily come to mind when thinking of the key players in Brazil are the so-called ‘magic quartet’ of Ronaldo, Adriano, Ronaldinho Gaúcho and Kaká.

Name: Ronaldinho Position: Attacking Midfielder Club: Barcelona
Caps: 62 Goals: 27

Ronaldinho has captured more attention over the past two years than any other Brazilian player for almost a decade – not since Ronaldo exploded at Barça in 1996-7 have we seen one footballer become such a worldwide icon, and the Ronaldinho phenomenon seems to be outdoing the legend of a Fenômeno who’ll land in Germany firmly in the shadow of his younger namesake.

It’s almost churlish to list all the characteristics of the number 10’s game, but suffice to say that fans won’t be looking forward to seeing his tricks – they’ll be expecting to see them. Backheels, blind passes, long ball control, inch-perfect passes, ‘elasticas’, chips, dribbles, sprints, free kicks and goals...lots of goals. Too tall an order for the world’s best player?

At FC Barcelona Ronaldinho has been given almost free movement by Coach Frank Rijkaard, and ‘Dinho’ has responded by producing the sort of performances that regularly are repeated both on TV and in fans’ memories. In the seleção he’s more skewed to a lower left flank position than he habitually takes in the Catalan club, and here lies the rub.

Should Ronaldinho be given the same freedom of movement in the Canarinha jersey? Everybody has their own opinion, but Parreira is in favour of less freedom of movement so as not to unbalance the team. This point of view sees Brazil as being dangerously ‘top heavy’; having too many aggressively goal-bound players that could leave the rearguard prone to rival counter-attacks.

This tactical view, the sort of belt-and-braces approach that Parreira is famous for, is hotly contested by those who feel that Ronaldinho’s vocation is the goal, but to fully exploit his qualities he needs to be allowed to roam the pitch at will and create where he sees the opportunity. This could see him even being fielded alongside Ronaldo as a ‘false striker’; given the liberty to seek and destroy as the Gaúcho sees fit.

Unless Parreira suddenly rips up his notebooks and throws caution to the wind, expect Ronaldinho – at least at the start of the match or until the result has been secured – playing further back and in a more traditional left-sided attacking midfield role than at Barça. It looks very likely to be either that or the false striker role mentioned before.

Name: Kaká Position: Attacking Midfielder Club: A.C Milan (Italy)
Caps: 36 Goals: 12

Although being outshone by Ronaldinho’s meteoric rise to quasi-mythical status, the ex-São Paulo player has shown outstanding maturity since his move to Europe, totally outstripping even the best of predictions when he was still in Brazil. The childish frame has been bulked out, giving the player more of an argument in 50/50 balls without compromising his technical gifts.

Playing a ride side second fiddle to Ronaldinho’s theoretically more spectacular left side in the Brazilian attacking midfield, Kaká may well be able to give the Gaúcho a run for his money. The two players have vastly different styles, but they are far from incompatible on the field: if anything they are perfect complements in an attacking midfield that can cause jaws to drop when it attacks.

Kaká has shown at AC Milan that he’s able to perform at full capacity – as well as score – on a stunningly regular basis, and this has particularly seduced Parreira, seeing the player as worthy of a first team place despite his lack of experience and tender years. Juninho Pernambucano is seen as his natural substitute, but even the Lyon maestro’s fantastic club work can’t shift Kaká.

Name: Ronaldo Position: Striker Club: Real Madrid (Spain)
Caps: 90 Goals: 57

As he arrives at his fourth World Cup in a row – even though 1994 was a bench-warming trip to the USA – the Fenômeno is something of an unknown quantity. The year at Real Madrid has been nothing short of disastrous for the number 9, seeing his prestige fall to an all-time low amongst club fans, still in the aftermath of the Cicarelli ‘marriage’ and battered by jibes at his weight.

The Merengues look likely to make it three years without a hint of shiny new silverware for the Bernabéu trophy room, and Ronaldo is carrying the can for a large portion of the disappointment. The season started with the marriage hangover and the pall drawn over his apparent refusal to play in the Confederations Cup...and went downhill from there.

Ronaldo’s waistline began to surge up in headlines in direct proportion to his lack of success in front of goal. Perhaps it was precisely his rash promise of 30+ goals that caused nerves to chafe as the number 9 seemed slow off the mark and liable to miss shots he’d usually have easily put away. Maybe it was a symptom of the end of an era, and the brightest star in the galaxy was affected by a general supernova at Madrid. The only thing that counts is the fact that it’s been a dog of a year.

There’s fervent speculation about whether Ronaldo’s really saving it for the same sort of career-rejuvenating performance that he wheeled out in 2002 or if it really is the twilight of a footballing god, and that can only be answered on the pitches of Germany. If Ronaldo manages to silence his growing number of critics then Brazil will be the winner – perhaps of the third World Cup that he kisses.

Name: Adriano Position: Striker Club: Inter Milan (Italy)
Caps: 29 Goals: 22

After a 2005 that lifted him up to be considered as perhaps Brazil’s best striker, Adriano has faced a complicated 2006 including a worrying two-month goal drought that has led many to doubt how the Emperor will fare at the World Cup. With over two months still to go before the tournament kicks off, there’s still time for him to return to the pedestal that the Confederations Cup put him onto.

The Inter Milan striker set up all of Brazil's goals in the semi-final replay of the 2002 World Cup final, earning a penalty that Ronaldinho converted, as well as scoring two himself after Germany had twice equalised through Lukas Podolski and a Michael Ballack penalty. The final was against arch-rivals Argentina in a preview of what many would want to be the 2006 final on German soil.

In 12th minute Adriano dribbled past the Albiceleste rearguard to score a great goal from over eighteen metres giving Lux no chance. A Ronaldinho pass set him up for his brace in the second half, and Adriano went off cheered as the decisive element in Brazil’s 4-1 win over Argentina. The conquest shot Adriano into the limelight, especially given Ronaldinho’s low-key performance.

Hopefully Adriano will be able to repeat his performance in Germany, but he’ll be up against stiff competition due to his over-reliance on his left foot. Ronaldinho may well be pushed up as a ‘false striker’ really given free reign to use his vision of the game in a mobile role and there’s always the option of Robinho as well. Nevertheless for busting open tight defenses, the ‘Tank’ is Brazil’s best card in the aerial game.

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World Cup Profiles: Brazil (Overview)



Brazil made it to the 2006 edition of the World Cup being the only country to never have missed a date at the global contest, and the first to win it five times (1958, 1962, 1970, 1994 and 2002). With the two second places (1950 and 1998) and two third places (1938 and 1978), Brazil is considered to be the most successful footballing nation ever. From modest roots in the British expatriate community, ’futebol’ has become almost synonymous with a country that brings to mind what Pelé dubbed as ‘O Jogo Bonito’; the beautiful game.

Charles Miller – Brazilian-born but of British parentage – brought football to Brazil in 1894: Literally. The ‘father of Brazilian football’ returned to the embryonic city of São Paulo with a deflated pigskin and a rulebook in his luggage. He played for the Corinthians (a highly successful amateur English team that would give their name to São Paulo city’s biggest club) and St Mary’s (now known as Southampton Football Club) before starting a football fever that has taken on epidemic proportions in Brazil.

Brazil national team made its debut in 1914, playing their first match against English club Exeter City, and winning 2–0. Those who are trying to picture the earliest yellow-and-green jersey will be in for a disappointment: Brazil began playing in white. The team didn’t, however, benefit from real national support at first, and the Brazilian Football Confederation was weakened by arm-wrestling between São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro state football federations.

A Matter Of State

This interstate spat, which continues today in a decaffeinated version, led to the ridiculous state of affairs that Brazil fielded either Cariocas (Rio de Janeiro) or Paulistas (São Paulo). With neither side prepared to back down, Brazil were eliminated in the first stage. 1938 saw the state chauvinists come to their senses, and finally Brazil finished well (3rd), with Leonidas da Silva (‘The Black Diamond’) making history by being the first footballer to score four goals in a World Cup match.

Brazil were given the honour of hosting the1950 World Cup, the first to be held after World War II. The tournament didn’t have a single final, but rather a final knockout stage between four teams; but the decider between underdogs Brazil and proven champions Uruguay was a final that many in Brazil still look back on with disbelief. The match was played at the newly-built Maracanã stadium in Rio de Janeiro, watched by over 220,000 people.

Maracanazo

In a rush of national euphoria that swept aside common sense, absolutely nobody expected Uruguay to win. A win had already been – arrogantly – celebrated the day before in the Town hall, where all the 'auri-verde' (the shirts were still white with a touch of green) were invited as well for a premature photo shoot alongside foreign dignitaries. After a goalless first half, Brazil netted their first World Cup final goal in the first minute after play resumed and everything was going to plan.

Uruguay weren’t just going to roll over a play dead, and the ‘Celeste’ comeback started in the 66th minute as Varela passed to Gigghia, who left Bigode for dead and tore down the right flank before whipping a cross and seeing Schiaffino slap the ball past Barbosa. Maracanã was stunned into silence, shock radiating through the terraces, but fingers were still crossed as Brazil were World Champions with the one-all draw.

