Brazil vs. Portugal: Neither a Biriyani nor a Pasta but a Smashed Potato

During Fifa world cup no matter how crazy Kolkata becomes on the lemon jersey team from Latin America, the veteran soccer freaks of the city never get tired of comparing the retrospective of the golden 70’s samba magic and the present display of Dunga’s team’s workman like football. Indulge yourself in a morning “Adda” at any tea stall with a hot cup of tea in hand and enjoy the mimic ride of 40 years in the past, where accolades will shower on Peles, Didis, Vavas and Socrates like cats and dogs. They say after 82 world cup Brazilian football style has changed dramatically.

In fact Soccer all over the world has never been the same. The playing ball, the drills, the skills, the media coverage, the coaching style; everything has changed over the years. And this continuous evolution only makes Football unique and the most beautiful game on earth.

So what’s the root cause behind all these changes?

My ans: Second World War, continuous growth of technology and media and obviously the mindset of result oriented stubborn lifestyle where finishing cut determines how successful you are.

The mayhem and havoc that Second World War brought on this planet, it would take years to blow war trumpets again for the third version. Till then the axis powers of the world will keep on fighting for mine resources, water and land, the common people who wants to get the picture live and exclusive, will cherish the battle for pride on soccer field. Thus result has taken the first priority over everything else. Media involvement has increased to speak the heart of the nation; pressure stepped up notches on coaching stuff resulting in more tactics, more ragged method of playing and more muscles. The eye soothing free flowing football went missing. To avoid the heavy traffic on ground, teams who used to play touch football started playing Arial balls as passes. The approach towards the game started tilting towards this thought -nobody has come here to do circus, its soccer my dear friend, if you want entertainment go for something else. Can you wonder the present football allowing a player to dodge 7 players in trot like Maradona did in 86 world cup?

But in spite of all these non football oriented issues, still there are some classic clashes in world football which are purely built on soccer egos rather than political slambams or wound of a past war. Like Brazil vs. Portugal or Brazil vs. Argentina. Portugal is known as the Brazil of Europe in world football. They sport that panache, arrogance and flavor in their style of football that European teams rarely have. Ironically the history tells they are all cousins. The Portuguese thinks they taught Brazil how to play soccer, but the Brazilians think that they showed the world how to play the footy stuff.

Since the day schedule for the twenty ten world cup was released every soccer lover has been waiting for this very match of group league. Like always Media again came in picture, the first, last and the 3 pages of middle wasted the newsprints talking about this match only. The hoopla killed the promise in its embryo stage.

Brazil needed nothing out of this match to qualify for the second round, Portugal just needed a draw. So both of them did their mutual bit and settled for draw, and played one of the most boring games of this world cup.

Dunga rested Robinho; kaka was sitting out for red card on the previous match, the fuel of Brazilian attack was sure to be missed. For a change Dunga kept Albez in the team and played him as an attacking mid fielder though Albez is a genuine right winger. But who can replace Maicon in that position. Another Ronaldo is far from reality, but still Fabiano is not even the10% of his past position holder. The ball control is so average, that it’s hard to believe he is a central forward in Brazilian national team. The Skeletons came out more when kaka and Robinho were not present to supply the passes to him. Through out the match string of boring back passes and monotonous aimless ball possessions ruled and killed the game. Albez tried couple of times from long range but not enough to disturb the Portuguese goal keeper.

From Portugal’s perspective, the team fresh from a thumping seven nil win over North Korea promised a lot before the match. Quiroz’s midfield was patchy for first 20 minutes of the game, when Brazil kept playing passes between them. Frustrated with lesser ball possession the Portuguese players started playing the rough game lead by Pepe. Fifa is penalizing heavily for tackle from behind. Good if it inspires ball play again. You commit once see a yellow; commit twice its bye bye from the referee. The way two teams started tackling each other; more cards were on the cards!!! The players from both the teams got heavily booked. On the second half Portugal showed a bit of urge and stepped on the gas, even twice got genuine chances to score, but Juilo came up with two brilliant saves.


Three questions come to mind after seeing the match –

1. If they were so anxious for a draw, wonder why they committed so many fouls and got booked?
2. And what’s more mysterious is that, if Fifa is punishing so huge for so less threatening challenges on the field wonder why the referee dint show Juan red card for handling the ball when he stopped the play to rescue a Portugal attack.

3. What goes in Chirstiano Ronaldo’s head before he shoots a free kick? Standing like an animation movie character is good enough to produce a Match snap on the newspaper, but why on earth he never gets tired of trying the same so stupid thing. Watching his free kicks, one RD Burman classic comes to my mind, “Aajkaal pav jamin pad nahi padte mere, bolo dekha hai kabhi tumne mujhe udte huye”. The only difference is he doesn’t fly, the ball flies and that too by a long long margin from the target. The audacity that he shows while trying to beat Julio, one of the best goal keepers in the world, from 35 yards is quite mind boggling and deserves some more Vuvuzela on his ears.

With so many talents on display the most awaited match of this world cup had a very few goal mouth actions for a neutral like me. I once read Hrittik Roshan saying “kites is not a biriyani, it’s not a pasta”, when he protested against the criticism of his much awaited movie kites. I don’t know how Brazil media will react to the game but taking one leaf from Hrittik Roshan’s comment I am saying Brazil vs. Portugal was neither a Biriyani nor pasta but a smashed potato, which you buy, hearing the weight of the name, but later turns out to be a torture.