Dunga: Official Blog
Just another WordPress.com weblogWho is the best captain?
Jose Nasazzi, Ernst Ocwirk, Bobby Moore, Franz Beckenbauer, Franco Baresi, Dunga and Roy Keane all made significant contributions to great sides. Not just as formidable players, but also as inspiring on-field leaders.
They are, of course, just a handful of the countless legendary captains to have graced football with their presence. FIFA.com wants to know which of these, past or present, you consider the greatest.
Some believe an ideal skipper should be a vociferous enforcer, roaring out instructions; others think he should quietly exude his influence, encouraging rather than berating his team-mates? Experts also hold different views on the position in which he should play, and on whether he necessarily has to be an outstanding player.
You will have your own opinion, and it’s now time to share it with football followers from across the globe. So, who is football’s greatest captain?
Kaka and Robinho star for Brazil
World player of the year Kaka returned after an 11-month international absence to inspire five-time champions Brazil to a 4-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Venezuela yesterday.
The 26-year-old AC Milan star was on target after just five minutes and set up the third goal as Brazil moved back into the second place in the South American standings with 16 points, four behind leaders Paraguay.
Manchester City ace Robinho also grabbed a share of the headlines with two sublime goals.
Venezuela came into the match buoyed by having won a friendly between the two nations 2-0 in a friendly in Boston last year, their first ever victory ending a run of 17 successive defeats against their illustrious rivals.
However, within 20 minutes, any hopes Venezuela coach Cesar Farias had off overseeing another shock were extinguished.
With just six minutes gone, Kaka beat goalkeeper Renny Vega with a shot from a difficult angle which went in off the post. It was the AC Milan star’s 23rd international goal in his 60th appearance.
Four minutes later, Robinho made it 2-0 when he cut inside from the left and drove the ball into the back of the net from 30 yards.
By the 20th minute, it was 3-0 with troubled striker Adriano, recalled this year after a series of fitness and disciplinary problems, finding the net from close range.
Kaka had broken from midfield and sent Elano, another Manchester City player on the pitch, free down the left-hand side.
His shot fell invitingly for Adriano to beat Vega and to justify his selection by coach Dunga who was deprived of the injured Luis Fabiano.
Venezuela had chances to hit back before half-time as Brazil’s defensive frailties looked in danger of being exposed, but Alejandro Guerra, Jorge Rojas, Juan Arango and Giancarlo Maldonado all wasted opportunities.
Adriano was booked on the stroke of half-time which means he will be suspended for Wednesday’s visit of Colombia.
Brazil keeper Julio Cesar was twice called on early in the second half to save from Maldonado at close range.
Venezuela, the only South American team never to have played in a World Cup, paid for their wastefulness after 69 minutes when Robinho added his second goal of the night being put through by Kleber.
Robinho controlled the ball superbly, steadied himself and slotted the ball into the corner of the net.
Dunga complains of dirty tricks
Brazil and Argentina put the mediocrity of recent World Cup qualifying performances behind them this weekend with respective wins that has left them second and third respectively in the table.
Brazil’s 4-0 rout of Venezuela late yesterday, however, was all the more impressive given what they are alleged to have endured from the moment they touched down on Venezuelan soil.
According to team manager Dunga and the Brazilian football federation (CBF), the five-time world champions’ trip to San Cristobal was taut from the word go.
In an official federation statement, Dunga complained his team were delayed on the tarmac as soon as the plane touched down, and then he claimed the staff at their hotel took part in a dirty tricks campaign to rob his players of sleep.
Adding to Brazil’s list of complaints was the allegation that several top players suffered vomiting before, during and after the match.
A frustrated Dunga did not point any fingers.
Instead, he was quick to highlight his team’s determination to put to rest a string of mediocre displays which saw them pick up only five of a possible 12 points in their previous four games.
“Our performance was even more impressive given the difficulties we had before the match,” said Dunga in the CBF statement.
“First we spent an hour and a half waiting to get off the plane, then during the night some of the hotel staff did their best, by driving cars and motorbikes around the hotel, to make sure we got as little sleep as possible.”
Even worse, according to the CBF, was the fact that several top players — including Lucio, Maicon, Elano and Gilberto Silva — succumbed to vomiting.
Dunga added: “I believe that when other teams face Brazil, the whole country gets behind them. That’s why these matches are always complicated affairs.
“Here we had to overcome quite a few obstacles before getting the win.”