With nine minutes to go, Brazil were close to hoisting their first World Cup trophy in a stadium built expressly for the purpose, but Gigghia dribbled past Bigode once more; this time pushing on into the Brazilian area. Barbosa was caught out; expecting a cross as before, but seeing the Uruguayan wallop in a near-post shot that beat the last black Brazilian keeper at a World Cup since Dida. Brazil hurriedly threw everyone forward to snatch back the draw, but George Reader blew the whistle.

Moacir ‘Barbosa’ Nascimento was, unfairly, made into the scapegoat for the humiliation and his late dive in front of Gigghia was amplified to the point of people seeing him as the reason Brazil lost. To give an idea of how long the poor player had to endure this, in 1993 Barbosa tried to visit the training camp where Brazil were preparing for the 1994 edition, but the ridiculously superstitious assistant coach Mario Zagallo escorted him out feeling that he’d jinx Brazil.

Brazil 1950: Barbosa; Augusto, Juvenal; Bauer, Danilo, Bigode; Friaca, Zizinho, Ademir, Jair da Rosa Pinto, Chico

The Battle Of Berne

The 1954 World Cup was played in Switzerland, and the Brazilian team had undergone a revolution / night of the long knives in order to exorcise the demons left after the Maracanã earthquake, and the team was beginning to build the basis for success with Nilton Santos, Djalma Santos, and Didi. Success, however, would have to wait as Brazil went out in a quarterfinal that saw the amazing Hungarian team beat Brazil 4-2 in what some call ‘one of the ugliest matches in football history’, remembered as the Battle of Berne for the butchery rather than the beauty of the match.

Brazil 1954: Castilho, Pinheiro, Pinheiro, Nilton Santos; Djalma Santos, Bauer, Brandãozinho; Julinho, Didi, Índio, Humberto and Maurinho

The First World Cup

Vicente Feola was the iron-hand-in-an-iron-glove Coach who helmed Brazil towards 1958 World Cup glory in Sweden. The players were issued a draconian list of around 40 prohibitions, including wearing hats or umbrellas, smoking in official clothing and talking to reporters outside assigned pres conferences. They were also the only team to bring a psychologist (still battling against the horrors of 1950) and a dentist (many players, still poverty-stricken, had such poor teeth that toothaches wrecked their performance).

Brazil started off in what today has melodramatically become known as the ‘Group Of Death’; facing England, the USSR and Austria. Austria went down 3–0 in their debut, but plucky England kept to a goalless draw. The Russians were famous for their impeccable fitness, and Bellini, Nilton Santos, and Didi – the three seleção spokesmen at the time – persuaded Feola to make three changes: Zito, Garrincha, and a youngster called Pelé would start playing against the USSR.

Right-wing legend Garrincha showed the will to get an early goal by beating three players and hitting the Soviet post with the first Brazilian move. Brazil piled on the pressure, playing what some would call "the greatest three minutes in the history of football", and seeing Pelé give Brazil the lead in what would end up a morale-boosting 2–0 win.

Pelé netted the sole goal in Brazil’s quarter-final match against Wales, and the seleção went through to defeat France 5–2 in the semi-final. Hosts Sweden were the final obstacle in the way of a cleansing of the hurtful 1950 debacle. The match would end with the same score that the Brazilians inflicted on the French, making Brazil the first nation to win a World Cup title outside of their own continent.

Brazil 1958: Gilmar; Djalma Santos, Bellini, Nilton Santos; Orlando, Zito, Garrincha, Didi, Vavá, Pelé, Zagallo

Garrincha & Pelé

The 1962 World Cup saw Brazil winning their second World Cup with Mané Garrincha (‘The Little Bird’) donning the mantle of star player after Pelé fell foul to an injury in the second game that would see the number 10 out of the rest of the tournament. The Botafogo winger – who had a pronounced curve in his legs due to childhood rickets – managed the tough act of eclipsing fans’ disappointment at Pelé’s absence with a series of feints, dribbles and lightning switches of direction that mesmerised spectators in Chile.

Brazil 1962: Gilmar; Djalma Santos, Mauro, Zózimo, Nilton Santos; Zito, Didi; Garrincha, Vavá, Amarildo, Zagallo

From England To Mexico

The 1966 World Cup was somewhat overshadowed by the meddling of many of the top Brazilian clubs eager to push their players in an era that was largely dominated by Santos. Vicente Feola was forced into managing an overgrown squad of no less than 46 players, only 22 of whom would get a ticket to England. The result was an almost total collapse in the seleção, and 1966 would see Brazil put in their worst performance at a World Cup, Pelé injured (again) in the coup de grace defeat to a Portugal headed by the unforgettable Eusébio.

Brazil 1966: Manga; Fidélis, Brito, Orlando, Rildo; Denílson, Lima, Jairzinho, Silva, Pelé, Paraná

Brazil won their third World Cup (‘Tri’) in Mexico in 1970. After the debacle of 1966, Mario ‘O Lobo’ (The Wolf) Zagallo was given free reign in front of a Brazil that eventually fielded what has been considered to be the best football squad ever with Pelé, in his last World Cup final, Carlos Alberto, Jairzinho, Tostão, Gérson and Rivellino. The ‘winged lady’ Jules Rimet Trophy was won for the third time, giving Brazil the right to keep it. Which they did; until it was embarrassingly stolen from Rio de Janeiro.

Brazil 1970: Félix; Carlos Alberto, Brito, Piazza, Eberaldo; Clodoaldo, Gérson, Rivellino; Jairzinho, Tostão, Pelé

The Wilderness Years 1974–1990

With Pelé retired and Rinus Michel’s Clockwork Orange practising a total football that wowed the world as Cruyff spearheaded the Dutch game, Brazil finished a rather disappointing fourth in the 1974 World Cup. The seleção was being reformed, but all the new players were stepping into still-warm mythical boots, and even though stars were present (Emerson Leão, Carpegiani, Rivellino, Jairzinho and Ademir da Guia) Brazil’s game didn’t shine.

Brazil 1974: Leão; Zé Maria, Alfredo, Marinho Peres, Marinho Chagas; Carpegiani, Rivelino; Valdomiro, Jairzinho, Ademir da Guia (Mirandinha), Dirceu

The 1978 World Cup has been perhaps best remembered for its notoriety. Played in an Argentina which was in the grip of the military junta that would be involved in the disappearance of thousands of young Argentineans, the Cup was tainted by alleged pressure on Peru.

Brazil were up against hosts Argentina for top spot in the second group and a consequent place in the World Cup final. Brazil had beaten Poland 3-1 to go top with a positive five-goal difference. Argentina were lagging behind with only 2 more scored than conceded, but in their last match they miraculously managed to beat Peru by an astounding 6-0 and pip Brazil to the final.

With Peruvian keeper Ramón Quiroga having been born in Argentina (and only let in 6 goals in the previous 5 matches) and the Albiceleste only capable of scoring a total of 6 goals in all their matches up to that point, there was a lot of controversy. The combined ‘luck’ of a keeper letting in six goals after a previous average of 1.2 per match, with the Argentineans also going from 1.2 scored to 6 still causes the 1978 Cup to be questioned.

Brazil 1978: Leão; Nelinho, Oscar, Amaral, Rodrigues Neto; Batista, Cerezo (Rivellino), J Mendonça; Gil (Reinaldo), Roberto Dinamite, Dirceu

In Spain 1982 the Canarinha team played beautifully; creative geniuses such as Zico, Falcão and Sócrates, under the aegis of the late, great Telê Santana, managed to go some way to recreating the ‘Jogo Bonito’ of 1970. A 3-1 win over Argentina went some way to rinsing away the bitter taste of 1978, but a 3–2 loss to Paolo Rossi’s Italy (in what many still refer to as a benchmark in 1980’s football) saw Brazil out and Rossi into the history books with a memorable hat trick.

Brazil 1982: Valdir Peres; Leandro, Oscar, Luizinho, Júnior; Falcão, Sócrates, Zico; Cerezo, Serginho, Éder

Telê and several of the highly-praised 1982 squad returned to play at the scene of Brazil’s apex as a footballing powerhouse: Mexico 1986. Nevertheless, the year was one of transition, older players over-ripe & young hopes still too green and Zico uncharacteristically missing a spot kick in normal time. Brazil went out on penalties to France with Luis Fernandez netting the winners for ‘Les Bleus’.

Brazil 1986: Carlos; Josimar, Júlio César, Edinho, Branco; Elzo, Alemão, Júnior (Silas), Sócrates; Muller (Zico), Careca

The 1990 World Cup saw Brazil in the hands of Sebastião Lazaroni: little known before the Cup and even more anonymous afterwards. Lazaroni went for a catenaccio-type formation that gave technically-limited (yet gutsy) midfield stopper Dunga the baton. Unsurprisingly the seleção lacked creativity, being played off the field by Diego Maradona’s Argentina in a lacklustre participation.

Brazil 1990: Taffarel; Ricardo Rocha, Mauro Galvão (Silas), Ricardo Gomes, Jorginho, Dunga, Alemão (Renato Gaúcho), Valdo, Branco: Muller, Careca

‘Tetra!’

The 1994 World Cup witnessed Brazil return to greatness 24 years after the ‘Tri’ was hoisted by Carlos Alberto in Mexico, Brazil bagging their fourth World Title – a.k.a. ‘Tetra’. The front line duo of Romário and Bebeto spiced up what was a rather dour and defensive seleção commanded by Dunga, whose labours were shared by Mauro Silva and Mazinho in a combative midfield. A 17 year-old Ronaldo watched on from the bench.

