CHAPTER XII

BOOK FOOTBALL ART AND CRAFT – Futebol Arte e Ofício

Maktub!

2002 FIFA World Cup

Brazil Five-time champion

It was even written that the FIFTH championship would come! But not in France, of the genial Zidane and his teammates, prepared to win, technically and tactically, in addition to having the great asset, not inconsiderable advantage of the field command, playing in his own country, at home, as they say, footballistically, with the fans almost all in their favor, apart from the setbacks suffered by the Brazilian team,  of general knowledge, especially what happened to our phenomenal Ronaldo.

In previous editions we said with conviction: playing in normal conditions, achieving the postponed to 2002 dream of the fifth, would be the natural outcome of the 1998 World Cup. And finally, verbatim: So it was written. MAKTUB. If it wasn’t, now it is!

Well, very well, there is the decanted PENTA, reason for the immeasurable and contagious joy of this immense Brazilian nation, of more than 180 million hearts beaten by the glorious and exclusive title.

In the Coupe de France, what was of greater importance and importance was the prevalence of the tactical training of the teams by the versatility in the variation of the then known Game Systems and although, sometimes, already unveiling the next step. Meritoriously, the brilliant coach of France, Professor Le Mer, used a single striker in decisive or important games, for example, those against Italy and Brazil itself in the final. Certainly, because of the natural doubt of the superiority of his team’s technical training over those opponents, undoubtedly very strong.

Of course, in the early stages of a competition, it is not advisable to present all the available assets (Systems, strategies, tactics, formations that fit, etc.), that is: not to open the game, the box of possible surprises, which can be better used at any time, perhaps perfected gaining in efficiency throughout the competition, in such a way that, at the unlucky moment,  the group of quality and tiled vision, experienced by the past of countless competitions lived, united (closed), in which the sincere camaraderie and loyal friendship, the indefectible confidence in their potential stand out – will be, fully fit, qualified and ready to achieve the greater goal, victory.

Now, yes, it is written in history: Brazil Five-time World Champion of Soccer!

The Asian airs did a lot of good to Brazil! Disputed in Japan and Korea (this resulting from the unification of the two Koreas, the South and the North) was the only one, until then, carried out in more than one country simultaneously.

With regard to the evolution of Game Systems, which is defined, briefly, as the organized distribution of the players of a team on the field, with pre-established complementary functions, in order to, with less effort, obtain greater performance and victory, it was noticed that in this World Cup occurred significant and alarming evolution, always awaited by the so-called futurists, with particular interest,  it is known that this happens every two Cups, approximately.

Although many do not agree with the importance of the numbers, not those of the shirts, proper, but rather what they represent in the distribution by the sectors of the field, namely: goalkeeper, defense, middle and attack, impossible to ignore that since the Primary Systems (G-1-1–8, 1-2-7, 2–2-6), as well as the Modern (G-2-3-5, WM-DIAGONAL, G-4-2-4, 4-3-3,  4-4-2, 3-5-2) where the initial search for numerical balance between the sectors, was being overcome by the attempt to dominate the midfield and, at the same time, open spaces in the attack to be filled by any of those who come from behind, at the right time, can use them, confusing the defenders, unaccustomed to scoring only player.

Abundant praise and much applause for our charismatic five-time champion coach Luiz Felipe Scolari, whom we have learned to admire, not only for the many innate qualities that adorn his personality, but also for those that he came to add and improve throughout his professional life, standing out among his peers, brilliantly.

A close innovator, he has put our football one step ahead of the future. With his own mastery – supported by an excellent Technical Committee – Felipão led the selection by executing with firmness, all the important plans and modifications considered as essential.

Adept of the virile game, the famous 4-4-2 and the crosses by specialists for centre-forwards headers – he knew how to glimpse, anticipate and apply the best for the Brazilian team, adopting the formation with 3 defenders for greater defensive security, not only when attacked, but also when attacking (easier prey with two beques, only, grant greater space and time,  especially on the sidelines, allowing dangerous counterattacks, on the backs of the Brazilian full-backs in constant support of the attack. Such opposing moves have long been the target of analysis, studies and training to exhaustion, aiming to exploit the backs of Brazilian full-backs.

