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Scouting
Report
Style of play: Once purveyors of the "beautiful
game" -- a style of soccer characterized by its
rhythmic pace and stylish individual flair -- Brazil
has recently discarded the elegant attacking style it
made famous. In its place is a grinding, physical approach
where more emphasis is placed on preventing goals than
scoring them. Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, nicknamed "Big
Phil," preaches a more tactical game plan, openly
encouraging his players to foul opponents with bone-crushing
tackles and to take dives in order to win free kicks.
Scolari often starts as many as eight defensive players,
flooding the midfield in order to control possession
and frustrate opposing forwards. Brazil uses its speed
down the wings and a quick counterattack up the middle
of the field to score goals. Brazil also relies on the
creative play of midfielder Rivaldo, not only to tee
things up for the strikers, but also to score on long-range
shots.
Strengths:
Experience -- Brazil boasts a side that includes
world-class veterans such as Roberto Carlos, Cafu, Ronaldo,
Denilson and Rivaldo. The bulk of the squad is comprised
of accomplished players who have a wealth of experience
at the highest level of international and club competition.
Depth -- The fact that Giovane Elber, one of
the best strikers in the world, wasn't even drafted
onto the squad by coach Luiz Felipe Scolari speaks to
the depth of the Brazilian side. They have a very long
bench, and Scolari can replace one world-class player
with another at a moment's notice.
Mystique -- It may not be the team it once was
during the era of Pelé or Zico, but Brazil still
has its reputation. They strike trembling fear into
opposing teams and use that psychological edge to intimidate
would-be challengers.
Weaknesses:
Team unity -- Brazil is a squad of great individual
players. Unfortunately, those same talented players
don't gel together as a cohesive team. Defender Roberto
Carlos is just one of several players with an arrogant
attitude who feels that he is bigger than the team itself.
Poor recent form -- Brazil was far from dominating
in the qualification round, losing to Ecuador and Uruguay
(teams it used to beat easily) and drawing at home to
lowly Peru. Brazil was sent home from last year's Copa
America in the quarter-finals by upstarts Honduras and
bombed out of the 2001 Confederations Cup.
Romario factor -- The Brazilian media and fans
(including Pelé and Brazilian President Fernando
Henrique Cardoso) are still up in arms over Scolari's
decision to omit Romario from the squad. A lot will
depend on how well the Brazilians can keep this enormous
distraction from affecting their game.
Key injuries/omissions: Both Ronaldo and Rivaldo
have suffered persistent knee problems this past season,
and will likely be playing in discomfort during the
World Cup…. Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari did not pick
Brazilian legend Romario for duty, earning the ire of
the entire nation. Scolari also overlooked speedy winger
Ze Roberto, defender Antonio Zago, and forwards Mario
Jardel, Giovane Elber, Djalminha and Marcio Amoroso
(all of them coming off their best seasons with their
respective clubs in Europe). Scolari did pick Vampeta
and Kaka, selections that did not sit very well with
Brazilian fans… Instrumental defender Cafu is suffering
with a back injury. but should be fit for the tournament…
Outlook: Brazil stumbled through the qualifying
round, only confirming its berth in Japan and South
Korea on the final day of qualification. Scolari has
selected a squad of talented individual players, but
there are serious doubts as to whether or not they can
play together as a team. That being said, you cannot
discount the four-time World Cup champions. China, Turkey
and Costa Rica hardly pose a serious threat, and Brazil
should have little trouble going undefeated in topping
Group C. Whether or not Brazil can come together as
a team and make it beyond the quarterfinals (where a
tough match against Germany, Argentina, Sweden or England
potentially awaits) is the more interesting question.
The
Country
Location: Eastern South America, bordering the
Atlantic Ocean
Capital: Brasilia
Area: 8,511,965 sq km
Population: 172,860,370 (July 2000 est.)
Government type: Federal republic
Climate: Mostly tropical, but temperate in south
Ethnic groups: White (includes Portuguese, German,
Italian, Spanish, Polish) 55%, mixed white and black
38%, black 6%, other (includes Japanese, Arab, Amerindian)
1%.
Religions: Roman Catholic (nominal) 80%.
Languages: Portuguese (official), Spanish, English,
French.
History: After three centuries of Portuguese
rule, Brazil became an independent country in 1822.