After beating Holland 3-0 in the quarter-final, Brazil snuck into the finals with a lone goal against 1958 finalist Sweden. The final against Italy was rather turgid, ending in a goalless draw that led both nations in the first penalty shootout to determine a World Cup winner. Brazil won 3-2 after ponytailed star Roberto Baggio missed his spot kick.

Brazil 1994: Taffarel; Jorginho (Cafú), Aldair, Márcio Santos, Branco; Mauro Silva, Dunga, Mazinho, Zinho (Viola); Bebeto, Romário

Fits And Starts

Brazil entered the 1998 World Cup as firm favourites to get their second World Cup in a row for the second time (after 1958 and 1962), cutting through the group stage with relative ease after a 2-1 win over Scotland, a 3-0 drubbing of Morocco and a 2-1 hiccup loss against Norway. A 4-1 slaying of Chile led to the 3-2 comeback win against the Laudrups’ Denmark.

The semi-final against Holland ended in a tense penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw, Brazil going through with a 4-2 penalty win. The final is still shrouded in mystery: did Ronaldo suffer a fit / nervous breakdown on the eve of the final? Did Nike force him to be fielded from the start due to money concerns? Did Zagallo field him from the beginning due to his infamous superstition?

Whatever the actual facts, Brazil went down 3-0 to hosts France, victim of a brace of flashing headers by Zidane and a final coup de grace via an Emmanuel Petit counter-attack that exploited the fact that the entire Brazilian team was trying to claw back a goal that never came. Ronaldo ended the match in a visible state of shock. Perhaps we’ll never know the truth about what really happened.

Brazil 1998: Taffarel; Cafú, Aldair, Júnior Baiano, Roberto Carlos; César Sampaio (Edmundo), Dunga, Rivaldo, Leonardo (Denílson); Bebeto, Ronaldo

The 2002 World Cup held in South Korea and Japan was a happier affair for the Canarinha, now under the stern leadership of Luiz Felipe Scolari (a.k.a. Felipão; Big Phil). It initially seemed like Brazil were heading for another bitter disappointment after classification was pulled off at the last minute and virtually the whole nation had turned against Felipão after a humiliating defeat to Argentina.

Reigning champions France and Argentina were seen as the hot favourites, but Brazil showed that the turbulent classification had welded together a tight unit, and with increased defensive security, Scolari unleashed his attack with more ease. The group stage saw Brazil bag eleven goals whilst conceding only three in return; Turkey, China and Costa Rica all bowing out to the Brazilians.

A 2-0 win over Belgium saw the seleção through to face Sven-Goran Eriksson’s England, who succumbed to Ronaldinho’s free kick that saw the Gaúcho lob a free-kick over a near post-bound David Seaman in what seemed to be a stroke of luck at the time. There was a second helping of Turkey in the semi-final before Brazil were in their third final in a row.

The day started with Ronaldo sporting a haircut based on a comic strip character called Cascão, apparently determined to make a difference between 2002 and 1998 with the odd mop chop. Germany couldn’t count on Michael Ballack, and it would turn out to be Ronaldo’s day; the striker – aided and abetted by a sizzling Rivaldo – bagged the brace that led to Cafu lifting the ‘Penta’ – Brazil’s fifth World Cup trophy.

Brazil 2002: Marcos; Cafú, Lúcio, Edmílson, Roque Junior, Roberto Carlos; Kléberson, Gilberto Silva, Ronaldinho (Juninho), Rivaldo, Ronaldo (Denílson)

Brazil’s World Cup Performances

1930 – Eliminated: Round 1
1934 – Eliminated: Round 1
1938 – Third
1950 – Runners-up
1954 – Quarter-finalist
1958 – Champions
1962 – Champions
1966 – Eliminated: Round 1
1970 – Champions
1974 – Fourth place
1978 – Third place
1982 – Eliminated: Round 2
1986 – Quarter-finalist
1990 – Eliminated: Round 2
1994 – Champions
1998 – Runners-up
2002 – Champions
2006 – Qualified

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World Cup Profiles: Portugal (Part 1 - Overview)



Portugal land in Germany at a turning point in the Lusitanian nation’s modern footballing history. The ‘golden generation’ that won the under-21 in 1989 and blessed pitches with talents such as Luís Figo, Rui Costa, Fernando Couto, Vítor Baía, Jorge Costa, Paulo Sousa, Sérgio Conceição and Ricardo Sá Pinto is now in its twilight with just the Inter number 7 left in the World Cup squad.

The new generation has, however, produced a series of players who’ve been exported across Europe in a testament to the new talent. With Jose Mourinho’s success also have being successfully transplanted from Porto to London there’s a string of young Portuguese players who are already well-known, although still maturing.

The Euro 2004 experience was invaluable in many ways; forging the new stars under the pressure of a final and leading Brazilian Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari to change his approach. The results will be seen on the fields of Germany, many Portugal supporters hoping that Felipão has now managed to concoct the right blend of age and youth to bring back a World Cup trophy.

To find Portugal's best performance at a World Cup we have to go back almost exactly 40 years to the 1966 World Cup. This was also the Portuguese debut at the tournament, but they could count on a star whose name shone as brightly in Portugal as Pelé or Maradona did in Brazil and Argentina: Eusébio.

Portugal reached the semi-finals after a feat that is still fondly remembered in tascas across the Iberian nation; knocking out World Champions – and ex-colony – Brazil and fighting back from a 0-3 disadvantage against N. Korea to win 5-3. The fairy tale came to end against the eventual champions as England booked their place in the now-(in)famous Wembley final.

The next time came after a frustrating 20-year wait that ended in tears as Portugal landed in Mexico as the flamboyant semi-finalists – including Atlético Madrid star Paolo Futre – of the Euro 84. The tournament was overshadowed by the so-called ‘Saltillo Affair’ with players mutinying against poor pay and conditions, then the subsequent bad atmosphere undermined an initial win over England with defeats to Poland and Morocco.

1995 was a historic year, the ‘Selecção’ (‘Selection’ of national squad - note the difference between the Brazilian spelling ‘Seleção’ that omits the ‘c’) finally hauling senior-level silverware back home to Lisbon – albeit the little-known ‘SkyDome Cup’ from Canada. Not much for a nation with a proud footballing tradition that yearned for a World Cup.

Another 16 years passed before the 2002 World Cup, Portugal losing horribly at the Bessa stadium 1-4 to Finland. This turned out to be the shape of things to come in Asia as the ‘golden generation’ at peak age and power lost to the United States 3-2, had a mini-reprieve by beating Poland 4-0 before South Korea delivered the coup de grace.

The match was marred by João Vieira Pinto punching referee Angel Sanchez after being unable to digest a (overly strict) red card. In the weeks that followed the humiliating elimination, internal squabbles about monetary prizes between players and the Portuguese Federation came to light as a cause of the friction that heated things up to melt-down in the Far East.

The Coach at the time, António Oliveira, came under fire for leaving Hugo Viana out of his line-ups as well as leaving qualifying phase goalkeeper Ricardo Pereira on the sidelines and Porto’s Vítor Baía between the sticks. Whatever the background, the sore truth of the matter is that a team that represented the cream of Portuguese football crashed and burned.

Hackles were also raised by the presence of two ‘outsiders’ over the past few years: Brazilian born-and-bred Scolari and Deco. The mere fact of seeming to be looking at the colonials to lend a hand caused consternation in some sectors of the population in general – and the squad in particular, but initial gripes and groans faded out to a low background grumble raised if the ‘foreigners’ make mistakes.

The general path to Germany has also been far from smooth as the team continued fizzing and popping rather than catching fire. The Da Luz defeat to Greece in the Euro 2004 final had left welts on some players’ psyches and on October 9th, Portugal were held to a teeth-grinding 2-2 draw with rank outsiders Liechtenstein in the 2006 World Cup qualifier.

Liechtenstein came back from a provisional 0-2 defeat at half-time to even things up. The Portuguese papers were outraged and mocked both Scolari and the team as "Europe's biggest laughingstock." Four days later wounded pride propelled Portugal to a 7-1 slaughter of Russia.

The tiny European principality was also involved in Portugal’s final qualification for Germany after a 2-1 Aveiro victory over Liechtenstein. Embarrassment seemed to be on the cards as the hosts started off losing, but overturned the result to the relief of the country in general.

Fact File – Portugal

Population: 10.5m

Capital City: Lisbon

Major Cities: Porto, Braga, Coimbra, Funchal, Aveiro

Language: Portuguese

Major Religion: Catholicism

Federation: Federacao Portuguesa De Futebol

Formed:1914

FIFA Associate:1923

Past World Cups: 1966, 1986, 2002

Nickname: Selecção das Quinas

Association: Portuguese Football Federation

Coach: Luiz Felipe Scolari (2003-)

Most capped player: Luís Figo (115 caps)

Top scorer: Pauleta (42 goals)


World Cup History

1930: Absent
1934 -1962: Did not qualify
1966: Third place
1970 -1982: Did not qualify
1986: Eliminated in First Round
1990 -1998: Did not qualify
2002: Eliminated in First Round
2006 - Qualified

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World Cup Profiles: Portugal (Part 2 - Key Players)



Portugal possesses such quality that it’s difficult to single players for special treatment. What tends to happen is that the limelight naturally migrates towards the players at the glory end of the field, automatically selecting the flair players whose moves and goals linger in the memory.