The allusion brought to light here, has the sense of highlighting two of the innumerable virtues that are part of the personality of LUIZ FELIPE, humility and modesty,  behold, he did not shy away from adopting, in principle, care that MESTRE PARREIRA, FOUR-TIME CHAMPION in 94, had adopted, because playing with what would be considered the third pair of central defenders,  Aldair and Marcio Santos, sedimented balance during the qualifiers, after a bad start, by fixing in front of the defender, next to Mauro Silva, the Dunga, excoriated by 99.9% of the Brazilian fans, covering the sides and functioning as spring breakers in front of the defender, taking from the opponents space-time that they needed so much. Our brave Luis Felipe opted for the formula that had already been sedimented all over the world and used with relative success by our Lazaroni, in the ’90 World Cup, until at least the day when the genius Maradona, presented his teammate Cannigia, with that goal, unexpected and fatal. The System did not have the expected success, did not succeed, strictly speaking, in the face of the premature elimination of our selection that day, of sad memory.

However, the predestined Luiz Felipe, with his percussive vision, in the face of the dismissal due to injury of the leader and captain EMERSON, on the eve of the World Cup, took the definitive step in the implementation of the winning System: a) softer leadership of CAFU; b) more technical protection for defenders and coverage for wingers; c) beginning of the offensive maneuvers with more quality, with GILBERTO SILVA E JUNINHO, then KLEBERSON. It was possible, therefore, in the Systematic Plan, to arm RONALDO as the only born striker in the field of attack; RONALDINHO GAÚCHO and RIVALDO as advanced midfielders, coming from a line prior to attack, from the middle, in the most important and decisive games, because we saw that, against COSTA RICA, they played two pure strikers: EDILSON AND RONALDO.

Therefore, the Pentacampeonato Cup presented the future, when LUIZ FELIPE introduced in high-level competitions, the G-3-6-1 Game System, as it appears, said by himself, in the beautiful work of RUY CARLOS OSTERMAN, FELIPÃO THE SOUL OF THE PENTA, against Costa Rica: 3 x 3 x 2 x 2 and in the grand final:  3 x 4 x 2 x 1.

Here is the truth of the numbers, in the tactical systematization of football, so we believe.

Still within the theme, the five-time champion ZAGALLO – the only one to win 4 World Cups as a participant in fact and law and a deep connoisseur of the subtleties of the various Systems – clearly shows his tendency to align his teams, with subdivisions in the sectors, such as: G – 4 – 3 -1 (this number 1, of great tactical value,  an attacking midfielder) – 2, in fact G – 4 – 4 -2. Of course, G is the goalkeeper, the 4 of the defense (following the same norm would be 2 – 2, for usually not playing on the same line or, still, 1 – 1 – 2 for not being advisable the ridiculed dumb line);  3 socks (one would say 2-1, or even 1-1-1; the number 1; and finally the 2 attackers, often positioned as 1 -1.

It is with regret that we see coaches, even of good level, although few, as well as journalists, chroniclers and other professionals in the sports area, who do not distinguish the importance of the numbers and their respective distribution across the field, thus failing to give, to their satisfaction, their contribution, even greater, to the progress of football in our country. 

Now it’s time to work to make the HEXA come true, very viable, considering that the five-time champion squad is young, in the average age, and can be really strengthened, by the new talents that in Brazil appear every day.

In fact, a project is prepared with a view to the 2008 Olympics, when, then, we will have another opportunity to reach the Olympic Gold Medal, the only one we lack, in the collection that we proudly own. For the goal to be achieved, it is necessary an adequate preparation, of 4 years, as is usually done in any and all sports, based on the four-time World Junior Champion team in 2003.

We close the chapter by transcribing, nominally, the players of the Brazilian Team that made the Victorious Flag of Brazil flutter in the skies of the East, and then the verses of Castro Alves that well summarize the patriotic feelings of the Brazilian people:

DIDA

MARK

ROGERIO CENI

CAFU

LUCIO

ROQUE JUNIOR

EDMILSON

ROBERTO CARLOS

RICARDINHO

GILBERTO SILVA

RONALDO (disambiguation)

RIVALDO

RONALDINHO GAUCHO

BELETTI

ANDERSON POLGA

KLEBERSON

JUNIOR

DENILSON

VAMPETA

JUNINHO PAULISTA

EDILSON

LUIZÃO

KAKA

– “Auriverde pendão of my land,

May the breeze of Brazil kiss and sway,

Standard that in the sunlight encloses, The divine promises of hope.”

By Jucele

Julio Leal

April 13th (birthday of the author) de 2023