Published
monthly, the FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking of national teams gives football fans
across the world much to talk about, not to mention numerous statistics that
sports betting outfits use to create odds. No one can deny it! It's exciting to
see your country climb up a few spots and even more exciting to see your
arch-rival drop a few. In 2011 the ranking has provided something that no
football fans of a few years ago would have been able to predict. Brazil, who
added impressive qualities to the beautiful
game, has not fared as usual in the rankings.
Brazil
is not doing poorly, to be sure, but they are not living up to our
expectations; thus it gives a new topic of conversation. They are still doing
very well, being ranked 7th at their lowest in 2011, but in looking at how the
year progressed the success of the Selecao
leaves something to be desired. The Brazilians began the year ranked 4th. At
their best they ranked 3rd in April and May, and for just more than halfway
through the year, namely July, they kept a spot in the top 5 nations. However,
the greater challenge is that by the middle of 2011 the world of football was
no longer talking about Brazil as the standard setter. Spain was the new
standard. Since August have maintained a spot at 6th or 7th but it's difficult
to believe that Brazilian fans will consider acceptable heading toward the
World Championships which they will host in 2014. Questions abound: What is
Brazil loosing? What is Spain doing? How are coaches changing? How are players
changing? Is football changing its character? Those questions are too complex
for one writer, particularly yours truly, but a quick examination might prove a
useful lesson
For
years we have watched Brazilian players add superb flair to club teams in
virtually every national league and we have fallen in love with them.There are
so many to name, from Pele to the young Neymar. But as we fell in love with
these fantastic players we always looked forward to seeing them come together
in their traditional yellow jerseys. We expected to see the true jogo bonito that would hallow the pitch.
And we did. For the better part of the past two decades it seemed that the
Brazilians had enough players to assemble three national teams, and each one
would have been a serious contender for the World Cup. There was a certain
creativity, vision, and even footwork trickery that the rest of the world's
football nations were not able to match. Their ability to score seemed
unstoppable, at times the belief was that it didn't matter how many goals
the opposition scored, the Brazilians would simply out-score them.
It's
difficult to understand everything that happened, but it serves well to look at
the past few World Championships. Brazil won the tournament in USA 1994. They
were amazing with their depth of players. At times games looked as if Brazil
was a men's team while the opposing team were a junior club. Brazil continued
in impressive form but were stunned in the France 1998 final match by a team
that played an incredibly composed style of football. Led by the resourceful
Zinedine Zidane, the French defended and attacked as a team. Even considering
the home field advantage, the French won convincingly. However, Brazil still
had a fabulous pool of incredible players. Their dominance of world football
continues and in Korea/Japan 2002 they raise the world's most coveted trophy
once more as their shining star, Ronaldo, conquers the hearts of fans. But
things turn sour in Germany 2006 quarterfinals when France give the Brazilians
an early ticket home. The World Cup of South Africa 2010 is still fresh in the
minds of many fans, where Spain essentially changed the definition of beautiful
football.
Around
the time of the Germany 2006 World Cup we start hearing more frequently the
phrase "everyone behind the ball" and this reminds fans of France
1998. That's how the French tasted victory over the Brazilians. The idea that
football has attackers and midfielders and defenders will not die out, but in
the last few years even center forwards must defend and central defenders score
goals more than ever before in history. This is a paradigm shift. In addition,
the concept that a superstar will care a team is no longer valid. Sure some
have done so very successfully; Gheorghe Hagi for Romania and Hristo Stoichkov
for Bulgaria, but with the development of football tactics throughout the world
that style of play simply doesn't cut it. The Spaniards have apparently
mastered humility on the pitch; though it has made all of them demigods. Many
coaches throughout the world have decided to adopt this new style of being
humble on the pitch. Everyone supports everyone else at all times and the ball
moves around the 700 or so square meters of grass in seamless transition.
Creativity and brilliance is mostly in passing and positioning.
Brazil
is a proud footballing nation and incredibly resourceful, so it would be
foolish to believe that they will maintain the status quo. They are quick
learners with a depth of players that most countries can only hope and pray
for. In most national leagues having a Brazilian on the roster of any first or
second tier team is time for celebration; it means the football gods have
bestowed blessings upon the local team. Conversely, it is a safe assumption
that Brazil will pick themselves up by the laces and offer us a new level of
beauty to the beautiful game. The road to Brazil 2014 will begin construction
in 2012. We'll just have to wait and see what the new year brings.