This is the case with Portugal – a nation that fields four players who regularly capture headlines, praise and prizes. Before examining these players, a cursory glance backwards would be a prudent step.

Ricardo’s performance between the sticks will be crucial given the fact that his wing-backs are the Achilles heel of a variable Portuguese defense. The key to tightening up this rearguard will also be held by Chelsea’s Ricardo Carvalho, so much hinges on if they can keep the rearguard alert.

In defensive midfield it looks like Maniche and Petit are set to ape the shield provided by the Kléberson – Gilberto Silva axis in Brazil’s 2002 line-up. The former may still be affected by a season that ended with a Stamford Bridge exit whereas the other comes from a fairly solid season at Benfica. Costinha and Lyon’s Tiago will be their backups in case of emergency midfield collapse

That obligatory glance in the rear-view mirror leads us inevitably on to the famous foursome who really carry the hopes and aspirations of Lusitanian football square on their shoulders.

Name: Luís Figo
Number: 7
Position: Attacking Midfielder
DOB: 4 November 1972
Club: Inter Milan

It’s the last time round for the veteran warhorse of the Portuguese ‘Golden Generation’, back in the fray after an initial retirement from international duty that was thought over better. At 33 years of age, the number 7 can look back on a career flush with successes at Sporting Lisbon, FC Barcelona, Real Madrid CF and Inter Milan.

The speed may not be the same, and the sudden dives still grate, but the classy touch and positioning nous still enable Figo to be one of the few saved from fan’s fire after Inter’s rollercoaster ride through the 2005-6 season in Italy. The stinging, surgical shot is also intact and, alongside those crisp crosses, will be something that Portugal’s survival may well hinge on.

Name: Pedro Miguel Pauleta
Position: Centre-Forward
Number: 9
DOB: 28 April 1973
Club: Paris Saint-Germain

Pauleta is, alongside Figo, defying the march of time with a top scoring performance in the French Ligue 1. Although unable to single-handedly stop the continued hegemony of Lyon in France, the Portuguese marksman has been lethal throughout the season with 21 goals.

This is Pauleta’s lifeblood – a goal that he’s been pumping consistently since his start at CD Estoril-Praia (19 goals in 30 games), repeated the same amount of times with Spaniards UD Salamanca in the 1997 promotion from the second division, then 15 times in his first ‘La Liga’ season leading to a move to Deportivo La Coruña: 33 goals in 92 appearances that helped the Galicians to the1999/2000 title.

He’s continued the trend in France: a hat-trick on his Bordeaux debut, leading to an eventual total of 65 league goals in 98 games for Bordeaux and two ‘French Footballer of the Year’ awards. At Paris Saint-Germain since the 2003/04 season, he recently rejected a succulent contract offer from Lyon.

In the last qualifying match for Germany, Pauleta scored a brace in the win over Latvia that meant that he inherited the mantle of Portugal’s all-time top scorer from the legendary Eusébio, and he made it to the World Cup in inimitable style: 11 goals and the top scorer award. It seems like there’s no stopping Pauleta, and Germany could put the crowning glory on a career as one of football’s most effective Matadors.

Name: Cristiano Ronaldo
Position: Striker / Winger
Number: 17
DOB: 5 February 1985
Club: Manchester United

The Man U number 7 has made the transition from cocky promise to true star in his own right in the past two years. The number 17 has matured from the boy who dissolved into copious howling after the Greeks won the Euro in the middle of Lisbon, perhaps toughened by the fact that silverware has been frustratingly out of reach and wanting to make a lasting mark rather than a flashy splash.

Although initially skewed off to the left of the Portuguese attack, Ronaldo and Figo should interchange positions frequently, and may well alternate pure attacking functions with more destructive midfield duties. If he’s capable of keeping a cool head – on the pitch as well as with his team-mates – then he could play the sort of World Cup that builds legends.

Name: Anderson Luis de Souza "Deco"
Number: 20
DOB: 27 August 1977
Club: FC Barcelona

Deco has overcome the initial hostility that accompanied the Brazilian-born midfielder’s naturalisation and subsequent call-up for Portugal. Although born and brought up in the São Paulo industrial suburb of São Bernardo, playing for Corinthians before making the move abroad, his time at FC Porto converted the ‘Maradoninha’ (little Maradona – his nickname at the Parque São Jorge club) into a local idol; Superliga, UEFA and Champions League trophies coming in an avalanche.

His past two seasons at FC Barcelona have helped rinse away the bitter taste of failure in the Euro 2004, and Deco made the transition to Camp Nou well – proving that it wasn’t just Mourinho’s puppetry but his own innate skill. He makes up for his diminutive stature with a confident energy to go in for challenges that many shorter players bow out of, winning back countless balls in midfield.

The ability to combine gritty defensive tasks with an eye for a loose ball means that if Deco works well then the entire team benefits. This isn’t only from interrupting any rival moves forward, but being able to take advantage of a sudden interruption to turn the game 180° in favour of his team. If we combine this with a good middle-distance shot and deadball skill, then Deco is a real ace in the hole.

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World Cup Profiles: Portugal (Part 4 - The Legend: Eusébio)



Eusébio da Silva Ferreira was born on the 25th of January 1942 far from the country whose jersey he would raise to legendary status in the 1966 World Cup debut that thrilled the world – and left then-reigning champs Brazil reeling.

Most Portuguese stars were raised in the harsh urban slums of Lisbon or the impoverished fields of Alentejo, but Eusébio was born on the other side of the world in Lourenço Marques; the capital of African nation Mozambique.

His first steps in the official world of football were taken with Sporting Lourenço Marques, and soon word had spread of this new hero at a time when the world was still digesting Pelé’s explosion onto the scene in 1958. Nicknamed the ‘Black Panther’ or the ‘Black Pearl,’ Eusébio signed for Benfica at 18 and arrived at the end of 1961 for a fee of $12,000.

Fans soon realised that the hype was true when he made his debut almost six months later on the 23rd of May versus Atlético (4-2): Eusébio scored a hat-trick to the delight of the Encarnado (literally flesh red, but referring to the Benfica faithful who take their cue from the crimson club jersey.

Eusébio went on to score no less than 317 goals in 301 Portuguese league matches, also making his mark on Europe as the standard-bearer of the only team – apart from Pelé’s Santos – to threaten the hegemony of Di Stefano and Puskas’ Real Madrid at the time.

In many ways Eusébio was ahead of his time as he combined the range of qualities that are now seen as essential in any forward who is to excel in modern football. His raw power was harnessed to an exceptional speed and clinical touch that many claimed to have seen again only in Brazil’s Ronaldo.

He made his debut for Portugal against Luxembourg on the 19th of October 1961 – less than a year after arriving from Africa. It wasn’t the best of starts as Portugal went down 2-4 to the northerners, but the mould was broken and a boy from far-flung Africa had started a trajectory that would burn his name into the heart of Portugal.

The 1966 World Cup was to be Eusébio’s stage: the Panther scoring a total of nine goals in the matches that led up to the final elimination against hosts – and eventual champions – England. The tournament left some lasting memories, particularly his performance at Everton’s Goodison park where he scored four goals and was fundamental in Portugal’s phoenix-like rebirth after an initial three-goal disadvantage was turned over with a Eusébio hat-trick and an Agosto strike.

It was of little surprise to see the 1965 European Footballer of the Year bag the top scorer award, but a definite shame not to see him back in Mexico 1970. Eusébio was Portugal’s all-time leading scorer with 41 goals (in only 64 appearances), until Pauleta shattered the almost 40-year long record against Latvia in October 2005. A 2-2 draw with Bulgaria on October the 19th 1973 marked the last time that Eusébio donned the Portugal jersey after almost exactly twelve years of faithful service.

Fact File

Name: Eusébio Ferreira da Silva

DOB: 25/01/1942

Place of birth: Lourenço Marques [now Maputo], Mozambique

Clubs: Sporting Lourenço Marques, SL Benfica, SC Beira-Mar, União de Tomar, Boston Minutemen (1975), Toronto Metros-Croatia (1976), Las Vegas Quicksilver (1977), CF Monterrey (Mexico),

European Cup Champion: 1962/63
European Cup Runner-up: 1962/63, 64/65, 67/68
Portuguese Champion (11): 1960/61, 62/63, 63/64, 64/65, 66/67, 67/68, 68/69, 70/71, 71/72, 72/73, 1974/75
Portuguese Cup Champion: 1961/62, 63/64, 68/69, 69/70, 71/72
Portuguese League top scorer: 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1973

Benfica Debut: Benfica 4-2 Atlético (23rd May 1962)
Benfica Testimonial: Africa Team-Benfica (18th June 1975)

Goals

Benfica: 727

Portuguese League: 319

Portuguese Cup: 97

European Cup Clubs: 46

Golden Boot: 1967/68 (43 goals), 1972/73 (40 goals)

International honours

Portugal - 64 International appearances, 41 goals

International Debut: 8th Oct 1961 (Portugal-Luxemburg)
International Testimonial: 13th 1973 (Portugal-Bulgaria)

1966 FIFA World Cup England - 3rd place
1966 FIFA World Cup England - Top scorer (9 goals)

Golden Ball (Best European Player): 1965

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World Cup Profiles: Portugal (Part 5 - Goal.com Prediction)



There’s a general fact about statistics that tends to mean that the more variables that are thrown into a situation the more difficult a result is to predict. Portugal has variables in spades, making any attempt to play soothsayer all the more ridiculous, but, then again, this is the time of year when people paint their faces and wear silly wigs, so here we go...