World player of the year Kaka returned after an 11-month international absence to inspire Brazil to the win, the 26-year-old AC Milan on target after just five minutes.
Manchester City ace Robinho also grabbed a share of the headlines with two sublime goals while Inter Milan striker Adriano chipped in with one of his own.
Brazil now have 16 points from nine games, with Argentina, also on 16 points, sit in third due to inferior goal difference.
Argentina coach Alfio Basile could not match Dunga for pre-match drama, but he was quick to hit out at the match referee during his side’s 2-1 victory in Buenos Aires over their other big rivals Uruguay.
“What I take most from this match is that we deserved the win,” said Basile.
“But some of the tackles against us were brutal and the referee did nothing, while at the same time he was quick to rule against us if we made the slightest error.
“There were five yellow cards given to each team. But it’s a mystery, as far as we’re concerned, because we hardly made a foul the whole match.”
Argentina’s win was their first since a 3-0 win over Bolivia almost a year ago.
In their five matches following that win they were defeated once, by Colombia, and drew four times.
Paraguay top the group after maintaining their form with a 1-0 win in Colombia after Salvador Cabanas’s ninth minute goal.
Brazil closer to 2010
Two goals from man-of-the-match Luiz Fabiano, and one from Manchester City’s new signing Robinho, put Brazil’s World Cup qualification back on track on Sunday with a 3-0 away win over Chile in Santiago.
The five-time World Cup winners had been languishing in sixth place in the 10-team South American zone qualifier, two places outside of assuring one of the four automatic places for the 2010 Soccer World Cup finals.
And with coach Dunga under criticism for poor performances, including from his country’s president, the trip to Santiago had loomed as a potential disaster.
Chile opened well and dominated, but it was former Sevilla striker Fabiano who opened the scoring against the run of play in the 20th minute when he headed home a Ronaldinho free-kick.
Fabiano, the midfielder who now plays club soccer for Milan, showed glimpses of his top form. He had a chance to make it 2-0 after Diego was downed in the box in the 34th minute, but his penalty-kick was superbly saved by goalkeeper Claudio Bravo.
Ten minutes later, and on the stroke of half-time, Fabiano made an opening for former Real Madrid star Robinho and he made no mistake to make it 2-0.
Cheered on by a capacity 70000 crowd, the Chileans flung everything into attack at the start of the second half, and with tempers flaring both Brazil’s Kleber Anderson and Chile’s Jorge Valvidia were sent off.
With Brazil content to sit back, the home side pressed forward but were caught out eight minutes from time when Fabiano struck for his second goal.
The win hoisted Brazil into second place in the standings level on 12 points from seven games with Argentina, but ahead on goal difference.
Brazil president supports national coach Dunga following Chile win
BRASILIA, Brazil — Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva gave his support to beleaguered national coach Dunga on Monday, a day after a vital World Cup qualifying win over Chile.
Source: The Canadian Press
Heroes making history
Brazil’ striker Kaka (R) receives instructions from the team’s coach Dunga, 15 November 2007, during a practice in Teresopolis, 200 Km from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Highlights
Brazilian author Paulo Coelho, coach of the Brazilian football team and former legendary national team captain, Dunga, who holds the FIFA World Cup trophy, Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, former legendary player Romario and president of the Brazilian Football Federation (CFB) Ricardo Teixeira after the official unveil of Brazil as the 2014 World Cup hosts country, 30 October 2007 at the World football’s governing body headquarters in Zurich.
Source: FIFA.com
Highlights
Brazilian president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2ndL) holds the FIFA World Cup trophy with Brazilian football team coach and former legendary team captain, Dunga (L) next to former legendary player Romario (3rdL) and the president of the Brazilian Football Federation (CFB) Ricardo Teixeira after the official unveilling of Brazil as host country to the 2014 World Cup, 30 October 2007 at the World football’s governing body headquarters in Zurich. FIFA President Sepp Blatter announced Brazil as the venue after the sole candidate’s final presentation to FIFA’s executive committee.
Source: FIFA.com
Brazil’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying win away to Chile
Dunga produced a more positive line-up in Santiago on Sunday, with three forwards and a free role given to Diego in midfield.
“I imagine that not just the president but all Brazilians will be happy, especially with the way Brazil behaved,” Dunga said after the game.
“We always have three obligations. To win, score lots of goals and put on a show. Brazil is the only country where this happens. And it’s not always possible.”
Source: ESPN