Brazil has overcome more than 50 years of military meddling
in the governance of its people to pursue industrial
and agricultural growth and development of its interior.
Brazil established itself as Latin America's principal
economic power in the 1970s by taking advantage of its
natural resources and large labour pool.
The
Community in Canada
At least for now, Canada team doesn't stand much chance
of making much of an impact in international soccer,
so from a Canadian standpoint, an ideal World Cup second
round would include Italy, Portugal, England, Ireland,
Greece, China, the Ukraine and at least one team from
the Caribbean - those being the communities most strongly
and most widely represented in Canada.
But although 2002 has been the year of upsets, we'll
still have to adjust our ideal roster. No teams qualified
from the Caribbean, and neither Greece nor Ukraine made
the cut. China, not really a soccer nation either, didn't
make it past the first round, and incredibly, Italy
and Portugal were in real danger of being ousted from
the tournament by the end of the first round.
If it had only been England and Ireland from the above
list that went through, it would have been a real shame.
All Canadians joined in the celebrations back in 1982
when Italy won the World Cup in Spain. It was hard not
to. There are well over a million Canadians of Italian
origin in communities from coast to coast and over half
a million in the Toronto area alone.
It all started with Giovanni Caboto (otherwise known
as John Cabot) who claimed Newfoundland for England
in 1497. Fans of TV's Degrassi High may not know that
the Degrassi St. was named for one of the first Italian-Canadians,
who settled in Toronto in 1831. The first big wave of
Italian immigrants began in the late 1800s, when tradesmen
and labourers primarily from Southern Italy came to
help build the country.
Today, there are neighbourhoods in Hamilton, Ont. (where
the entire downtown became gridlocked after the 1982
Italian victory), Toronto and Montreal. Some of those
communities boast more residents with roots in particular
Sicilian towns than reside in those Sicilian towns themselves.
This makes for a great window on the passions of the
World Cup - whichever way the fortunes turn. The spontaneous
party on the Corso Italia along St. Clair Ave. in Toronto
in 1982 and again during the close call in 1994 was
a gift to the spirit of the city and a lesson in good-natured
celebration.
Portuguese-Canadians, however, are ready to step in
when Italy falters. Portugal's team is a recent (the
team is only making its third World Cup appearance,
but is among the favourites) powerhouse, but the community
also comes as a multi-barrelled Lusophonic soccer powerhouse.
In past World Cups, Portuguese shopkeepers have proudly
stood in front of their markets waving Brazlian flags
and chanting: Brasileiro, Brasileiro! Add to that the
fact that much smaller Lusophone communities from Goa,
Macau, Angola, Cabo Verde and Mozambique tend to line
up behind Brazil at World Cup time, and you have a massive
soccer base with a built-in internal rivalry just to
keep it interesting. And if Portugal beats Brazil or
Brazil beats Portugal? Hey, the camps move easily.
A Portuguese seafarer, Corte Real, also voyaged to
Newfoundland in 1497, but came to explore only. Pedro
Silva, a Portuguese postman, carried mail between Montreal
and Quebec City back in 1705, but large-scale immigration
to Canada didn't begin until the 1950s. Although a certain
brand of Portuguese port wine is ceremonially wintered
in Newfoundland, the once vibrant Portuguese community
in Newfoundland in many ways collapsed with the cod
fishery of which they were a big part. Today, most of
Canada's Portuguese community is centred in Toronto
and Montreal to the tune of about 200,000.
Of the other Lusophone communities, Brazil is the best-represented,
but still small. Small, but very vocal. Watching a soccer
match with Brazilian fans is arguably the most fun way
to take in a game. Good food, lots of drumming and chanting
and a wonderful vibe in the room.
Depending on the fortunes of Portugal, the Brazilian
fan base can swell up to the hundreds of thousands in
Portuguese speaking communities - not to mention the
countless fans from other communities who simply love
the story of the Brazilian team and whose fascination
with the Brazilian style of play goes back to those
magic moments watching Pele play.
When Portugal trounced Poland on Portugal Day, the
west end of downtown Toronto celebrated boisterously
for hours. In 1998, even after France handed favoured
Brazil a sound thrashing in the final, the entire College/Ossington
area of Toronto shut down as thousands of Brazil supporters
of a whole range of ethnicities staged a spontaneous
street party.
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