Portugal World Cup 2006 First Round Match Schedule (German time):

Sunday, June 11: Portugal - Angola [Cologne, 9 p.m.]

Friday, June 16: Portugal - Iran [Frankfurt, 3 p.m.]

Wednesday, June 21: Portugal - Mexico [Gelsenkirchen, 4 p.m.]

Luis Figo is back to national service after he prematurely announced his retirement at international level. The player has recovered the poise that he lost in the waning year at Real Madrid and appears to have got over any xenophobic allergy to Deco and Felipão, pointing towards a better input than in 2004.

His year at Inter has enabled the veteran 33 year old midfielder to rediscover the joy in playing that he’d so patently lost at the Bernabéu as Luxemburgo faded the number 10 out in preparation for the Robinho he’d coached at Santos. This can only be good news for Portugal, Figo knowing full well that this is his last shot at writing his name into World Cup as well as club history.

If he can galvanise together a squad that is the most geographically dispersed in national history and show the stamina to burst through the group stage then Portugal have a great chance to make it even as far as the final. It’s this first hurdle that’ll be the psychological barrier for Portugal – just as the initial 2002 defeat to the USA was a mortal wound at the last World Cup.

In terms of group dynamics, any early signs of cracks developing in the squad need to be immediately papered over – or else Portugal will be in danger of repeating the same mistake and imploding after an initial setback. To that end there can’t be a better start than against Angola: the ex-colony appearing like manna from heaven for what must be a clear win for Portugal.

If this turns out to be anything other than an outright slaughter, then Portugal may well flounder in the shallow end of the competition as the last two matches see Iran (feistier than ever with the world watching) and Mexico (group top seeds and on great form in qualifying).

Portugal are currently hovering around the 10:1 mark in bookies’ eyes, so if we’re to believe the men who make millions from other peoples’ poor guesswork and gullibility then Portugal have a good shot of making it through to the quarter-finals and even equalling the 1966 third place earned by Eusébio et al.

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Park Injured But Not Seriously

South Korea’s midfield star Park Ji-sung became the latest player to pick up an injury at the team’s Glasgow training camp.

The Manchester United midfielder sprained his left ankle during a mini-game at Murray Park and while he left the field with his ankle strapped in ice, the injury is reported to be ‘very slight’.

The former PSV Eindhoven player may miss the team's friendly in Oslo with Norway on Thursday.

The news follows that of Kim Nam-il’s ankle injury two days earlier, also during training.

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Zico Happy With Performance

Despite Japan’s late lapse in Leverkusen, which allowed Germany to salvage a 2-2 draw, coach Zico was happy with what he saw.

I'm satisfied with the way with played, both the creativity and the fight we showed,” said the Brazilian

"The concentration was good. I'm quite content with the way things went ahead of the tournament. We had a lot of scoring chances even though should have scored more goals," he added.

Naohiro Takahara scored twice in the second half to give the Asian Champions a 2-0 lead, one they let slip in the last fifteen minutes. The striker recently moved from Hamburg to Eintracht Frankfurt after four unproductive seasons by the North Sea but did enough to suggest that he could be the answer to Japan’s striking problems.

Zico stressed that fans shouldn’t get to excited.

"At the moment there are not so many really, really strong teams in the world," he said."Germany is a country with a great tradition and against Germany we were ahead 2-0. That was very good. Yet we could have won but didn't. We have to work on that."

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Spann Replaced By Wise On Trinidad & Tobago WC Roster

On Tuesday Trinidad & Tobago replaced injured midfielder Silvio Spann in their World Cup roster.

Spann continues to suffer from a hamstring injury sustained during the team's first week of training in Europe. As a result, Soca Warriors manager Leo Beenhakker has decided to replace Spann with Evans Wise.

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Germany Have Lehmann To Thank

Germany came from behind to draw 2-2 against Japan, but had goalkeeper Jens Lehmann to thank for avoiding an embarrassing defeat on the eve of the World Cup tournament which they will host.

Arsenal keeper Lehmann kept Japan from adding to their tally with a string of excellent reflex saves in Tuesday's World Cup warm-up.

By thwarting Hidetoshi Nakata, Atsushi Yanagisawa and Naohiro Takahara, he earned his side a draw in his first full match since controversially being named number one keeper ahead of Bayern Munich's legendary Oliver Kahn by German manager Jurgen Klinsmann.

"We let Japan have too many chances," Klinsmann said. "Jens played an excellent match. Thanks to him we came out of this with a draw. He played a superior match. All in all he's taken on a very important role.

"He has an incredible amount of experience that he brings with him and he can read the match extremely well," Klinsmann added. "We're fortunate he's here and we're all happy he's here."

There may have been an element of self-justification in Klinsmann's fulsome praise of the Arsenal keeper, who earlier this month was sent off for his club in the Champions League final.

Klinsmann has infuriated many by demoting Kahn, who enjoyed a superb World Cup four years ago and was considered to be the main reason why Germany reached the 2002 final against Brazil.

German TV networks interrupted their programmes to announce that Klinsmann had picked Lehmann ahead of Kahn two months ago, in what was probably the coach's biggest decision so far in the job.

After the Japan game, Lehmann said: "We had some lapses in concentration. It was clear that we couldn't go all out for 90 minutes.

"I think that's relatively normal at this point."

Lehmann added that he was not annoyed at being exposed so often by his defence.

"No, that's my job as goalkeeper," he said. "I think we're going to do that better in the next match. It's sometimes educational for the team when that happens like that. You can see what you need to work on."

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Brazil's Edmilson Dropped From World Cup Squad

Barcelona midfielder Edmilson had his World Cup dreams dashed today, when he was dropped from the Brazilian squad due to meniscus damage on his right knee.

"After a meeting between the coaching staff, the team captain Cafu and Edmilson at the Thermoplan Stadium, Edmilson was told he has been removed from the Brazilian squad that will play in the World Cup on Germany," read a statement on the CBF website.

Edmilson's replacement will be Sao Paulo midfielder Mineiro.

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Neville Fine For Jamaica Friendly

England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson has insisted that right-back Gary Neville will be fit enough to start Saturday's final World Cup warm-up match against Jamaica.

The Manchester United defender had to withdraw from last night's 3-1 win against Hungary with a hamstring strain, but the injury wasn't serious.

Eriksson explained that Neville, who missed the last World Cup through injury, was only taken off as a precaution.

He said: "It's important we don't take any risks with Gary Neville because we need him and we need him very much."

Neville, who is the only proper right-back in the squad, will make his 80th appearance for England if he features against Jamaica.

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World Cup 2006: France (Overview)

After the disappointments of Asia, France is no longer the same trophy favourite who inspired a blend of fear and respect in all rivals. Goal.com shines a spotlight on the squad with a lot to make up for!

History

The World Cup has strong ties to France. The generation of 1998’s triumph is, perhaps, small potatoes for a country that boasts a proud footballing tradition and old boys with such profound influence as Jules Rimet, founder of the World Cup, Henri Delaunay, ditto in terms of the Euro Championship, and Gabriel Hanot, one of the founders of the European Cup.

The majority of other great footballing nations had already chalked up World Cup triumphs, but France waited until the end of the twentieth century to join that select band of nations with ‘her’ World Cup. As the old adage goes: better late than never.

Before that final consecration, the ‘Bleus’ only succeeded in harvesting a long line of disappointments at World Cup finals. Starting with the very first edition in 1930, apart from the symbolic success of Lucien Laurent (first World Cup top scorer), the French return home empty-handed after their Uruguayan outing.

The second attempt, four years later, ended in a let down as did the third – even more exasperating as France were the home nation. Les Bleus are expelled from the quarter-finals by eventual winners Italy, after which WWII and a long transition period saw France shrink back once more. The 1954 campaign was similarly short as France didn’t make it past the group stage.

1958 was to mark a paradigm shift in the Bleus. Sweden witnessed the genius of Just Fontaine, top scorer with a since-unequalled 13 goals in one edition, and France were only stopped by Pelé’s Brazil. That squad, particularly for the guts and never-say-die spirit was to mark the start of a shining future for France.

Just when it seemed that the ball had started rolling for the Gallic nation, everything went awry and two new flops came and went in the shape of the Chilean and English campaigns were concerned. It seemed that things couldn’t get worse – but the non-qualification for both 1970 and 1974 were so humiliating that the indigestion caused by a team that appeared fated to be a mere shadow of the great rugby teams France produced.

A rendezvous with a more pleasant experience – in an unpleasant dictatorship-charged atmosphere – had to wait until1978 and Argentina. Hidalgo’s squad was hungry, but young and in need of cutting their teeth before the big date. Two reverses – one against the host nation and the other against Italy – sent Les Bleus home with another let-down in their luggage.

The relationship between expectation –high – and performance – low – led to the campaign being dubbed “The Mar del Plata fiasco”. Despite the evident unhappiness at the slip-up there was a general feeling that the climate was changing with a new group of footballers including a certain Michel Platini.

The 1980s marked a renaissance in French football with illustrious names such as Tigana, Giresse, Rocheteau, Bossis, Lacombe, Amoros and Platini coming to the fore of a team that matured like a fine wine; two consecutive semi-finals in Spain 1982 and Mexico 1986 proving that France had finally come of age.

Between both dates, France could celebrate winning the Euro with the help of the vintage generation. The days of wine and roses were, nevertheless, short-lived, and gave rise to a new barren stretch that the French had to endure after the Mexican Cup. The years from 1986 to 1994 were long and barren for lovers of Gallic football, Les Bleus limping through Italy and the USA.

1998 arrived and with it a perfect chance for France to both host and bag the yearned-for trophy with a generation that boasted talents such as Zidane, Deschamps, Blanc, Desailly, Petit, Dugarry and Thuram. Zizou’s two flashing headers and Emanuel Petit’s whiplash counter-attack earning France the right to lift the trophy in the newly-inaugurated Stade de France in Paris.

Lemerre’s world-beating side would go on to repeat their success in the Euro 2000 – albeit under the aegis of Aimé Jacquet – finally, France ruled supreme in both major tournaments, and hopes ran high of a successful title defense in Asia. Alas, it was not to be, and France crashed out embarrassingly of both the 2002 World Cup and the Euro 2004.

Now comes the acid test for France: Germany. The neighbouring relations may be at an all-time high, but the mere thought of being a laughingstock on German soil is enough to raise blood pressures all over France. The last two experiences have shown that the name alone isn’t a guarantee of success: with a new generation still wet behind the ears, Zidane will hope to hang his boots up after a new triumph.

Fact File

Name: Fédération Française de Football (French Football Federation)
Founded: 1919
FIFA affiliated: in 1904
World Cup participation: 11 (including 2006)
Best performance: 1998 – World Cup winner
Trophies: World Cup 1998, Euro 1984 and 2000.
FIFA standing: 8th
Colours: blue jersey, white shorts, red socks.

How did they qualify?

The Group 4 progress was made in fits and starts, the first three matches being bore draws (against the not-so-stiff competition of Israel, Eire and Switzerland). The turning point was reached finally in Dublin on the 7th of September 2005, a lone Thierry Henry stroke of genius saving Domenech’s men. France ended up topping the group ahead of Switzerland, Eire, Israel, Cyprus and the Faroe Islands. All in all the winners notched up 20 points via five wins and five draws; making it through unbeaten with 14 goals scored and only 2 conceded.

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World Cup 2006: France (Key Players)

France can count on some of the best players in the world, and before Les Bleus kick off in Germany, Goal.com attempts to pinpoint where the real responsibility lies...

Zinedine Zidane

Simply one of the best ever French players alongside Platini; graceful, effective and intelligent. Zidane reaches the end of his career this summer at the age of 34 – his birthday falling on the 23rd of June – and will be eager to hang his spurs up after helping his beloved country to a second World Cup trophy.

Sincerely speaking, the man is already a living legend, and both his technical and his humane qualities are indispensable for Les Bleus. After deciding to call it a day after the Portugal 2004 fiasco, ‘Zizou’ returned to the fray for one last battle to bag the trophy he last lifted in Paris eight years ago. A courageous gesture by a player who’s come to symbolise the cream of French football in recent years.

Claude Makélélé

One of the threesome of veterans who decided to give it one more shot on the fields of Germany – and for the good of France. The Chelsea midfielder has maintained his fierce command of defensive midfield despite gaining a sunroof to rival Zidane’s as the years add up.

A sign of his importance was the decadence that Real Madrid slumped into when they decided to undervalue this quiet, sober presence whose work is as discrete as it is essential to maintaining Barthez/Coupet’s sheet clean.

If the ever-demanding Mourinho fields Claude almost blindfolded, then it speaks volumes about a player whose dirty work paves the way for the French attack to demolish rivals without fearing soft goals. As his 33 years of age, Makélélé is still a player who makes teams work better – and a key aspect of Les Bleus’ midfield strategy.

Thierry Henry

The Arsenal man is probably the second most-coveted player in the world after Ronaldinho Gaúcho nowadays. His goals, serpentine dribbles, feints and pinpoint passing have converted the ex-Monaco and Juventus striker into Arsenal’s top scorer of all time.

“I’d like to be appreciated and remembered for what I’ve done on the pitch”, he explained recently, showing commendable loyalty by passing on Real Madrid and FC Barcelona offers said to hover around the 75 million Euro mark.

Domenech is in a privileged position to get the best out of ‘Titi’, having known the player for the past ten years and seen the development in his style and positioning on the park. Everybody will be watching Henry to see if the sharpshooter hits enough targets to boost France forward.

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World Cup 2006: France (The Legend)

Michel Platini

Born on the 21st of June 1955 in Joeuf, close to the industrial centre of Metz, Michel seemed doomed to flounder in the initial stages of his fledgling career at FC Metz after poor medical tests sidelined the youngster, but Platini moved over to Nancy-Lorraine. It was in that very team from land of quiche that Michel made his debut in the footballing elite at the tender age of 17.

In March 1976, after an increasing amount of praise for his Ligue play, ‘Bleus’ Coach Michel Hidalgo resorted to the emerging star as France were in a tight spot against Czechoslovakia and Platini took full advantage of the opportunity to score his first international goal on his debut (2-2).

Winner of the ‘Coupe de France’ (French Cup) in the ranks of Nancy, now a regular in France’s starting eleven, Platini decided to take up a new challenge and moved to Saint-Étienne. His next three seasons were the stuff of legends as he gained unanimous acclaim from all circles and guided the club to it’s sole Ligue conquest in 1981.

That same year a storming Platini is the shining light that shows Les Bleus the way to the World Cup finals. A magnificent free kick (one of his trademarks!) against Holland in Paris sent France through to the next stage. It was to be Spain where Michel would begin to take on legendary status. After announcing that he was to bid ‘au revoir’ to France next season in a move to Juventus, the number 10 was simply amazing in the match against Germany. A legendary game!

With Juventus, Platini would confirm his status as one of the best footballers ever with a slew of silverware conqusts: The Scudetto in 1984 and 85, Coppa winner in 1983 and European Cup winner the next year, Platini completed a great year with the Intercontinental trophy and was voted ‘Ballon d’or’ (Golden ball) inn 1983, 1984 and 1985, as well as attaining the national triumph that the Euro 1984 conquest supposed.

In the Mexican summer of 1986, it would be another clash of estranged neighbours in their second semi-final in a row. Michel Platini would play his testimonial match for France on the 29th of April 1987 against Iceland (2-0) and with Juventus against Brescia on the 17th of May 1987 at 32 years of age.

"Player of the century" for both Juve and French football, ‘Platoche’ scored a highly impressive total of 368 goals in 680 professional matches at club level and 41 goals in 72 international appearances – statistics worthy of a player who still inspires nostalgia in those whose remembers seeing him play.

After hanging his boots up, Platini was called up yet again by France in 1988 – but this time in a coaching capacity. After a so-so stint in charge, it became clear that Platini wasn’t going to enjoy a successful star-Coach transition a la Cruyff or Beckenbauer and he left after the Euro 1992. That same year, July saw France scoop the nomination for the 1998 edition.

In October of that same year, Platini, personally invited by Fernand Sastre, accepted the role of joint President in the organising committee. Acquitting himself well in the executive role, Platini was offered the post of special Presidential advisor to FIFA head honcho Sepp Blatter as well as being voted vice-president of the FFF (French Football Federation) in 1999, moving in 2002 to UEFA’s executive board as FIFA liaison.

Nowadays, at 50 years of age, Michel Platini is still fighting away with new responsibilities. After a glowing career on the pitch – and a smouldering one on the bench – Platini has rediscovered his ability to dribble through opponents in the boardrooms that control the destiny of modern football.

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World Cup 2006: France (Prediction)

Just how far will ‘Les Bleus’ go in Germany? That’s the burning question in the forefront of all France supporters. Goal.com attempts to provide an answer...

After finally hoisting the trophy on home soil in 1998, France completely imploded four years later in Asia. The 11th of June 2002 marked the turning point as Les Bleus went from feared and respected to being, alongside Argentina, a laughingstock of the footballing world.

After the depressingly poor record of letting in three goals and being incapable of scoring, Roger Lemerre and his shell-shocked charges bid ‘adieu’ against Denmark (0-2) in what was called ‘Mardi Noir’ (Black Tuesday).

The fiasco also marked the end of an historic era, Zidane and co. forced to re-evaluate their position in the national squad. The few surviving members of the 1998-2002 era are now accompanied by a new generation of players, but powered by a strong desire to make amends for the appalling 2002 campaign with a second World Cup.

The Bleus have a difficult mission to accomplish as they attempt to pt to overcome the climate of pressure to pull off a star turn to recover some of the shine lost in Asia, andf their first test will be a convincing qualification from Group H. France have enough arguments to surpass the other group ‘favourites’, Switzerland and South Korea.

Although the group deserves respect and a humble approach, it wouldn’t be bragging to say that the last match against Togo, with all due respects to the African nation, should be a mere formality for Les Bleus. As from there, the task is to see how far France are capable of pushing their rejuvenated challenge. Capable of both the best and the worst, I’d risk a guess that France will end up within the top eight: where exactly is something we’ll soon find out.

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World Cup Profiles: SPAIN (Overview)



Spain will be one of the 32 teams at the World Cup in Germany. After a fantastic year for Spanish football at club level, with European titles for both Barcelona and Sevilla, attention now turns to the national team. Having suffered the ‘quarter final syndrome’ so many times in the past, and with fourth place at Brazil 1950 being their best ever finish, Luis Aragonés is the latest man to be charged with the task of guiding Spain to avoid failure when it matters most.

History:

Spain is, along with Holland and the Hungary of the 1950s, one of the most important footballing nations never to have lifted the World Cup. The national side has gained a reputation for losing in decisive matches, those games that sort out the potential champions from the rest of the pack. The 'quarter finals syndrome' is a black cloud that hangs over the whole country whenever the World Cup comes around.

Not only that, but Spain's defeats have never been short of drama, injustice and bad luck. After turning down Uruguay's offer in 1930, the 'red fury' made its first World Cup appearance four years later. In the most politically influenced World Cup ever played, Italy '34, with Mussolini's fascism constantly in the background, Spain faced the host nation in the quarter finals. Italy had to 'win or win', because that was what Il Duce ordered. Spain were a goal up when Italy’s Schiavio as good as handcuffed the Spanish keeper, Ricardo Zamora, 'the divine one', enabling Ferrari to slot the ball into an open goal. Shortly after, an unfairly disallowed Lafuente goal prevented Spain from advancing to the semi finals. The tie was to be settled by a replay, but Spain would be without Zamora, who was injured after all the knocks he had taken off the Italians. Another scandalous foul on his replacement, Nogués, and Spain were out.

This was a fair reflection of what awaited Spain in future appearances. But the team's finest hour came in 1950, and fourth place. A Zarra goal at the Maracaná against England put them into the final round. There they would meet Brazil, Uruguay and Sweden, but the side featuring such talents as Ramallets, Panizo, and Zarra only managed one draw, albeit with the team that would end up winning the title, Uruguay.

In 1954, Spain suffered further misfortune when facing Turkey for a place in the finals in Switzerland. Both sides won their home legs, but as goal difference didn't count, a decider was played in Rome. The game ended 2-2, so lots were drawn, with the infamous 'Bambino' pulling out the ball with Turkey's name on it, and Spain were out by the bad luck of the draw.

Spain's next World Cup was at Chile'62. They went out in the first round, last in their group and only managing a draw with Mexico. 1966 was worse, with Spain, despite being the defending European Champions, failing to qualify for the World Cup in England.

Spain have not missed another World Cup since Germany'74, although their appearances have consistently ended in disappointment. Argentina'78 will always be remembered for Cardeñosa's goal that never was against Brazil. That goalless draw was the final nail in Spain's coffin that year, following on from their disastrous 1-0 defeat to Austria in their opening match.
Spain's worst showing came in the year they actually hosted the event in 1982. In what was a horrendous setback for the national game, they never recovered from appalling displays in losing 1-0 to Northern Ireland and drawing 1-1 with Honduras in the first round. Those results meant sharing a three-team group in the next round with Germany and England, who both finished above a pitiful Spain.

In Mexico'86, the Spanish threw away an excellent opportunity to achieve something big. Despite a poor start, with defeat to Brazil (Michel's famous disallowed goal and all), wins against Northern Ireland and Algeria set things up for the best game Spain have ever played at a World Cup. The historic 5-1 win over Denmark in Querétaro put them into the quarter finals, and the nation went wild. Few expected them to lose to Belgium, but they did in a soul-destroying penalty shoot out, with Pfaff saving Eloy Olaya's decisive kick. A nation mourned.

At Italy'90, Spain were dismal. Michel's “it’s what I deserved” after scoring a hat trick against South Korea will never be forgotten, but two goals from Dragan Stojkovic were enough to put Yugoslavia into the quarter finals.

USA'94 was the scene of one of one of the most symbolic images of Spain's recent World Cup history: the impotency of a bleeding Luis Enrique after being elbowed in the face by Tassotti of Italy in the quarter finals had the whole country seething at Hungarian official Sandor Puhl, who had failed to see what happened. Salinas's miss against Pagliuca, followed shortly after by Roberto Baggio's winner, are other lingering images of that cruel defeat.

France'98 was a disaster. Out in the first round following two unforgettable moments: Zubizarreta's mistake against Nigeria to allow Lawal to score, and the tears despite drubbing Bulgaria 6-1, because Paraguay and Nigeria had settled for a draw that saw both teams through at Spain’s expense.

More refereeing trouble in 2002. Egyptian El Ghandour knew full well that Spain were not going to knock one of the host teams, South Korea, out of the tournament in the quarter finals. No matter how much better a side the Spanish were, they suffered the devastation of realising that this was a game they were never going to win. In the lottery of a penalty shoot out, Spain were out. Once again, in the quarter finals.


Statistics:

Real Federación Española de Fútbol (RFEF)

Founded: 1913

Joined FIFA: 1913

World Cup appearances: 11 (1934, 1950, 1962, 1966, 1978, 1982, 1986,
1990, 1994, 1998, 2002)

Best World Cup performance: Fourth place in 1950

Other titles: 1964 European Championship winners, World Under 20 winners (1999), European Under 19 winners (2002 and 2004), World Under 18 winners (1995), European Under 16 winners (1986, 88, 91, 97, 99 and 2001)

Fifa World Ranking: Joint 5th with USA (May 2006)

Colours: Red shirts, blue shorts, blue socks with red and yellow tops.


How They Qualified:

During the Javier Clemente years, Spain had grown used to early and trouble-free qualifications for European Championships and World Cups. But for the first major competition under Luis Aragonés, they had to get there the hard way.

Spain failed to finish top of their group, which also included San Marino, Belgium, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Lithuania and Serbia &
Montenegro.

They actually went through the group unbeaten, but after slipping up at home to Bosnia (with a miraculous 97th minute equaliser from Marchena), they were made to suffer unnecessarily.

It ended with a terrific performance in Brussels, in which we saw the very best of Fernando Torres (with two goals), and at least Spain had made it into the play offs.

The writing may have been on the wall, but Spain made no mistake against Slovakia. On a memorable evening at a packed Vicente Calderón, we saw that this team can catch the fans imaginations when it has to. And that is the goal at the Germany 2006 World Cup: to get good results, and get the fans on their side.

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World Cup Profiles: SPAIN (Key Players)



Most of the players in the Spanish squad know how to shine at the highest level with their clubs, in their respective leagues and in Europe. However, there are doubts as to whether some of them can do the same at their first World Cup. Spain are solid at the back, with Iker Casillas in goal and Carles Puyol just in front. If he hadn't been out through injury for so long, Xavi Hernández would be a first choice in midfield, while up front, most of the hope lies in Fernando Torres, rather than the team captain Raúl.

Iker Casillas:

Having just celebrated his 25th birthday, this is the goalkeeper who is set to beat every record going in Spanish football, and maybe some world records too. Like Raúl, he has been a regular starter for Real Madrid since a very young age, and is now considered one of the best keepers in the world, if not the best, better than Buffon or Cech, who may attract more media attention, but are not necessarily any better.

And the young stopper from Móstoles will not be intimidated by the World Cup stage. Casillas was one of the big stars in South Korea and Japan four years ago. Just a month after winning the Champions League with Real Madrid, his stunning display in that epic second round game with the Republic of Ireland, penalty shoot out included, confirmed his place among the goalkeeping greats with a series of spectacular saves in the final twenty minutes when he came on for the injured César.

Casillas is unquestionably the most outstanding keeper in one-on-one situations that the world has seen for a long time. But there are still questions marks about his ability in the air (the goal he let in against Serbia at the Vicente Calderón springs to mind) and he has let in goals this season following inexplicable blunders. Even so, he does provide the security the team needs.

Carles Puyol:

The Barcelona captain is enjoying the finest moments of his career, both on a team and individual basis. He has just won La Liga and the Champions League, and his morale is sky-high coming into the World Cup in Germany.

The Catalan centre back has had a sensational year on a personal level. Physically, he is at his peak, and he is almost impossible to get past, or to lose as a marker. A brick wall, if there was ever one.

On the negative side, he is missing something when it comes to playing the ball out of defence. At Barça, this role is generally left to somebody who reads the game far better, Mexican Rafael Márquez, while for the national side he plays alongside Pablo, who is no marvel when it comes to playmaking either.

Fernando Torres:

For the Atlético Madrid forward, Germany could prove to be the defining moment in his career. We will either be hearing yet more criticism that the press has blown his reputation out of proportion, or otherwise his name will be exalted even more by those that have always held their faith in him. It may not come to either of those extremes, but things have been snowballing so much around Torres, that it seems inevitable that, for better or worse, he will be even more talked about after the World Cup.

Torres has so many natural qualities. The striker from Fuenlabrada has the kind of imposing physique that could make him into one of the best forwards in the world. His fantastic displays against Barcelona, or his Van Basten-esque goals, like the one against Betis, are testimony of what a thrilling prospect he is. With more games like the one in Brussels, where his goals sent Spain into the play-offs, he could become one of the biggest names in the history of Spanish football.

So, what does Torres still need? Goals, for a start. He is so gifted at creating goalscoring opportunities, but less efficient when it comes to putting them away. His record against Real Madrid explains it all. You could put together a five-minute video of the chances 'El Niño' has been involved in against the old enemy, but amazingly, there would be no goals, because there have never been any. But Spanish fans will be praying that we get to see the Torres we saw against Belgium. That could make all the difference.

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World Cup Profiles: SPAIN (The Coach, Tactics and Probable Starting XI)



The coach: Luis Aragonés

Luis Aragonés is, undoubtedly, one of the characters Spanish football needs. From Madrid, he is known as The Wise Man of Hortaleza (the district where he was born), and goes to his first World Cup at the age of 68, having missed out on the chance as a player.

Luis has dedicated his life to football, and his highly respected both at home and abroad. Hardened by a thousand battles, 'Big Shoes' makes no concessions for anybody, hence his famous confrontations with players he has trained in the past, including Samuel Eto'o and Romario.

Luis plied the coaching trade at the highest level in Spain for 19 seasons. No fewer than nine clubs have employed his services in the past, including Barcelona, Betis and the club closest to his heart, Atlético Madrid, who he brought back from the second division a few years ago.

After so many years in the elite, he finally got the chance to manage the team that represents the nation. This happened on the back of a disastrous Euro 2004, when Iñaki Sáez failed to even get Spain into the quarter finals.

Since then, with Luis on the bench, Spain are unbeaten. A promising statistic, but one that hides some of the truth. Because despite not losing a game, Spain were still forced to qualify via the play offs.

Tactics:

From what we have seen so far, Spain look almost certain to use a 4-3-3 system at the World Cup in Germany. At least that is how they will probably start things off, although we all know that at the World Cup, any amount of hard work done before can easily come to nothing with one poor result.

The idea of a flat back four seems a certainty, although less cautious observers are suggesting the coach should play some of the first round games with just three at the back, presumably against the weaker opponents, Tunisia and Saudi Arabia, although these ideas seem more utopian than realistic right now.

It is in midfield where there are most doubts. If Marchena plays in the middle, any of seven other players could play a similar role, some more attack-minded, others more defensive.

And it is not at all easy to work out which players will be chosen to do that, and this is the area that will probably be toyed with the most, depending on how results go. If he hadn't just recovered from a long-term injury, Xavi would be a be a definite first team choice. But the Catalan has played very little football since Barça won the league, and is still not back to his best.

Playing this way, with three in the middle, is strikingly similar to what Frank Rijkaard does at Barcelona, with no out-and-out wingers. Which means the likes of Joaquín and Reyes may lose their places to Senna or Cesc, who tend to play more centrally.

There is already controversy about the forward line even before the World Cup has started. David Villa, second top scorer in the Spanish league, has every chance of playing wide on the left (as he has done in some games for Valencia), which would leave Torres as the target man, and Luis García out on the right. As it stands, there is no place for Raúl in the starting line up.

Probable Starting Eleven:

Iker Casillas

Sergio Ramos

Carles Puyol

Pablo Ibáñez

Antonio López

Xabi Alonso

Cesc Fábregas

Marcos Senna

Luis García

David Villa

Fernando Torres

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World Cup Profiles: SPAIN (The Legend)



Spain's historic player: Telmo Zarra

Telmo Zarra is, without a shadow of a doubt, the greatest forward Spain has ever produced. He spent his entire career at his beloved Athletic Bilbao, while for the national side he scored the most important goal Spain have ever scored at the World Cup. That was against England in Brazil 1950, and helped the side towards its best ever World Cup finish: fourth.

Zarra was one of those characters writers love. Not just because he was the finest goalscorer his country ever produced, but because of the simplicity with which he lived his life, even after retirement.

His record is, quite simply, unparalleled. He got the ball, and the ball went in the net. He was a strong forward, with more skill than even he knew he had, and most of all, he was formidable in the air, something which had particular added value in his time.

Zarra left this world last February. He was born on January 20, 1921 in Asúa, Vizcaya, and died on February 23 aged 85 years. His life was all about scoring goals, both on and off the field.

Zarra was the leader of one of the best Athletic Bilbao sides of all time. With the Lions he won one Spanish league (42/43) and five Spanish Cups. Iriondo, Venancio, Panizo and Gainza were his colleagues in a forward line that anybody could recite by heart, and each weekend, they would strike fear into the hearts of their opponents. But nobody more than Telmo Zarra.

It will be hard for anybody to top his goalscoring record. He was the league’s leading goalscorer on six occasions, scoring an average of almost a goal a game: 259 goals in 279 league games, and even better, 81 in 74 cup ties.

His strength in the air made Zarra the kind of player rarely seen before. In those days, training methods were nothing like as advanced as they are now, and a player that could score with his head was considered a major advantage. The saying back then was that Telmo "had the second best head in Europe, after Churchill".

But more than anything, Zarra was an honest player. The story goes that his only sending off as a professional came after an inoffensive incident in which he lifted his boot over the face of a player being treated on the ground and jokingly commented “I'm going to tread on you”, something that the referee wrongly interpreted as a threat.

With the national side, his greatest obsession was becoming his country's top scorer, a record held at the time by Isidro Lángara (17 goals in 12 games). And he managed it, with 20 goals in the same number of appearances.

He made his debut on March 11, 1945 against Portugal, but his finest hour came at the 1950 World Cup in Brazil. Telmo Zarra will always be remembered in Spain for that tournament, along with legendary commentator Matías Prats, somebody else who was way ahead of his time.

Because Spain did something at that World Cup that they have never been able to do since: win the game that mattered most, the one that separates the good teams from the great teams. The kind of games that have caused all the tears of disappointment and so many ifs and buts down the years of Spanish football.

In Brazil, Spain found themselves in Group 2, along with Chile,
the United States and England. That year, there were four first round groups, and the four group winners went on to play each other in a group to decide the world champion. Spain had won their first two matches, but against the English, only one team could go though to the final round.

And Spain made history. In the most famous stadium in the world, the Maracaná, and with Ramallets, Panizo, Gaínza and Puchades in the side coached by Guillermo Eizaguirre, the challenge was to beat an impressive England side that featured some of the best players in their history, including Stanley Matthews and Alf Ramsey,
who would go on to manage his country to World Cup victory in 1966.

The game kicked off in front of 74,000 passionate fans. As expected, it was an intense match, but England dominated from early on, and for the Spanish, a happy ending was looking increasingly unlikely.

Early in the second half came the magic moment, one that goes down in the footballing annals of a whole nation. Telmo Zarra broke past English keeper Burt Williams to slot home a goal that was as legendary as Matías Prats's famous commentary: “At long last, we have beaten the Perfidious Albion.” It seemed too good to be true, but for once Spain had something to celebrate.

With his knee or with his shin? Zarra himself, so modest he would always understate his own achievements, claimed he had scored with his shin. Prats is equally sure it was with his feet. But all that really mattered was that it was a moment to be treasured. The Spanish flag flew high in Brazil, the football country. And 'El gol de Zarra' would be remembered for ever after.

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Dutch Impress Against Mexico

The Netherlands continued their World Cup preperations with an impressive 2-1 victory against fellow World Cup hopefuls Mexico on Thursday night.
A stunning goal from Ryan Babel stole the show for the Netherlands as they defeated Mexico 2-1 in Eindhoven last night to continue their build-up to the World Cup finals, which kick off a week today.

Mexico took the lead through star striker Jared Borgetti midway through the first half, but Marco van Basten's team responded with a header from John Heitinga header eight minutes after the break.

Ryan Babel sealed a deserved win four minutes later by superbly volleying home a cross from Dirk Kuyt.

The victory followed Saturday's 1-0 win against Cameroon, although the two teams put out were by van Basten were very different, which shows the strength of the Dutch squad.

Van Basten said after the game: "We used the last two matches to evaluate the players on this level.

"I am pleased that this team beat a good World Cup compititor like Mexico.

"For us it is obvious that we have a strong squad... in a World Cup tournament the strength of your reserves will be very important."

The Dutch are in the group of death, which includes Argentina, Serbia & Montenegro and the Ivory Coast

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Rooney Steps Up Recovery Bid

Wayne Rooney has stepped up his attempts to recovery from injury in time to make the World Cup finals by running and kicking balls in training today.

Rooney broke his foot just over a month ago and it is still not known if he will recover in time to feature in England's World Cup campaign, which starts in eight days time.

Ahead of his next scan on June 7th the Manchester United forward has been testing his recovery with a testing training session at England's camp at Carrington.

Regarding his progress England coach Steve McClaren told SkySportsNews: "He has been working with the United physios all this week.

"He's stepping things up, joining us on (the flight to Germany on) Monday and having the relevant scans, so things are progressing well.

"Of course, you never take things for granted in football and with the metatarsal especially.

"Hopefully the scans will be okay but you've seen the progress he's making. He's a confident lad and he wants to be there and he'll be doing everything possible to be there."

England face Jamaica at Old Trafford on Saturday in their final friendly before the competition gets underway in Germany.

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Sven Impressed With Walcott

Sven-Goran Eriksson has praised how well 17-year-old Theo Walcott has fit in with the rest of his England team-mates following his shock inclusion in the Swede's World Cup squad.